Paula Deen -- do people really cook and eat like that?

[msjones]

I had never even heard of Paula Deen until this past week. (We don't have cable TV.) Yesterday I saw a video of her cooking deep fried butter and another of her making a lasagna sandwich. The 'sandwich' was big enough to feel a family of four. I also saw a photo of her donut cheeseburger.

 

Is her show serious? Do people really eat these things? This type of eating seems truly bizarre to me -- kind of like food p*rn.

 

Perhaps she also cooks more reasonable food and those episodes just aren't on YouTube?

[aggieamy]

I've seen a few episodes of her show and I know that she cooks stuff that's unhealthy but what I've seen isn't over the top like that. Lots of butter but in normal type dishes - artichoke dip, cakes, casseroles. Stuff like that. I fix her Gooey Butter Cake occasionally as a special treat.

[ChristyB in TN]

Yes, people really eat like that. I have a dear friend who does. It is crazy. She also regularly reminds me that I eat "crazy" and that "medications are here to help us." I love her and love working with her but I feel strongly that we need a defibrillator in the office for her. I'm not joking or being sarcastic. She is in her early 60's and I feel sure she is going to have severe issues. Sometimes she decides to go on a diet so she goes on the Adkins Diet. She will sit at her desk and eat colby cheese sandwiched between two pepperoni slices for lunch. Today she had a giant fried pork chop! I wish Paula Deen would do this differently, a lot of people look up to her. :001_huh:

[MeaganS]

She owns a very successful restaurant, so a lot of her recipes are meant for restaurant-type occasions. Some people may cook like that, but most people probably only do it on special occasions. I could only see it working if everyone worked very physical jobs to burn it all off every day.

[kewb]

Yes, people really do cook and eat like that.

[tmulcahy]

She owns a very successful restaurant, so a lot of her recipes are meant for restaurant-type occasions. Some people may cook like that, but most people probably only do it on special occasions. I could only see it working if everyone worked very physical jobs to burn it all off every day.

 

:iagree:

 

Just because I buy a cake recipe book does not mean I am going to eat nothing but cake.

 

Here is a website that has some more "normal" looking foods on it.

 

http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_category/category/slow_cooker

 

I think what you saw was an extravagant sample of what she does. I have only made one of her recipes and it was a desert item.

[AuntieM]

I do think some people eat like that.

 

I also believe, though, that as a celebrity, Paula Deen is somewhat of a character. I think she has continued to cook that way - and increasingly outlandishly - because her audience loves it and it fits her character profile.

 

With the revelation that she has diabetes (kind of interesting that announcement is three years after the diagnosis, but that's another thread), she will have a new facet of her personality revealed, and a whole new marketing angle. That's my opinion, anyway.

[OH_Homeschooler]

There is certainly a group of people, which includes my mom, who feel like they should eat whatever they want whenever they want. Even if on some level they claim they know it's bad for them, they feel entitled to eat it. It's like an act of defiance. And then they see Paula eat like that, even if she claims she doesn't eat like that all the time, and think "If she can do it, so can I!" This is why I was so mad when I found out she's been diagnosed with diabetes for 3 years but only announced it this week. People like to look for excuses for their not-so-good behaviors and when she was acting like her health was fine, she encouraged that.

 

It's like when people think smoking is okay (or at least rationalize it) because their great aunt smoked two packs a day and she lived to be 111 years old!

Edited January 20, 2012 by OH_Homeschooler

[KungFuPanda]

There is certainly a group of people, which includes my mom, who feel like they should eat whatever they want whenever they want. Even if on some level they claim they know it's bad for them, they feel entitled to eat it. It's like an act of defiance. And then they see Paula eat like that, even if she claims she doesn't eat like that all the time, and think "If she can do it, so can I!" This is why I was so mad when I found out she's been diagnosed with diabetes for 3 years but only announced it this week. People like to look for excuses for their not-so-good behaviors and when she was acting like her health was fine, she encouraged that.

 

It's like when people think smoking is okay (or at least rationalize it) because their great aunt smoked two packs a day and she lived to be 111 years old!

 

I don't understand the outrage. Do you really believe that chefs/TV cooks should be required to release their medical records to their customers if they cook rich foods?

