Please welcome JoAnna Garcia Swisher.
(audience applauding)
Hi JoAnna, how are you?
It's so fun to be on your show
'cause I watch it all the time.
You do?
Of course I do.
I follow everything you do.
Well, thank you for doing this with us.
And you're in your Sweet Magnolias kitchen right now,
and you're filming season two.
Yes, we're here in Georgia.
I was so excited that we were filming on the stages today
because these are some of my favorite sets.
And even this looks like a super fancy top-notch kitchen,
but there's barely any electricity in it,
but we're gonna get through this together.
I have to say, it does look really chic
and very professional.
And I really am excited to talk to you about your website,
too, The Happy Place.
I mean, the name is so good.
By the way, how has that name not taken?
I don't know.
And I actually thought it was, so when I was kind
of creating it, I was like, oh, you know,
it's gonna be called something like The Happy Place.
They're like, well, why not that?
That I'm like, I can do that?
So, yeah.
So it's been a life saver for me in so many ways,
but to focus on the positive and the joy
even in the midst of things that are difficult
in life, which is kind of inevitable about life,
it's the beauty of the journey.
It's been a real blessing to be able to carve out
the slivers of light and all of it.
And sometimes they're larger slivers, huge rays of sunshine,
and sometimes you have to really search for them,
but to have an opportunity to have a destination,
it's such a beautiful, supportive place.
It's just been a great blessing.
And now we all get to be in the happy place with you.
And you're gonna actually teach us a great
springtime recipe from that gorgeous kitchen
that's in The Happy Place.
You can find it there.
Yes, I will be able to,
I'm gonna share all of these recipes with you.
I'm always tinkering in the kitchen.
I'm not complete aficionado, but I do what I can.
On The Happy Place we always say,
doesn't have to be Pinterest perfect.
You just have to kind of put your heart into it.
Oh, I love that JoAnna.
It doesn't have to be Pinterest perfect.
Okay, I don't know if you've ever seen me in a kitchen.
It is definitely not Pinterest perfect.
So teach me, I am your student.
What are we making?
Okay, we are making a fresh jalapeno corn pickled salsa.
So I'm gonna get right to it
and kind of show you how I do it,
because this is so easy and you can really make it your own.
So you start by taking a few cups of fresh boiled corn,
and then put it in an ice bath.
It kind of keeps the color all nice and bright
and we'd like it to look pretty in our jar, right?
Yes. And then,
I have thinly sliced red onion, which is kind of
like my, one of my favorite things in life.
And then we go for one of the other stars of our show,
the fresh jalapeno.
And then lime juice.
Who doesn't love lime juice?
In the spring, I'm just creating everything fresh
and with a lot of vibrancy and this kind of just
gives it that extra little kick.
Now we have a little fresh cilantro.
Then we're gonna go with a little bit of red pepper flakes,
because why not?
Let's kick it up a notch.
So we'll mix it up.
Now, while I'm doing all of this mixture,
I'm boiling my vinegar, water, sugar, and salt mixture.
That's over here.
And that is the pickling juice.
This is the pickling juice.
This is the big daddy, yum yum.
Big daddy yum, yum.
I just want to say JoAnna, #bigdaddyyumyum,
which might sound different in that context, but.
If this catches on, I'm fully crediting you with that,
but I'm really into it.
It's all you JoAnna.
Okay, so now, then you stick all of this
in your handy-dandy jar.
Now, magic of television,
which I've always wanted to say this because I'm not a chef
but I always love how they have the finished product.
I put it in little jars.
These jars don't last long in my house
because I would put this on everything.
And then once I put this mixture in,
I let it cool and leave it on the countertop.
And once it's cool, I'll seal it up
and I'll put it in the fridge
and it'll last about a week, if it lasts that long.
Okay, so another thing that I've been doing so much of
is I'm always craving fresh, easy meals on the go.
And so I'm not a huge meal prep girl or a leftover girl,
but I do like cutting up fresh veggies in the house
and having it there, easy for the girls to grab and go
and really honestly, easy to make these salads.
So I kind of put, you could put a lettuce of any,
you're liking.
I put a little quinoa, I have a little brown rice
quinoa mixture here.
I like something a little to stick to my ribs,
'cause I hae probably about eight hours more
of work after this.
I do fresh cucumber, a little bit of boiled egg,
matchstick carrots, chickpeas,
and you've got this nice fresh salad.
And then here comes my fresh pickled jalapeno corn.
And I'm trying to make it look really,
really pretty for you.
I noticed JoAnna, that you put croutons
and I'm salivating 'cause I love croutons so much.
Okay, so Drew, I'm not a fancy bird, you know me,
but I've been making my fresh, my own croutons,
which I just feel really fancy about this.
And I've been doing it in the most epic air-fryer.
(squealing)
(clapping)
This is the Drew Barrymore air-fryer from Walmart,
and honestly, I promise you everyone at home.
She did not tell me to do that.
I actually bought that.
I can't believe I got to Atlanta without my air-fryer.
So I immediately went out and bought it.
I love all of your stuff.
It's so beautiful and chic and gorgeous.
And honestly, this thing is incredible.
I did chicken in it last night for the girls,
but here are my fresh croutons, and they're so easy.
Then we eat.
(moaning)
Mm, I love it.
By the way, this is so beautiful.
And I'm so glad that you're bringing this wonderful
show into the world.
People need shows like this.
You know, they make us feel good and I love the messaging
and I'm so happy for your season two.
Congratulations, may you have a healthy, happy success
making it there in your gorgeous kitchen.
And be sure to check out JoAnna's website,
The Happy Place, for even more amazing recipes and content.
JoAnna, thank you for coming on the show.
Thanks for having me.
(upbeat music)