Dolly Parton Announces Addition of Frozen Macaroni and Cheese to Supermarket Recipes
Dolly Parton’s culinary empire — like her Broadway, dog clothing, musicals and real estate businesses — continues to expand.
The latest revelation from Parton’s expanded partnership with Conagra Foods is the first frozen offering, Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese.
A press release says the dish features nine servings of “mouth-watering macaroni and cheese” that “works great as a delicious accompaniment to summer barbecues, a stand-alone meal at home, or as a stand-out side dish alongside a main course. The dish is rich, indulgent, and perfect for your next family gathering or dinner party.”
The frozen entree joins an expanded line of baked goods that includes Duncan Hines brand chocolate and yellow cakes, cinnamon swirl crumb cakes and banana walnut blueberry muffins, as well as a buttermilk pancake mix.
The new multi-year, multi-category agreement between Conagra and Parton, facilitated by licensing agency IMG, will not only cover frozen and grocery products. Refrigerated products and snacks are also expected to launch later in 2024.
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“I loved co-creating my Duncan Hines line with Conagra and am thrilled that we are expanding beyond the baking aisle with new items throughout the store,” Parton said. “We look to continue inspiring special moments in the kitchen with some of my family’s favorite recipes.”
Parton’s Latest Business Initiatives
Parton recently appeared at CMA Fest on the event’s first day, performing on a packed “Close Up” stage during Music City Center’s Fan Fair X activation. There, she announced that “in a few years,” she’ll be bringing the Songteller hotel and museum to the bustling corner of 3rd and Commerce in downtown Nashville.
Parton also announced that she will partner with ATG Productions to bring “Hello It’s Dolly,” a new musical inspired by her life and career, to Broadway in 2026. The new musical takes its title from Parton’s first studio album, released in 1967. It will feature performances of her classic hits and new songs she wrote primarily for the musical. The musical will be accompanied by a book by Parton and her frequent collaborator Maria S. Schlatter.
All of this is combined with the revelation that Jennifer Aniston is putting her own spin on Parton’s four-decade-old classic, “9 to 5,” her upcoming documentary and album, “Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA — Family, Faith & Fables,” as well as Dolly Wines’ chardonnay.
Beautiful kitchen
A similar mac and cheese recipe will also be available in a new cookbook, “Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals,” from the Country Music and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and his sister, Rachel Parton George, due out September 17, 2024, from Ten Speed Press.
Parton and George recently appeared at CMA Fest to introduce the book, which is currently available for pre-order, via cooking demonstrations.
The recipes in “Good Lookin’ Cookin’” may sound familiar to many Parton fans.
Many of them are reworked versions of recipes from her 1989 book “Dollywood Presents Tennessee Mountain Home Cooking.”
“We’re going to rework a lot of these recipes because they’re still great,” Parton noted.
For more information on all of Parton’s exploits in the culinary industry, visit http://www.bakingwithdolly.com.
