‘Fixer Upper’ star debuts cookbook, talks post-show plans

Even though “Fixer Upper” has come to an end, Joanna Gaines, above, is still going strong.

The designing half of the just-wrapped HGTV show is showcasing her cooking skills with the release of her “Magnolia Table” cookbook. She showcased tasty food made from the book’s recipes at a recent lunch in New York as her husband, Chip, cracked jokes and playfully teased his pregnant wife while prepping biscuits in front of guests. The pair talked about the inspiration for the book.

“I just craved those moments around the table with our family,” she said. “If we weren’t intentional about it, life would just really fly by really fast.”

“I think once this baby comes along, I’m really hoping to find time. That’s what we’re really just preparing for, just this new baby coming along and cherishing that time as a family,” she said.

The Gaineses also have a home-decorating line at Target; a restaurant; a bed and breakfast in their hometown of Waco, Texas; and a magazine.

“My last baby, she’s 8 (years old) now, so I think this is something I’m learning all over again, even in buying all the stuff — what do I need for a newborn? It’s been a really fun season,” she said.

While “Fixer Upper” won’t have any new episodes, it will air in reruns on HGTV, and wood craftsman Clint Harp is getting a spinoff on the DIY channel called “Wood Work.”

BRIAN ACH/INVISION