[tmulcahy]

There is certainly a group of people, which includes my mom, who feel like they should eat whatever they want whenever they want. Even if on some level they claim they know it's bad for them, they feel entitled to eat it. It's like an act of defiance. And then they see Paula eat like that, even if she claims she doesn't eat like that all the time, and think "If she can do it, so can I!" This is why I was so mad when I found out she's been diagnosed with diabetes for 3 years but only announced it this week. People like to look for excuses for their not-so-good behaviors and when she was acting like her health was fine, she encouraged that.

 

It's like when people think smoking is okay (or at least rationalize it) because their great aunt smoked two packs a day and she lived to be 111 years old!

 

I guess I am in the minority because I believe that people can eat whatever they want. It may not be good for them but it certainly is not for me to decide. And until smoking is illegal...people have the right to do that too.

[OH_Homeschooler]

I don't understand the outrage. Do you really believe that chefs/TV cooks should be required to release their medical records to their customers if they cook rich foods?

 

I think blatantly lying, like she did on Dr. Oz a month ago when she said she smoked but had no health problems, is very questionable. Because as I said, some people will look to her behaviors and her seeming good health to justify their own negative health behaviors. They can ignore their doctor when he says to cut back because it could lead to diabetes, because their role model eats like that and she's just fine. Is it a rational way to make decisions? Of course not! But when it comes to health-compliance behavior, well people aren't rational or else we wouldn't have so many obese people.

 

Does Deen force-feed her viewers? Of course not. Does she have some responsibilities as a public figure? I think so, like she could have told the truth.

 

I can tell you're not going to change your mind and I'm not going to change mine either, so I think we better agree to disagree.

[ravinlunachick]

I'll say this for Paula Deen--her biscuit recipe is the only one I've made that doesn't turn out hard and crumbly. It's easy for me to remember too. 2 cups self-rising flour, 1 TBS sugar, and 1.5 cups heavy cream. Mix, knead, and cut out. Bake at 400 till brown. YUM. They're still good the next day if you have any leftovers.

 

To answer the OP, yes, people do cook like that.

[clarkacademy]

I don't understand the outrage. Do you really believe that chefs/TV cooks should be required to release their medical records to their customers if they cook rich foods?

 

 

:iagree: I was about to say the same thing. Her health is none of our business!

[AuntieM]

I'll say this for Paula Deen--her biscuit recipe is the only one I've made that doesn't turn out hard and crumbly. It's easy for me to remember too. 2 cups self-rising flour, 1 TBS sugar, and 1.5 cups heavy cream. Mix, knead, and cut out. Bake at 400 till brown. YUM. They're still good the next day if you have any leftovers.

 

To answer the OP, yes, people do cook like that.

 

Okay. Now I'm hungry. For biscuits. Surely I have some self-rising flour around here....

 

I've gotta skip food threads too close to lunch time. :laugh:

[gardenmom5]

I've no idea how she cooks or eats, though I have heard of her. I've never been interested enough to even look at a recipe she promotes. considering some of the things I've heard people eating, it's possible people do eat such junk.

[delaney]

I use her as my go-to great for company recipes. If I want to make a pound cake I don't want a low fat, crappy imitation. As far as eating like that ALL the time....phew. Who can keep up with cooking all their meals like that??

[OH_Homeschooler]

I guess I am in the minority because I believe that people can eat whatever they want. It may not be good for them but it certainly is not for me to decide. And until smoking is illegal...people have the right to do that too.

 

Did I say they couldn't? Sometimes I wish I could tell my mom what to eat and what not to as she's already undergone two heart surgeries, but I know that doesn't work. It's frustrating to see someone you love do something self-destructive, then to hear their arguments such as "So and so smokes/eats like that/drinks all the time/never exercises and s/he's perfectly healthy!"

 

Paula Deen IS someone people HAVE pointed to in this manner, and it turns out she WASN'T healthy, and has known it for 3 years! Would these people, including my mom, have found another example of someone who gets away with bad health behavior? Probably, I won't deny it. But there's also the chance that would have made them question their own behaviors if she had come clean earlier.

[delaney]

:iagree: I was about to say the same thing. Her health is none of our business!

And that. Bobby is doing a light cooking series. Have you seen Emeril lately? Ummm......thinking he may need some insulin as well.

