Deen and Hernandez in Court

There sure is a lot in the news today that could lead to days and days of blogging topics. For now, I’m just going to offer a brief comment to two of the top stories of the day. I may or may not elaborate on either of the stories, depending on what else is revealed in the news in the days to come.

1. Paula Deen – Apparently, Food Network and at least two other corporations associated with Paula Deen are severing their ties with her after she admitted in a deposition to using the N-word over 30 years ago. Yes, there is an ongoing lawsuit against Deen that claims she acted in a racist manner, but apparently the only reason these corporations let Deen go was this admission, at least based on the various stories I’ve read about the non-renewal of her contract. First, in regard to the lawsuit, who knows? Not us. The only ones who know whether the allegations in the lawsuit are true are the parties involved, and from what I’ve read so far, Deen has not acknowledged or admitted that any of those allegations are true. That will play out through the civil court circuit, and eventually there will be a ruling. I’m not going to speculate about the truth of the plaintiff’s claims. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know. Second, yes, in Deen’s admission, she says that she used the word one time and it was 30 years ago. She apologized for it. Is she sincere? Again, I don’t know her personally, so I can’t say. However, with Food Network and these other corporations severing their ties with her, the message is clear. You cannot be forgiven for what has occurred in your past. If that’s the sole reason for distancing themselves from Deen, all I can say for everybody else out there is that you’d sure better watch what you say, and don’t get angry and say anything in the heat of the moment that you may have to admit to 30 years down the road. The circumstances of your offense obviously will not matter, and your apologies will be fruitless. In this particular instance, these corporations are overreacting. At this point, there’s not really a justifiable reason to sever ties with Deen. Now, if she loses the lawsuit against her and it is proven that she not only has but continues to behave in a racist manner toward her employees, then that would be the time to determine Deen’s future within the companies involved.

2. Aaron Hernandez – The NFL player has been a focal point of a murder investigation for the past nine days. This morning, he was arrested, and at his arraignment this afternoon, the DA revealed that the charge against Hernandez is murder. Within a couple hours of his arrest, the New England Patriots released Hernandez from their organization. It may seem contradictory to my thoughts about Deen, but in this instance the Patriots were right to release Hernandez from the team. First, there is a major difference in the charges against these folks. Hernandez has been charged with murder. He’s accused of taking a life, not of making derogatory comments. Second, since Hernandez will face a trial, he obviously won’t be able to fully function in the team’s activities as they prepare for the upcoming season. The Patriots are an organization that historically has shown they don’t tolerate distractions, and a murder charge is a major distraction. Third, since Hernandez was released so quickly after his arrest, it stands to reason that there is something in his contract that allows such a dismissal. Hernandez should know what is in his contract, and if he has nothing to do with this murder, you would think he would have spent the last few days trying to prove his lack of involvement, not only to save himself from a murder charge but also to save his job.

While it may seem that I’m employing a double standard here, I’m not. For one thing, we’re dealing with a civil suit and a criminal charge, which immediately separates the seriousness of the charges. In one instance, the dismissal is related to an incident that occurred over 30 years ago and did not involve a crime of any sort, at least based on what has been revealed so far. Contrary to what many may think, it is not a crime to call someone a name, regardless of how offensive that name might be. I’m not saying Deen was right to call anybody such a name, just that so far, that’s the only proven allegation against her. In addition to not being related to a crime Deen committed, it shows that saying one atrocious thing can come back to haunt you and affect your life many years into the future. Based on what I’ve read, Deen has been cooperative in the lawsuit against her. Hernandez’s dismissal, on the other hand, is directly related to a recent incident that involves another individual losing his life. Reports indicate that Hernandez hasn’t been completely cooperative and may have even tampered with evidence. The bottom line, though, is that Deen could have continued cooking and doing television shows while her case makes its way through the system, and Hernandez would not have been able to continue contributing to his NFL team while his case makes its way through the system.

