Measure with Your Heart: Southern Home Cooking to Feed Your Family and Soul: A Cookbook

by Hannah Taylor

100 free-spirited, comforting recipes for Southern-style dishes made with love from the social media icon behind LilyLouTay

Hannah Taylor is a culinary creator from Georgia known for her Southern charm, down-to-earth personality, and carefree “measure with your heart” cooking content. When Hannah began sharing her experimental cooking projects online, her platform exploded with support for her big-hearted spirit and off-the-cuff style, and her debut cookbook embraces this playful side of cooking.

Measure with Your Heart is filled with Hannah’s twists on classic Southern cooking, with an emphasis on making everything from scratch so you know exactly what’s in it. Try your hand at Hannah’s homemade versions of kitchen staples like Vanilla Extract or Beef Bone Broth. Bring some warmth to your dinner table with mains like Finger Lickin’ Fried Chicken, Butternut Squash Casserole, and Ham Hock Lima Bean Stew. Serve up Aunt Teisha’s Cowboy Caviar or Mini Pizza Pops at your next gathering alongside a Strawberry Sip N’ Spritz.

Featuring 120 gorgeous photographs and 100 mouthwatering recipes, Measure with Your Heart has ideas for sweet and savory breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as drinks, appetizers, and, for parents reading, even snacks for your kids (and pups!)—so get in the kitchen and try things out. If you totally mess up, even better! For Hannah, home cooking is not about being perfect—it’s about having fun and nourishing the ones you love.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food

288 pages, Hardcover

Published October 21, 2025

Reviews

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 1 out of 5]

I checked this out of the library by accident. I wanted the cookbook with the same name by Heather Brown. But I looked through this book to see what it contained. Nothing healthy nothing easy. Not a single recipe I wanted to try.

[JessicaMHR · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love watching @lilyloutay on IG and so I just had to pick this up when I saw it at the library. I liked the back story in the intro and she has a snippet at the top of each recipe, about it &/or it's inspiration but I thought many of the recipes were the typical things you find in just about any cookbook. I copied out 3 recipes I want to try and am realizing that they are more of the unique ones she had. The artwork and the layout were very beautiful and pleasing, and I love that every recipe had a corresponding image.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Southern cookbook with lots of good, basic recipes for many Southern classics. I liked that the first chapter was "homemade kitchen staples" like vanilla extract, pasta dough, stock/bone broth, etc. The recipes included a good variety of appetizers/snacks, breakfast, main dishes, soups, breads, and desserts. I found a couple recipes I'd like to try. There are definitely better and worse Southern cookbooks out there and I think this one falls right in the middle.

[T · Rating 1 out of 5]

This includes way too many recipes for baked goods, which goes against the title of this cookbook and to “measure with your heart”. Baking is exact and it’s difficult to “measure with your heart” and still have the item come out correct. On top of that, so many recipes look time consuming and call for expensive ingredients.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is a social media influencer. Her cookbook does not have any new recipes, but her recipes are reflective of America's food. From homemade chicken nuggets to meatloaf to gumbo to a peach cheesecake, the recipes are hearty and filling. The recipes should be easy for most cooks to accomplish. Each recipe has a photo. Points off for not including a chocolate chip cookie recipe.

[Addie Bratcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favorite cookbook! It arrived this morning and I immediately tried her recipe for homemade butter. I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS SO EASY! Bless you, Hannah, you've changed my cooking game for good.

[Keri Murcray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Christmas present from my best friend and written by someone I follow on Instagram. I love her videos and this cookbook was just delightful. Lots of interesting family stories, beautiful photos and delicious recipes. I loved it.

[Kristen Barenthaler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The recipes looked easy and delicious—lots of chicken recipes for those who love them. Overall, a great look at home cooking for your family.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

love lily Lou Tay!

Love all her recipes will try to make as many as possible from this book! Great job and congratulations! Love from PA

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ole homestyle recipes. She makes alot of staples at home though. I follow her on TT. Shes down to earth.

[Angie]

2.5 stars
Beautiful cookbook but complicated recipes with lots of ingredients.

[Ailena Parramore · Rating 5 out of 5]

As fun and refreshing as she is!

[Kimberly Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Lilyloutay and was beyond excited to finally receive her cookbook! It’s filled with wonderful recipes and I can’t wait to make them 🫶🏻

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing ground breaking in terms of recipes but it is a lovely collection of traditional southern cooking. What makes it a standout is the way she writes and connects with her readers.

[Denise Kerfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan!! Love this cookbook

[Vicki Breland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great recipes! Easy to follow. I’ve watched Hannah on Instagram since she started. I am so proud for her.