[OH_Homeschooler]

:iagree: I was about to say the same thing. Her health is none of our business!

 

I think she makes it our business when she goes on talk shows like Dr. Oz and discusses her health. And specifically lies about it. If she hadn't done that I wouldn't be so outraged. But she did and so I think that makes it fair game.

[clarkacademy]

Did I say they couldn't? Sometimes I wish I could tell my mom what to eat and what not to as she's already undergone two heart surgeries, but I know that doesn't work. It's frustrating to see someone you love do something self-destructive, then to hear their arguments such as "So and so smokes/eats like that/drinks all the time/never exercises and s/he's perfectly healthy!"

 

Paula Deen IS someone people HAVE pointed to in this manner, and it turns out she WASN'T healthy, and has known it for 3 years! Would these people, including my mom, have found another example of someone who gets away with bad health behavior? Probably, I won't deny it. But there's also the chance that would have made them question their own behaviors if she had come clean earlier.

 

This is pretty much the atitude that says as long as you have someone to blame you are not personally responsible! Paula Deen is just making a living and people need to take responsibility for their choices. Own your behavior. There are probally a ton of people who use her recipes and have no health issues...like my mom.

 

Common sense tells her how to eat and fat is not bad all the time, neither is sugar. Moderation and personal choices. If you destroy your body that is all you.

[clarkacademy]

And that. Bobby is doing a light cooking series. Have you seen Emeril lately? Ummm......thinking he may need some insulin as well.

 

BAM!!!! Isn't that what he says? He also helped design food for the space station. My kids got a kick out of that.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Yes, people really eat like that. I have a dear friend who does. It is crazy. She also regularly reminds me that I eat "crazy" and that "medications are here to help us."

Oh My Word! Medications are here to help sick people. What is crazy is knowingly making yourself sick!

[Onceuponatime]

I see a fundamental problem with saying that people can eat any way they want to. We are all paying for those who end up with all the health problems because of their lifestyle decisions. Unless they have decided to free themselves from all medical "systems" and take resposibility to pay for thier treatments by themselves, this is an issue that affects everyone who is part of the system. I think people who abuse their bodies should pay the consequences. That is only natural. How that looks in reality is another problem however.

 

The universal law of consequences is being broken every moment. Somewhere down the line somebody pays.

[tmulcahy]

This is pretty much the atitude that says as long as you have someone to blame you are not personally responsible! Paula Deen is just making a living and people need to take responsibility for their choices. Own your behavior. There are probally a ton of people who use her recipes and have no health issues...like my mom.

 

Common sense tells her how to eat and fat is not bad all the time, neither is sugar. Moderation and personal choices. If you destroy your body that is all you.

 

 

Well stated.

[Carrie75]

We eat like that! Not every night, of course, but I make PD recipes a couple times a month. Here are two of my favorites.

 

Paula's chicken noodle. (I make my own homemade noodles though.)

 

Baked French Toast casserole. My family LOVES this!

[msjones]

I'll say this for Paula Deen--her biscuit recipe is the only one I've made that doesn't turn out hard and crumbly. It's easy for me to remember too. 2 cups self-rising flour, 1 TBS sugar, and 1.5 cups heavy cream. Mix, knead, and cut out. Bake at 400 till brown. YUM. They're still good the next day if you have any leftovers.

 

To answer the OP, yes, people do cook like that.

 

Well, that sounds like a great biscuit recipe! And I'd call it a reasonable one, since rich biscuits are just a part of a meal. The things I saw were those massive, bizarre (to me anyway) main dish items.

[tmulcahy]

I'll say this for Paula Deen--her biscuit recipe is the only one I've made that doesn't turn out hard and crumbly. It's easy for me to remember too. 2 cups self-rising flour, 1 TBS sugar, and 1.5 cups heavy cream. Mix, knead, and cut out. Bake at 400 till brown. YUM. They're still good the next day if you have any leftovers.

 

To answer the OP, yes, people do cook like that.

 

YUM! It will pain me to put 1.5 cups of heavy cream in anything but it can not be any worse than shortening;) I treat myself to biscuits occasionally. Can't wait to try these.

[tmulcahy]

Well, that sounds like a great biscuit recipe! And I'd call it a reasonable one, since rich biscuits are just a part of a meal. The things I saw were those massive, bizarre (to me anyway) main dish items.

