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5 Super-Indulgent Paula Deen Dishes

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:20:17 PST

There has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding birthday girl Paula Deen this week, and while we all have differing opinions on the matter, the fact is the woman likes to cook heavy foods. Whether you love to hate or hate to love her incredibly indulgent eats, there's no denying that she's inventive with her use of butter (deep-fried butter balls, anyone?). We thought we'd take a look at five of her most decadent dishes.

Source: Paula Deen

Paula Deen Becomes a Hot Topic on the View

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:08:38 PST

In January 2011, Food Network host Paula Deen appeared on The View to promote her new children's cookbook. Those who caught it know that it wasn't pretty to watch. Put the sassy Paula Deen and the straight-laced Barbara Walters together, and you get an uncomfortable dynamic.

As the ladies of The View sit behind a stupendous spread of fried chicken and other Southern comforts, Paula licks strawberry cake off her fingers and pictures of macaroni and cheese grace the background. Walters then forces the queen of Southern cuisine to answer a rather serious question:

This is a cookbook for kids. Obesity is the number one problem for kids today. Everything you have here is enormously fattening. You tell kids to have cheesecake for breakfast . . . Does it bother you that you are adding to it? No? Not at all?

Stunned, Deen bumbles something about moderation - "you know, we don't eat this every day" - to an unconvinced Walters.

UPDATE: With the news that Paula Deen has type 2 diabetes, the women of The View furthered the debate on "hot topics" this week. Watch the video, and weigh in on your thoughts after the jump

The Fuss Over Paula Deen's Diabetes - and What We Can Learn From It

Susannah Chen — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:53:28 PST

Today, the food world's gone into hyper-discussion mode over the fact that Paula Deen reportedly has diabetes. This isn't a first - we've been hearing rumors of her diabetes for a while now - but she's also reportedly signed on to be the spokesperson for a diabetes drug from pharmaceutical company Novartis.

Paula Deen, who's been dubbed the Queen of Southern Cuisine, is known for her decadent Southern dishes and her liberal use of butter without pause to any concerns about health. "I really don't worry about it," she told a reporter in one interview. Yet with increasing concern over America's obesity epidemic, her push for exceedingly rich foods has faced more than a few tough questions.

"You know, we don't eat this [stuff] every day," she said, defending herself to an unconvinced Barbara Walters in 2009. Her mantra of licking the bacon grease spoon - in moderation, of course! - has faltered. Even the Cooking Channel's admitting to that, with the debut of Not My Mama's Meals, with a lighter, healthier bent on Paula Deen dishes.

And so it comes full circle. The expected announcement is bleak, yet clear: nobody, even a personality with rock-star status like Paula Deen, is immune to health consequences. It's time to face the reality that we can't routinely succumb to indulgences, even if they're "in moderation." With almond milk and quinoa flying off shelves, we're finally starting to realize that you can't have red velvet cake every day. Maybe once a week - if you eat a bit of kale on the side, too.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Lemon Butter Shrimp

Lauren Hendrickson — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:34:59 PDT

After a long day, I'm always on the lookout for a speedy and tasty dinner. Shrimp baked with butter and lemon is simple - and scrumptious, too. Lemon and butter topped on just about any seafood tends to be heavenly, and these little pink shrimp soak it up just the same. If you want to enhance the flavor even more, try adding a little more heat with a spicy pepper or hot sauce.

Want to avoid turning on the oven? This recipe would work just as well with a large fry pan on the stove. Serve the shrimp with a green salad and fresh French bread to dip in the lemon butter, and you've got dinner in about 20 minutes. To enjoy an easy seafood dinner tonight, keep reading for the recipe.

Food Network's Leading Ladies Nominated For Daytime Emmys

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 11 May 2011 09:37:59 PDT

Having a successful show on the Food Network may not get you industry accolades like the recent James Beard Awards, but it can get you a nod from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. This morning the daytime Emmy Award nominations were announced, and among the nominees are many culinary personalities.

