Michelle Obama on Paula Deen's cooking show today

[WillieW]

Was frying shrimp and fries. She promised Paula Deen to have her come to the WH to cook for her. This must have been a re-run, because Paula said "if you get to go to the WH, can I come and cook for ya'all? Michelle said "of course" Anyone seen the show?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

1. I can't take Paula Deen's voice.

Worse than nails on a chalkboard.

[csziggy]

3. About 50% of the women around here sound a lot like Paula Deen

Not surprising since she grew up about 100 miles north of here. So I'm used to that accent and type of voice.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

6. I have to mute the teevee when her commercials are aired.

But voice aside, is her cooking that good? My mother said the food at her restaurant was mediocre and the ambiance unimpressive. I expected it to be a major tourist trap and wasn't surprised when she told me that, but Mom's not as cynical.

[aikoaiko]

9. Well Paula doesn't do the cooking anymore, but it used to be real good at Lady and Sons.

Its still pretty good. I don't know what ambiance your mother was expecting but Paula never sold herself or her restaurant as anything more than simple country cooking with the occasional flair.

If you're mother comes back to Savannah and wants the best country cooking she needs to go to Mrs. Wilkes Boarding house for lunch (only). You can thank me later. ;)

[WorseBeforeBetter]

10. Oh, we've dined well in Savannah.

And I bought a copy of the Mrs. Wilkes' Boardinghouse Cookbook while there! Hmm, think I have a Pink House magnet on the fridge, too. :-)

[aikoaiko]

24. What were some of your Savannah favorites?

Before my wife married a poor professor, she hung out at the Pink House regularly.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

26. Elizabeth on 37th was my favorite.

We were there for just four days, but ate well. Had killer bread pudding at a place along the river -- Huey's, maybe? Stayed at The Gastonian. It was a splurge, but well worth it.

[aikoaiko]

27. Nice, Elizabeth's is one of the finest places in Savannah.

Glad you enjoyed it.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

33. Thank you.

I figured I may never be back, so do it right. So many places to visit, but not very deep pockets...

[RubyDuby in GA]

21. Amen about Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House!

The last time I was there, she was still alive. She died shortly thereafter.

That is simply some of the best food around.

:hi:

I went to school in Statesboro and spent quite a bit of time in Savannah. :)

[FloridaJudy]

38. You need to go into training for several days

Before having lunch at Mrs. Wilkes. It's sheer delicious gluttony with buttered grits on the side.

Definitely worth waiting in line for the hour or two.

[Mamacrat]

12. The buffet has changed in quality

Paula's original restaurant was much better. I don't think that the ambience in the new one is bad, but the buffet is not good to me at all. Now you have to order off the menu for a good meal. Mrs. Wilkes' is a good recommendation, although prepare to stand in line a long time.

[csziggy]

19. Much of what Paula Deen cooks on her TV show seems to be traditional Southern

Or based on it. They are a lot like what Mom cooked when I was a child. But the fat and levels tend to be over the top with little or no effort to modify the recipes to healthier amounts. Even when I was little Mom tried to adjust what her mother had taught her to reduce fats and change from saturated (lard and butter) to unsaturated (Crisco, margarine and oils). Back then we knew little about trans-fats so Crisco was what Mom used a lot for cooking.

Now, if I fry - which is about once a decade or so - I use canola oil or if I want to add flavor, olive oil. But I simply do not cook old fashioned Southern dishes much any more. So I watch Paula Deen occasionally and enjoy the memories of that kind of cooking without actually eating it.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

23. I'm not "above" Crisco or traditional Southern dishes, trust me on that.

I practically had to be rolled out of Lexington BBQ in North Carolina. And some little "soul-food" joint in Smithfield. Cheddar (cheddar!) lasagna, fried okra, hushpuppies, and squash. It was de-lish and I had leftovers for two days. I even learned how to enjoy sweet tea: mix it with lemonade. I wouldn't want to eat like that every day, but it's a treat on occasion.