 

Yes...I agree the things you saw were bizarre. The doughnut cheeseburger does not sound appealing to me at all but I do like a monte cristo sandwich and that is a bizarre combo of foods (so yummy).

[clarkacademy]

YUM! It will pain me to put 1.5 cups of heavy cream in anything but it can not be any worse than shortening;) I treat myself to biscuits occasionally. Can't wait to try these.

 

 

How do you all do this stuff? It scares me too death to try to make anything from scratch like that! I tried cookies.....once just once (hanging my head in shame)

[OH_Homeschooler]

Common sense tells her how to eat and fat is not bad all the time, neither is sugar. Moderation and personal choices. If you destroy your body that is all you.

 

I agree, this IS common sense thinking. It is what I believe, and I try to make good choices most of the time. I'm actually on Weight Watchers and love the flexible approach they take. My leader tells us to eat our extra points, to treat ourselves to the more decadent food, so we don't crack and go on a major binge. I know there is a place for fats and sugar in a healthy lifestyle, and I don't blame Paula's recipes for people making bad health choices.

 

I do blame Paula for her public statements about her health, specifically lying about her health when she booked her appearance on Dr. Oz. That is irresponsible.

 

Unfortunately people don't always use common sense when it comes to health decisions. I have tried convincing my mom to change her behaviors but she's not ready. I know from personal experience, you have to be ready to make the change or it won't happen. You can't just do it because someone wants you to.

 

That being said, it's true that my mom is destroying HER body. But what that means is my kids won't have their grandmother when they grow up and she won't be at their graduations and weddings. So what she does to herself affects me and my kids, and that makes me sad.

[msjones]

OP here...

 

I see now that she is a legit celebrity chef. I honestly thought she might be joking about some of those foods I saw her eating. The donut cheeseburger? That must have been a joke!? Or am I just not 'getting' her?

 

I am all about some rich foods now and then -- especially dessert. As for rich main dishes, I do some. I have an amazing mac and cheese casserole that my family loves. We have it a few times a year. I bring it to potlucks because it travels/freezes well. But I wouldn't eat like that all the time.

[OH_Homeschooler]

OP here...

 

I see now that she is a legit celebrity chef. I honestly thought she might be joking about some of those foods I saw her eating. The donut cheeseburger? That must have been a joke!? Or am I just not 'getting' her?

 

 

 

Honestly, I take it as her being defiant. Her whole approach is "I'm gonna eat what I want to and don't try to tell me I can't!" Even if that means coming up with something as obnoxious as the donut cheeseburger.

[tmulcahy]

How do you all do this stuff? It scares me too death to try to make anything from scratch like that! I tried cookies.....once just once (hanging my head in shame)

 

Oh, I have had lots of failures (insert hanging head in shame smiley), but I have had so many yummy successes that I just keep on keeping on;)

 

I'll ship you some biscuits when I get around to making them:drool5:

[ereks mom]

She owns a very successful restaurant, so a lot of her recipes are meant for restaurant-type occasions. Some people may cook like that, but most people probably only do it on special occasions.

 

:iagree: This was the topic of conversation yesterday between the girls and me, and I said exactly the same thing--most people don't eat like that every day, but only on special occasions.

[In2why]

I guess I am in the minority because I believe that people can eat whatever they want. It may not be good for them but it certainly is not for me to decide. And until smoking is illegal...people have the right to do that too.

 

 

I agree with the above.

 

 

 

As for the food situation, I believe it was Julia Child that said people should use real butter, because if you eat what you really want, you eat less crud trying to get your body satisfied. I don't know Paula Deen recipes although I have a couple of her saucepans which I love. But when I am craving mac and cheese, I eat REAL mac and cheese, not some boxed or light version. I don't crave it often, but only the real "heart-attack" on the plate version with real cream, and real cheese will do. When I eat steak I eat good steak, fat and all, when I want veggies I eat fresh and at their peak season. And of course when I want chocolate I do the same thing. I eat whatever I want, and I am in touch with my body so that I don't stuff it with crud trying to satisfy myself with something that is filling but not satisfying. I think if we listen to out body, and eat the best quality we can, people tend to be healthier and eat less. But that is JMO and my experience.