Rachael Ray and Giada De Laurentiis received three nominations each, while Martha Stewart was nominated for two awards. America's Test Kitchen, Avec Eric, Cook's Country, Lidia's Italy, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, and Paula's Best Dishes will duke it out in the outstanding culinary program category. Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee is up for outstanding achievement in hairstyling.

Since I'm a huge fan of Anne Burrell, I'm rooting for her to win outstanding lifestyle/culinary host.

Yummy Links: From Ribs to Breakfast Sandwiches

YumSugar — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:45:12 PDT

The complete guide to ribs of the world. - Serious Eats
Richard Blais chats about his Top Chef All-Stars victory. - Eatocracy
Would you eat these super spicy dishes? - Woman's Day
Menu prices are on the rise. - Wall Street Journal
Critic Michael Bauer names the Bay Area's top 100 restaurants. - The San Francisco Chronicle
Food & Wine's Dana Cowin chats about the chefs who weren't named Best New Chef. - The Feast NY
How to find and cook with morel mushrooms. - Huffington Post Food
The next season of Scott Conat's 24-Hour Restaurant Battle debuts on Thursday, April 21. - Grub Street NY
Paula Deen makes a hysterical appearance on Rachael Ray's daytime talk show. - Eater
Amazing: a breakfast sandwich with a runny egg surprise inside. - Chez Us

Yummy Links: From In-N-Out Burgers to Easy-Bake Ovens

YumSugar — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:20:06 PST

The definitive guide to ordering at In-N-Out Burger. - A Hamburger Today
Want a laugh? Visit the latest Paula website. - Paula Deen Riding Things
Happy banana cream pie day! - Bites on Today
RIP Henry Africa, creator of the fern bar. - Grub Street SF
Freebie alert! Golden Treasure Shrimp at Panda Express. - Eater LA
How do you feel about bananas packaged in plastic wrapping? - The Daily Mail
Louisiana recipes to make for Mardi Gras. - Chow
A new light bulb ban will forever change the Easy-Bake Oven. - Salon

Guess Who?

YumSugar — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:37:27 PST

Can you guess which chef Paula Deen was riding at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival?

Top Chef All-Stars Goes South

Mandy Harris — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:07:45 PST

Last night's Top Chef All-Stars took things down South, and the butter and the drama were a-flying! The queen of butter herself, Paula Deen, guest judged and presented the cheftestants with the quickfire challenge: deep fry something, y'all! And Paula being Paula, she meant business: "I've deep fried mac and cheese, lasagna, chunks of butter," she told them. "No calamari sprinkled on top of a salad!"

Some of the chefs totally got the concept of Southern cooking, and some clearly didn't (how many times did Dale tell us he cooks Chinese food, not Southern?). Antonia made me nervous with her decision to do a fried shrimp salad (didn't you listen to Paula, Antonia?), but the end result was a decidedly un-salad-like combination of crispy fried shrimp and deep-fried avocado. Unfortunately, she totally spaced and only plated one dish, which prompted my favorite line of the night from Paula: "I could come over there, put you over my knee, and whip your cute little ass!"

Meanwhile, Mike and Richard were working on some chef drama of their own. Mike's fun and creative idea to fry up chicken oysters and serve them in oyster shells was apparently "inspired" by an idea in Richard's notebook. Richard was peeved, Mike was unapologetic, and it only got worse when Mike won the quickfire challenge for his dish! The house was totally abuzz with Mike's disregard for chef law, and Mike reacted by playing the jerk card for the rest of the episode.

More about this episode and the elimination challenge after the break!

Who Was Your Favorite Female Chef of 2010?

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 08:30:20 PST

From cookbooks to television shows, the nation's most popular female chefs had a busy 2010. As part of our end of the year coverage, we want to know who was your favorite female cooking queen. Share your thoughts below!