The thing is for both Deen and Hernandez this is a major blow to their careers. I’m not going to label Deen a racist or Hernandez a murderer based on what I’ve read so far. In Deen’s case, we all need to keep in mind that at any time, if we make someone mad enough, they can falsely accuse us of a variety of behaviors and create all sorts of havoc for us, regardless of the amount of truth in the allegations. Once a charge has been leveled, regardless of the concept of “innocent until proven guilty,” we actually have to become pro-active and had better be ready to prove our innocence. And once a charge has been leveled, there are those who will not look at the evidence, will not consider what we have to say, and will simply believe the charge. Given that, in the minds of many, Deen is a racist and Hernandez is a murderer. In Hernandez’s case, the evidence shared so far does look incriminating. However, in both these cases, we need to be cautious about applying labels and passing judgment. We can follow developments through the news, and as evidence is presented, then we can draw our own conclusions.

Where Am I at the End of July?

Can you believe seven months of 2012 have passed? It’s been an eventful year, especially with the birth of my granddaughter this month. I’m still working on keeping those resolutions I made back in January. So, how have I been doing?

1. Writing. Per my resolution, I have been writing every day, and I have posted a blog every day, though those from last week were short and brief; after all, I was a little preoccupied with my Mady. Some days I get more on paper than others, but that’s par for the course. I haven’t been as diligent with the project as I should have been. If I end up having a failure on the writing end of my goal, it’s going to be the progress I’ve made on the project. I’m not a quitter, though, so I’ll keep trying.

2. Reading. I’ve managed 11 books in July, which is a good thing since I had quite a bit of catching up to do. That brings my total for the year to 38. In order to reach 75 books, I need to average 6.25 books per month, which means I should be sitting at 43.75 for the year. I’m behind by 5. I’m hoping, however, that I can catch up in August. That will be a little more difficult with school starting, but for the most part, I’m going to be home by myself in the evenings, so that should open up some reading time. The good news about the whole situation is that if I can manage 6.25 each of the remaining months, I really only need to read one extra book per month to still hit 75 for the year. That is completely doable.

So what did I read this month? I started the month with Janet Evanovich’s Wicked Business, a series based on a character named Diesel. If you enjoy her Stephanie Plum books, you will enjoy the Diesel books. I then read Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, which was one of the AP summer reading assignments. I always enjoy this book, which I reread every summer it’s assigned. In January, I read all of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, so this month I read the first two books in the Heroes of Olympus series, The Lost Hero and The Son of Neptune. I’m looking forward to the third book’s release in October. I also read The Princess Bride by William Goldman. My kids love the movie so I’ve seen it several times, and when I ran across the book, I decided to give it a read. I read Angels Flight by Michael Connelly, a good mystery. I celebrated Christmas in July by reading Mary Higgins Clark’s Silent Night. Moliere’s Tartuffe also made the list for July as I needed to decide whether to include it on a reading list. I read Rainwater by Sandra Brown; it wasn’t a typical Sandra Brown-style book, but I do suggest it to those who like stories set during the Depression. Lisa Gardner’s The Other Daughter was a good mystery book, and I’m pleased to say I had it figured out by the end. I finished the month with Lee Goldberg’s Mr. Monk on Patrol. I love the TV show Monk, and the book series is great. If you love the TV show, you’ll love the books.

3. Weight Loss. I’m not even sure where I stand on this one. I haven’t done a weigh-in for several weeks. I was beginning to get a little frustrated with it again, and so I haven’t been watching my food intake quite like I should. Next week, school starts and I’m back at work and on a regular schedule, so I’m going to try to get it together. Wish me luck.

4. Cooking. We’re still trying new recipes. Jimmy created a couple of new dishes for us this month, sausage subs and a pasta salad. As with most things he creates, these were quite good. I made several freezer jams this month. I had done strawberry before, so that wasn’t new, but the peach jam, the blackberry jam, and the strawberry-blueberry jam were new. I’m pleased to say they were all successful. One new recipe that was very successful was Paula Deen’s Crab Cakes with Dill Sauce. The final two recipes were also very good, Southwestern Chicken from Pinterest and Spicy Stuffed Peppers with Andouille from Taste of Home magazine. We’ve managed to try so many new recipes this year, and for the most part, we’ve enjoyed all of them. This is definitely something we’ll keep doing.

5. Updates. This is the easy resolution to keep, just write one blog a month to tell you what I’m doing. I like this resolution for several reasons. One, it gives me something for sure to write about one day each month so I don’t have to struggle to think of a topic. Two, it’s easy to keep. Three, it helps keep me honest and on track.