[csziggy]

35. Oh yeah I LOVE me some Southern cooking but my weight and cholesterol level do not

So I almost never eat fried food, have cut way back on fats, especially trans fats, and have tried to cut back on overall calories.

My blood pressure is down, my weight is not and I will find out sometime in the next month how my cholesterol level is doing. I had it down to 170 - the week they changed the target to 130 - but then it went back up to 216 and I got a lecture from my doctor.:eyes:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

39. Do you exercise?

Not to state the obvious, but that helps. I can put away some serious sweets and was rather shocked at my triglycerides, so I need to pick up the pace myself with the exercise. And lay off the Little Debbie Zebra Cakes when stressed. ;-)

[csziggy]

40. Not as much as I used to - both knees are shot and I am waiting on word

About what they will have to do to my right shoulder so it will quit hurting like it has for a year or so. We tried the injection route ten days ago and it made no difference at all.

I used to hike all over the farm, shovel shit half the day, exercise horses, throw hay bales and feed sacks around, and do all the chores to run a farm full time. Now I cannot walk more than a half mile or so total a day, can't clean stalls due to back problems, can't groom the horses because of my shoulders (the other rotator cuff was completely reconstructed 15 years ago), and flat out can't do the things I would like to.

I've never been thin but I put on weight with each injury. I used to take it off afterwards, but the previous shoulder injury was completely debilitating and the operation was horrific. Recovery took six months. I lost half the weight I gained from that, then when my knees went I just totally lost control of the weight. At least with the shoulder I could still walk. Now I can't walk much and cannot ride at all.

I may buy a blow up pool and go out and kick around it for exercise this summer. But driving into a gym is neither in my schedule or my budget this year, especially if I have to spend my deductible getting this shoulder fixed. At least I have insurance for THIS shoulder - I was uninsured for the other one. I will have to make time to go through therapy after this shoulder operation so maybe that will help.

Getting old sucks.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

43. Oh man, I'm sorry to hear all of that.

As I was reading I was going to suggest swimming or water aerobics, but guess that is out. Stretching you can do at home, but have you looked into insurance coverage of massage or acupuncture? Guess those might not be feasible with budget/deductible issues. :-(

Good luck!

[csziggy]

46. The gym that I go to for post operative therapy has an indoor pool for aqua therapy

Which was great when I had my January knee operation. But we had just started building a house and I cut the therapy short. The house was a necessity - first our 30 year old mobile home was falling apart; second, every thing I need is on the first floor with no steps to get in and out. If I end up in a wheelchair, I'm set in this house with only a few alterations to cabinets and sinks. But supervising the building really did a job on the knees that were already shot. Then I finished off this right shoulder with my volunteer work with the Obama campaign.

I'll blow through my deductible with the MRI and the shoulder operation. And I do have the money set aside for those. After that, I get to find out exactly what my copays are. The insurance I had with the previous operations had no copays.

But I am doing OK considering how I've abused my body over the years. For thirty years I worked hard at something I loved. Now I have to accommodate being more sedentary than I ever was, and take up something else to keep me busy and productive. I'm getting close to when most people retire anyway.

The cholesterol issue is also a genetic thing. Mine is pretty low considering my family. My skinny sister can't get hers below 300 with dieting and medication. I haven't had to take meds for it - yet. These days I am eating oatmeal every day and making whole grain bread, cutting down on my meat intake and just cutting back on everything.

[WillieW]

13. I tried many of her recipes. Always turned out great. But her voice especially her

laugh is very jarring - right down to the bone LOL

[lonestarnot]

4. Me either.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

7. Paula Deen, Nancy Grace and Dr. Phil in the same room...

my alternative to waterboarding. Not sure where it fits in on the "humane" scale...

