<\/a><\/span><\/span>Joanna Gaines of \u201cFixer Upper\u201d fame has a new cookbook,<\/span> Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering<\/span> (William Morrow, $29.99 hardcover).<\/p>\n

As you would expect, it\u2019s very well done, with 300 pages full of recipes, color photos, and running commentary.<\/p>\n

Some of the recipes are from Joanna and Chip\u2019s newly opened Magnolia Table restaurant in Waco, at the old Elite Caf\u00e9 location. She begins the book with a few pages about the ingredients she always tries to keep on hand in her pantry and a discussion of the kitchen tools she uses most frequently. Then it\u2019s on to the food, divided into seven categories: breakfast, lunch, soups and salads, appetizers and starters, side dishes, dinner, and desserts.<\/p>\n

A few of the appealing selections for breakfast: asparagus and Fontina quiche, JoJo\u2019s biscuits, garlic cheese grits, ham and cheese bread pudding, and cinnamon squares (\u201cmy kids\u2019 favorite breakfast,\u201d Joanna writes).<\/p>\n

For lunch, how about the hefty Gaines Brothers Burger, flatbread pizza with prosciutto and potatoes, or grilled Havarti, tomato and basil sandwiches?<\/p>\n

Dinner entrees range from King Ranch chicken with Mexican-style jicama salad to Jo\u2019s fatayer meat pies to Gaines family chili, meat loaf, and beef stew.<\/p>\n

You wouldn\u2019t want to skip desserts like Aunt Opal\u2019s banana pudding, buttermilk blueberry puff, lemon pie, and mocha trifle cups.<\/p>\n

Well, there\u2019s a lot more, but you get the idea. And if you\u2019re interested in trying some of these recipes at the Waco restaurant, it\u2019s open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday \u2014 first come, first served, no reservations, according to the website. I imagine you should be prepared to wait.<\/p>\n

Veteran cemeteries:<\/span> In The Veterans Cemeteries of Texas,<\/span> retired Lt. Col. Michael Lee Lanning<\/span> tells the stories of the ten burial sites in Texas reserved for military veterans and their families (Texas A&M University Press, $29.95 hardcover).<\/p>\n

With text and color pictures, Lanning relates each cemetery\u2019s history as well as vignettes about some of the more notable veterans buried there. He also offers practical information about eligibility requirements and floral policies.<\/p>\n

Texas has six national VA cemeteries \u2014 San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston (also San Antonio), Kerrville, Fort Bliss, Houston and Dallas\u2013Fort Worth \u2014 as well as state veteran cemeteries at Killeen, Mission, Abilene and Corpus Christi.<\/p>\n