Seven months down, five to go. For those I’m having trouble with, there’s still time to get on track and be successful. For those I’m not having trouble with, I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing.

Try an Old Favorite, in a New Way

Who doesn’t love a good grilled cheese sandwich? The thing is while the basic grilled cheese sandwich is indeed very good, one thing I’ve discovered with this recipe resolution I made is that there are a number of good grilled cheese sandwiches out there.

There is a catch, though. You have to be willing to step outside the box and try some new recipes. One of the things that drives me crazy is how my kids are, generally speaking, so unwilling to try new recipes. Byron and Trav are better about it than Nic and Cody, but more often than not, we have to depend on Theresa and Ashley to taste-test the new recipes we make. For the kids, though, they aren’t crazy about trying a new recipe that messes with an old favorite. For example, today, I told Byron I had found a recipe for chicken and dumpling casserole that I was going to try tonight, and I’d have it ready when he gets home from work. His response? “Why not just make chicken and dumplings?”

And I could do that, but anybody who’s made chicken and dumplings knows that it’s a lot of work. They taste great, but you have to work for it. The recipe I’m going to try sounds so much easier. If I like it, that’s not to say I’ll never make chicken and dumplings the old-fashioned way again, but I like the idea of having an option for a faster, easier way if I suddenly decide I want chicken and dumplings.

To date, we’ve tried about three variations on the grilled cheese sandwich. And, to date, I haven’t been able to convince one kid to try it. They don’t know what they’re missing. I try to tell them there is this huge world of flavor they are needlessly denying themselves. There are so many fabulous recipes they refuse to try. In a way, I can relate. I used to be a lot pickier when I was younger, but finally in my late twenties, I started trying lots of other foods. Amazingly, I discovered some great flavors. Now, I’ll try almost anything, almost being the key word there. I do still have my limits, but I’m open to at least trying new foods. More often than not, I am not disappointed.

One of the greatest things you wish for your kids is that they won’t make the same mistakes you did, and they will learn from your experiences, rather than having to figure out everything on their own. They have no idea how much easier their lives would be if they’d just listen to us about everything. I look back at the years I wasted being a pickier eater, and I wish they wouldn’t waste time with being picky eaters. I do take comfort in the fact, though, that I eventually came around, and so there’s still hope that they will.

If you’re interested in these grilled cheese sandwiches that we’ve tried, all of them are actually recipes from Food Network stars. One was the Neelys’ recipe, and we made it a while back, well before my recipe resolution came into play. I’d have to look up the particulars in order to remake it, but this grilled cheese consisted of cheddar cheese slices, bbq pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, and caramelized onions. The two recent ones, after the recipe resolution, were from Paula Deen and Tyler Florence. Paula’s was the Grilled Apple, Bacon, and Cheddar Sandwiches with Roasted Red Onion Mayo, and Tyler’s was the Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Paula’s recipe was made with Granny Smith apples, bacon, cheddar cheese, and the roasted red onion mayo on sourdough bread. Tyler’s recipe was made with fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, and pesto on French bread. All these grilled cheese sandwiches were amazing.

I hope my kids, and you readers, will all open your palates and be willing to try new recipes. I know many of us can be resistant to change, especially when it comes to messing with old favorites. However, if you’ll open yourself up to new ideas and flavors, what’s new today may soon become your new old favorite.

Deen’s Critics Not Sweet on Her

For some reason, Anthony Bourdain enjoys making Paula Deen the object of his critical comments. He doesn’t like the way she cooks. He doesn’t think it’s healthy. And in the wake of her revelation about having diabetes, he’s decided to use her illness against her as well. In fact, from headlines I’ve seen, others are also being critical of Paula Deen because she’s had diabetes for three years and has just now revealed it. Let’s consider some things.

First, she’s a chef with several cooking shows on Food Network. She’s published several cookbooks, and she owns a restaurant or two. For those who think she should have revealed her diabetes before now, I ask, “Why?” Really, what business is it of ours what health issues she has? If she’d been fighting cancer for three years and just now told us, would the critics be as up in arms? I doubt it. Just because she’s a celebrity chef does not mean she has to reveal her private health issues to us. We are all entitled to privacy concerning our health, and cooking on TV doesn’t remove that right.

