Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George discuss their latest cookbook and share the correct way to enjoy Mac and Cheese.

Last year, Dolly Parton spent Thanksgiving performing some of her iconic songs during the halftime show at the Dallas Cowboys game. This year, however, she plans a more relaxed celebration: “We’re gonna be cookin' all the stuff and watching the Dallas Cowboys on TV!” Dolly shared in an exclusive interview with Mytour.

Indeed, it was an exclusive interview! We spent quality time with Dolly and her youngest sister, Rachel Parton George, while they were promoting their new cookbook, Good Lookin’ Cookin’, which offers a glimpse into their cherished family traditions and features over 80 mouthwatering recipes. (They even shared their delicious Sweet Potato Casserole recipe!) Our conversation covered topics like their holiday menu (sage dressing is a must!), hosting tips (start prepping a day or two early and leave plenty of notes for yourself!), the perfect time to serve Thanksgiving dinner (4 p.m.!), the wonders of a cast iron skillet (“You can fry, you can cook…” Dolly says), and much more.

What Dolly and Rachel Are Grateful for This Year

We kicked things off by asking what they feel most thankful for this year: “We’re so thankful for our family, and we’re grateful for our new cookbook, which we’re finally able to share with other families,” Dolly shared. And we're grateful too, as we get to include their family's beloved recipes in our holiday spreads this year.

Some Fun Controversial Questions

Later in the conversation, just for fun, we asked them a few lighthearted controversial questions, like the proper way to eat mac and cheese: fork or spoon? “I don’t need either ‘cause I got these,” Dolly replied, demonstrating with her long, sparkling nails, pinching them together like a crab.

We had a good guess on how they'd respond (especially considering the cookbook), but we still asked them if it's acceptable to share family recipes. "We love sharing," Rachel said. "If we have a recipe and people say it’s delicious, we want to share it with everyone." Dolly added, explaining that every family member claims to make the best version of certain dishes, with some saying they make the best chicken and dumplings, others claiming the best roast. So when the family gathers, each person brings their signature dish for all to enjoy.

What's the ultimate ingredient? Rachel swears by butter: "I just can't get enough." Dolly, on the other hand, champions salt: "I've gotta have salt. Even if it ain't good for ya, I've still gotta have it." After a bit of back and forth, the sisters both agreed that salted butter is the clear winner.

To our surprise, we found out that Dolly is the type to leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight! And when it comes to cranberry sauce, both sisters chose the canned variety over the fresh stuff: “It’s just what we grew up with,” Rachel shared, though she admitted to occasionally melting it and adding fresh cranberries. When asked if they'd rather wash or dry the dishes, Rachel prefers drying, while Dolly opted for “Neither.” Rachel chuckled, adding, “That’s right, you always have to go write a song…” Perhaps we could borrow that excuse too?

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