[Joanne]

I see a fundamental problem with saying that people can eat any way they want to. We are all paying for those who end up with all the health problems because of their lifestyle decisions. Unless they have decided to free themselves from all medical "systems" and take resposibility to pay for thier treatments by themselves, this is an issue that affects everyone who is part of the system. I think people who abuse their bodies should pay the consequences. That is only natural. How that looks in reality is another problem however.

 

The universal law of consequences is being broken every moment. Somewhere down the line somebody pays.

 

:confused: By whose standard? I've not believed in the versions of the government's food recommendations for years. I'm not a believer in the Pyramid, or the revised "plate."

 

Who determines what people should eat?

 

I believe wholeheartedly that people should be allowed to eat what they want. The alternatives frighten me more than universal healthcare.

[ravinlunachick]

YUM! It will pain me to put 1.5 cups of heavy cream in anything but it can not be any worse than shortening;) I treat myself to biscuits occasionally. Can't wait to try these.

 

I had to convince myself that it was just milk and fat, after all, and definitely better than shortening. We started making our own ice cream last summer, and I got used to using large quantities of cream. One of our recipes used a quart of cream!

 

Incidentally, Costco is by far the cheapest place for heavy cream. They've doubled the size of their container now, so you can get a half gallon(!) for $5.99. It lasts a long time, so it's not like we're guzzling it down in a week.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Julia Child with her real butter and cream in real recipes...I'm totally on board with that.

 

What I'm not on board with is a lasagna sandwich (for one) that is enough food to feed two teenage boys with more than 1/4 loaf of french bread left over.

 

I thought about the nutritional stats of that lasagna sandwich. I figure it's the equivalent of a large pizza. For one person.

 

I hear everybody about the 'moderation' and 'only on special occasions' comments, but what I don't understand is how people eat like this ever without becoming violently ill afterward!

 

Nobody in my family could eat that lasagna sandwich without physical suffering from overeating being a very natural result. We couldn't eat that meal once.

 

Same goes for the doughnut/egg/bacon/hamburger sandwich. I think if most people took a few bites of that it would come right back up, or cause a world of hurt later.

[tmulcahy]

I see a fundamental problem with saying that people can eat any way they want to. We are all paying for those who end up with all the health problems because of their lifestyle decisions. Unless they have decided to free themselves from all medical "systems" and take resposibility to pay for thier treatments by themselves, this is an issue that affects everyone who is part of the system. I think people who abuse their bodies should pay the consequences. That is only natural. How that looks in reality is another problem however.

 

The universal law of consequences is being broken every moment. Somewhere down the line somebody pays.

 

:confused:

Edited January 20, 2012 by tmulcahy
could not attach picture...but it was funny!

[msjones]

:confused: By whose standard? I've not believed in the versions of the government's food recommendations for years. I'm not a believer in the Pyramid, or the revised "plate."

 

Who determines what people should eat?

 

I believe wholeheartedly that people should be allowed to eat what they want. The alternatives frighten me more than universal healthcare.

 

I absolutely agree that people should be permitted to eat whatever the heck they want.

 

I just find it hard to imagine wanting and actually being able to consume the foods I saw her preparing. That's why I thought it must be a joke. (I still think it might be -- at least to some extent. It's a TV show, meant to entertain, after all..)

[Onceuponatime]

:confused: By whose standard? I've not believed in the versions of the government's food recommendations for years. I'm not a believer in the Pyramid, or the revised "plate."

 

Who determines what people should eat?

 

I believe wholeheartedly that people should be allowed to eat what they want. The alternatives frighten me more than universal healthcare.

 

This is the problem with reality that I mentioned in my post. ;)

 

Universal healthcare doesn't frighten me. People eating what they want doesn't frighten me. I eat whatever I want. However, I do find it very disturbing to know that my money is being dished out to pay for expensive medications and surgeries for people who choose to live in a way that will necessitate them. It is what it is and I live with it. That doesn't mean I like it.

 

I would gladly return to an era of full responsibility for healthcare and charity for those who cannot pay. But I'm not naive enough to think it will ever happen.

 

However, I do believe that as individualistic as we think we are, all our actions have universal consequences. They do affect the people around us. Someone on the other side of the country eating the worst of the SAD diet every day does affect me and you. We pay the consequences, even if indirectly.

