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. – Paula Deen
I wake up every morning happy for where I am in life. It’s not all about the cooking, but the fact that I can contribute by using my influence to help people all over the country. In the last two years, my partners and I have fed more than 10 million hungry people by bringing meat to food banks. – Paula Deen
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. – Paula Deen
I believe that… every one of God’s creatures was created equal. I believe that everyone should be treated equal, that’s the way I was raised and that’s the way I live my life. – Paula Deen
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. – Paula Deen
I was determined to share my positive approach and not let diabetes stand in the way of enjoying my life. – Paula Deen
I have my new food line in the works – I think it’s over 200 items. Hopefully I can make a difference; it’s delicious food that’s just so easy. I think it’ll help people enjoy their lives… it’s good! – Paula Deen
In my house, the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl Game have always been a grand tradition for ringing in the New Year. To serve as Grand Marshal is a dream come true and I look forward to sharing the celebration with all of the fans and viewers worldwide. – Paula Deen
I don’t want to spend my life not having good food going into my pie hole. That hole was made for pies. – Paula Deen
I know when you think about the South, you think about fried foods, but we eat a tremendous amount of vegetables. I have my own garden, so vegetables have always been a big part of my life. I love broccoli. I love fresh beets. It’s not all about the fried chicken and the biscuits. – Paula Deen
In order to have good fried chicken, you should wash and season the bird the morning you’re preparing it for dinner. Don’t wait and do it right before you start cooking. Throw it in the refrigerator, seasoned, that morning, and give it a chance to soak up all the salt and pepper and goodness. – Paula Deen
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. – Paula Deen
I’m so glad I’m not a dentist. How many times does someone say, ‘Oh, Doc, it felt so good when you were drilling my teeth’? Never. But when you give someone a wonderful cookie, you put a little of yourself in, and you see someone’s face light up – that’s immediate approval. – Paula Deen
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. – Paula Deen
I am proud to be a Southerner. I think Southern hospitality is very… I don’t think it’s just a term. I think it really exists. You can come to Savannah, and the people are so sweet and so nice. – Paula Deen
The thought of eating rabbit and squirrels doesn’t appeal to me. And that was on our table quite often as a kid. In your uppity restaurants, they serve a lot of rabbit. But I just can’t help but think of Peter. And deer, I can’t go there, because of Bambi. – Paula Deen
There’s not one food that causes diabetes. What causes Type II diabetes is being overweight… I’ve just come to grips, over the past four or five months, with my diabetes. – Paula Deen
There was one thing my daddy wouldn’t tolerate in any shape, form or fashion, and that was being unkind or rude to somebody. That was just very important to my folks. And as it turns out, that was a legacy that he left me that money can’t buy, is how to be able to treat people. – Paula Deen
Onions and bacon cooking up just makes your kitchen smell so good. In fact, one day I’m going to come up with a room deodorizer that smells like bacon and onions. It’s a fabulous smell. – Paula Deen
You know, not everybody can afford to pay $58 for prime rib or $650 for a bottle of wine. My friends and I cook for regular families who worry about feeding their kids and paying the bills. – Paula Deen
Growing up, I had a very busy social life. It wasn’t until I was a sophomore in high school that I asked Mama if I could come into the kitchen and have her teach me how to cook something. – Paula Deen
You don’t want to make a steady diet of just lettuce. You don’t want to make a steady diet of fried chicken. – Paula Deen