I really didn’t have an interest in being in the kitchen until after I was married, when I was 18. It didn’t take me long to realize that Mama was not going to show up at my house every day and cook.
I am so blessed. I’ve been way over-blessed. At 64 years old, I look forward to going to bed every night so I can wake up in the morning and see what blessing is going to come my way that day. Because you never, ever know what God’s got in store for you.
I’ve got two vices: cigarettes and taters.
Having an audience is almost like plugging me into an electrical outlet. People feed me so much of their energy. We have a great time. It’s all about the fellowship.
You don’t want to make a steady diet of just lettuce. You don’t want to make a steady diet of fried chicken.
On my show I share all these yummy, fattening recipes, but I tell people, in moderation, in moderation. You can have that little piece of pie.
Love is like smiling, it never fades and is contagious.
You know, I understand that a lot of people, especially up north, put fruits and nuts in their stuffing, which is good, but for myself personally, I love an old-timey savory dressing.
People see me on TV two and three times a day, and see me cooking all these wonderfully Southern, fattening dishes. That’s only 30 days out of 365. And it’s for entertainment.
Of course, I will continue to share my favorite Southern recipes, just like my mama, grandmother and family shared with me over the years. And now, I’ll be adding a little bit of a lighter touch to some of these wonderful dishes.
The first thing I did was give up sweet tea because I drank so much. I’d start drinking at lunchtime and wouldn’t set it down until I went to bed. When you calculate how much empty calories and how much sugar I was consuming, it was staggering. So I haven’t had a glass of sweet tea in three years.
When it’s said and done, the one thing I want to leave on this earth is hope. I have felt hopelessness, and it’s a terrible feeling. Hopelessness will destroy you. I want to bring hope to other people.
I am living proof that the American dream still exists. It is still alive and well. There is only one trick, you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and work very, very hard.
If you have a dream, FOLLOW IT.
I am proof that the American dream still exists.
It’s amazing how good getting up and moving makes you feel.
Southerners have never been afraid of seasoning. It’s kind of the other way around; our seasoning is afraid of us.
I don’t care what the haters and naysayers say. If they make jokes about me, I’ll laugh because they’ll probably be funny.
I’ll keep peace at all cost, even if I choke to death on my tongue.
Stone-ground grits are wonderful, but because they take so long to cook, I usually go with quick cooking grits – which I also love. But I never make the instant kind – some things a Southerner just won’t do!