Living legend Dolly Parton, known for her big blonde hair and larger-than-life personality, released her 2024 cookbook “Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals,” with her younger sister, Rachel Parton George, celebrating family, food and love.
The book is divided into 12 chapters, each representing a different month of the year, filled with seasonal dishes.
These meals are not just about cooking, but reflect the sisters’ shared memories, traditions and creative approaches to food. The sisters emphasize that cooking is a way to express love and bring people together, with Parton noting: “Food for the heart, food for the mind, food for the soul, and food for the table.”
While not everyone can whip up lyrics like Parton, who famously wrote massive hits “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” on the same day, the book gives us each a chance to make a symphony with ingredients, and lovers of her work can create meals that will make their stomachs sing in their own kitchens.
The collection includes a variety of recipes ranging from playful dishes such as February’s Garden Salad with Miracle Madness Dressing to April’s Slaw of Many Colors (nod to her song title) and October’s Brainiac Jell-O to classic comfort foods, with stories attached to each meal that connect to their upbringing and the women who inspired their cooking.
The book has a recipe for nearly every taste and mood and offers up ways to make various baked goods, casseroles, meaty dishes and desserts such as cakes, puddings, pies and more.
You will find plenty of classic southern favorites that will be slathered, battered and devoured.
For Parton and George, the kitchen has always been the heart of their home. They write: “The kitchen— any kitchen — is so much more than a room. It’s often the center of the home.”
The sisters remember how cooking was central to their family life, with Parton stepping up to cook when their mother could not. In the spirit of their shared experiences, the cookbook offers more than just meals; it’s an invitation to create memories around the table with loved ones.
“Good Lookin’ Cookin’” is a heartfelt gift from the Parton sisters, blending personal stories and delicious recipes — inviting readers to share in the joy and nourishment that food can provide. Even after you’ve worked from 9-5.
Parton sums it up with: “We hope this book brings as much joy and nourishment to others as it has to us.”