[tmulcahy]

I had to convince myself that it was just milk and fat, after all, and definitely better than shortening. We started making our own ice cream last summer, and I got used to using large quantities of cream. One of our recipes used a quart of cream!

 

Incidentally, Costco is by far the cheapest place for heavy cream. They've doubled the size of their container now, so you can get a half gallon(!) for $5.99. It lasts a long time, so it's not like we're guzzling it down in a week.

 

Thanks for the Costco tip. We make our own ice cream in the summer too.

[mommymilkies]

Yes. My in-laws.

[butterflymommy]

Most restaurant food in the US is cooked like that. There are a few cookbooks out there with knock off recipes of chain restaurant dishes and they're real eye openers!

 

Here is an example of one such book:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Most-Wanted-Recipes-Restaurants/dp/143914706X

[Mommy_of_4]

Heck, I love Paula Deen. I cook one of her meals 2-4 times a week. Her meatloaf is so yummy. The kids love her mac and cheese recipe, too me it is WAY healthier than crap out of a box.

[LG Gone Wild]

I don't understand the outrage. Do you really believe that chefs/TV cooks should be required to release their medical records to their customers if they cook rich foods?

 

:iagree:

 

Paula Deen is just a mortal. Why should anybody be up in arms about her cooking as if her show or words were meant for us to live and die by.

 

Her show is a hyperbole. I used to watch her show simply because it was fun. I never made anything from it (except 1 dish).

[Lang Syne Boardie]

A new article from The Atlantic Wire: The Paula Deen Dishes Paula Deen Shouldn't Eat

 

Highlights why particular recipes are off-limits for diabetics according to current medical wisdom.

[Night Elf]

I also saw a photo of her donut cheeseburger.

 

I'll have to look that up. My DH knows a guy who deep fries Krispy Kreme donuts. If you don't know the brand, they are ooey gooey donuts with lots of icing on them. They are best as they roll out of the oven. Their stores have a HOT neon sign that lights up when fresh hot donuts are available. The fact that this man takes them home and deep fries this is way beyond fathoming.

 

We have a local fair that serves deep fried twinkies, deep fried oreos, and deep fried snickers. I'm sure they have more crazy stuff. Dd19 said the line for that tent was very long and they nearly gave up before they finally made it to the counter.

[ma23peas]

Well, my 96 year old grandmother ate similar to that, she would never eat a donut cheeseburger!! But lard and crisco were staples in the family...she did develop diabetes in her late 70's (didn't stop the last 20 years of her life)....they ate a lot of greens/green beans/potatoes/corn/squash/tomatoes but it always had a stick of butter in every pot of vegetable stew...her biscuits were to die for..I'm 44 and still can not make them like she did....(One day!)...she always had a pound cake on the freezer (pound of butter, pound of eggs, pound of sugar and vanilla flavoring oh and flour)...

She made wedding cakes often and kept her buttercream roses in the freezer...we'd eat those for snacks...oh my! And the SWEET TEA!! I have not been able to drink it in 5 years...only unsweet for me..but it was a staple as well....she did alright...she just died last Friday having enjoyed her 96 years and had over 26 grandchildren and oodles of greats...all is good...and I think she lived having never had sushi or tofu.

[ChristyB in TN]

I believe the insulting thing for most people is that she cooks what is scientifically proven to kill you early (with exceptions, of course) and is now representing a drug manufacturer of diabetes drug injections. She doesn't owe anyone anything, but some of us (me) think that maybe everyone at least needs to be aware of the problem there. Yes, people eat like that all the time. Yes, people sometimes don't realize that she is a tv personality and that her life is not one to emulate. An awful lot of people are going to say, "Paula Deen says it's okay to not take my dr's advice and stop eating like I've always eaten. She is perfectly fine on her medication!" I don't think anyone wants to legislate anything or stop a fine, upstanding neighbor from deepfrying twinkies in his garage. I read an article yesterday in Mother Jones, I think, about the risks associated with the drug she's hawking. Nice, very nice. :001_huh: I do feel that she is lovable and funny. I have a wonderful friend just like her. She laughs at herself and is fun and is not going to stop her eating habits until it kills her. Then we will miss her.