[Catshrink]

8. Don't forget Billy Mays and Jim Cramer

Poor widdle Cramer. That mean old Jon Stewart pwned him Thursday night.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

11. Wonder if Phucker Carlson called Cramer...

to offer his condolences. Stewart v. Carlson, Stewart v. Cramer, and George Galloway v. Norm Coleman are three of my all-time fave, uh, "pwnages"? (I'm old-ish...)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

16. I'm a NYer and I find Paula's voice and accent absolutely adorable!

[annarbor]

30. As do I....

Quite frankly, I find her show refreshing and her food looks delicious (I was raised on soul food and her food fits right in). I'm going to try and Youtube Paula and our First Lady.

Ann Arbor

[Arugula Latte]

31. I'm fascinated by the way she says "oil.'

It sounds like "awwwwwhhhhhhhhllll," or something.

[sendittozoom]

20. I guess it's charming to those of us who aren't surrounded by country accents...

She also seems like a sweet, funny lady. I don't know about that type of food, though. I am not sure it's very healthy.

[XOKCowboy]

36. I'm surrounded by country accents and I love her...

I'd love to have seen her do a show with the late great Julia Child. They're both "Fat Is Flavor" disciples and I bet they'd have been fun to watch interacting with each other. Think about the Battle Of Accents in that show! :)

[Odin2005]

22. LOL, I like her southern accent. Tastes (LOL!) differ, apparently!

And her food is AWESOME, though not usually good in the health area!

[Skittles]

28. it's a truly disgusting, annoying voice

:puke:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

45. I find it phony.

I've encountered a number of women with accents like that and while they were "y'all-ing" me to my face, they were stabbing me in the back. My wingnut neighbor who foments all sorts of discord in the 'hood is a prime example.

[DesertRat]

2. It's a re-run

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8262923

[Catshrink]

5. Paula Deen's Lemon Blossoms

These are the bomb, Baby! One of my physics professors called them "Lemon Bombs."

Only one thing -- I use a lemon cake mix instead of the yellow. And, if you don't have the time or patience to dip the little suckers, you can make this into a cake and glaze it. Either version doesn't last long!

Lemon Blossoms

Ingredients:
18 1/2 ounce package yellow cake mix
3 1/2 ounce package instant lemon pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
Glaze: 4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour a small amount of batter, filling each muffin tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel.

To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil, and 3 tablespoons water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.

With fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they're still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible, or spoon the glaze over the warm cupcakes, turning them to completely coat. Place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about one hour, before storing in containers with tight-fitting lids.

Yield: 5 dozen
Prep time: 10-12 minutes
Inactive prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 12 minutes
Ease of preparation: easy


http://www.pauladeen.com/recipe_view/503

[RebelOne]

14. Her voice may be terrible, but her receipes are delicious. n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

17. lol! I love her recipes and even by watching her show I put on pounds just

looking at all the butter she uses!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

15. I saw it when it first aired prior to the election. It was an adorable segment and boy

did I want to have those shrimp! They looked yummy!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

18. Just as an aside.... did you ever see the show that she did with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter?

It was like a love letter to Carter and there were moments I was embarrassed by her flirting with him! She is quite a flirt!
lol!

[Stevenmarc]

25. I like Paula but she would deep fry a lard and butter sandwich.

Healthy cooking is not her forte.

[Skittles]

29. and it shows

[Kalyke]

32. How does it show?

She's an older woman and not as overweight as tons of other people I've seen. It's harder and harder to loose weight when one gets older, especially women who aren't very tall.

Her skin and hair, however, are shiny and healthy looking. She doesn't look as though she eats all that she cooks.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

34. Really? It's easier for tall women to lose weight than short women?

I've never heard that.

[Skittles]

42. because it isn't true

[WorseBeforeBetter]

44. I was waiting on the link from Prevention magazine or sumthin'.

;-)

[Skittles]

41. just curious at what age does this start?

I'm 5'4, 52 and size 4

[Motown_Johnny]

37. Yes, I remember it... It was a rerun from last fall during the General Campaign