Second, I’ve never heard Paula Deen claim that she cooks the healthiest dishes. She cooks with butter, cream cheese, butter, heavy cream, and more butter. She likes to deep-fry foods. On the shows I’ve watched, she’s never claimed the dishes are healthy. She’s also not encouraged viewers to eat those dishes every day. On the flipside, though, she also prepares vegetable dishes and grilled dishes, which are healthier. Anybody who watches her shows and uses what they know about healthy cooking will realize it is inadvisable to eat those kinds of dishes every day. Here’s the thing. Each chef with a show on Food Network has a theme. They sometimes demonstrate dishes that are outside of their normal cooking routines, but most often, they stick with the theme. Bobby Flay will grill, Rachael Ray will give you a 30-minute meal, and Melissa d’Arabian will show you how to feed four for less than $10. Paula Deen’s theme is comfort food. And comfort food is fattening and is not considered healthy. That’s what makes it comfort food.

If it makes all her critics feel better, her son Bobby has a new show on Cooking Channel called Not My Mama’s Meals where he reduces the fat and makes the dishes healthier for you. If you want to eat the healthier version, use Bobby’s recipe. If you want or need the comfort food, use Paula’s. If you want to eat Paula’s version every day, that’s your business. But don’t get upset because you’re not following a healthy diet.

Paula Deen’s job is to share recipes with you. She does that. She doesn’t make any false pretenses about those recipes. Her critics need to move on. Her health issues are her business, not ours. Her recipes are her business. If you don’t like them, for whatever reason, don’t use them and don’t give her grief for sharing them. If you’re just watching her show so you can give her grief, maybe it’s time for you to change the channel.

It’s Hummus vs. Hubris on Next Iron Chef

As you already know, my husband and I are huge Food Network fans. We have particular hosts we love to watch, including Giada de Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, Michael Symon, Guy Fieri, the Neeleys, and Robert Irvine, just to name a few. We also enjoy the competition shows, such as Next Food Network Star, Chopped, and Next Iron Chef. So, when this season of Next Iron Chef was being promoted, we anxiously awaitedthe  October 30 premiere of the Super Chefs. Of course, we had our favorite picked out the moment we saw the lineup. We’re for Anne Burrell all the way.

Ideally, I would’ve liked to see it come down to Anne Burrell and Robert Irvine in the final episode, with Anne winning. I like Robert Irvine, but I like Anne better, and I do enjoy watching her beat him, as she did on Worst Cooks in America and Chopped. I was hoping for showdown number 3, with Anne coming out on top again. Last week, when Chef Spike chose to put Anne and Robert together for a team, it was quite funny, especially for those of us who know their history. It was with great relief that we learned that they were not the bottom team and did not have to face off against each other in the premiere episode. There was hope that they still might get the chance to fight it out in the finale.

That hope died tonight when Robert Irvine was eliminated from the competition. I was speechless. Robert manages to complete Dinner: Impossible and Restaurant: Impossible challenges all the time. Robert is very well respected among the chefs employed by the Food Network. How can it be that it is episode 2, and Robert is gone? For what it’s worth, which isn’t really much since he was eliminated, the decision wasn’t unanimous. At least one of the judges wanted Robert to stay. And I’m going to guess that more viewers would have liked for Robert to stay than for Chef Michael Chiarello to stay.

Robert Irvine is such a popular chef, it was startling not just to viewers but also to the other Super Chefs that he was eliminated so early. And as Alton Brown pointed out, because his hummus was too thick. Personally, I thought Chef Chiarello’s attitude was too thick. Of course, since this is Super Chefs, there are going to be some Super Egos to contend with, and while the viewers get to see all the comments the chefs make after their food has been evaluated, I’m guessing that the judges don’t get to see all those comments. And that’s probably a good thing since if I were one of the judges and I heard one of the competitors dissing how I judged, I’d be more likely to eliminate them.

Tonight’s episode was a huge wake-up call to fans and chefs alike. If a chef like Robert can be eliminated so quickly, anybody can. As for this fan, though, I still have a preferred order for elimination, which simply calls for all the chefs I’m not really familiar with or that I just don’t like as well to go first. The next ones I’d like to see go are Michael Chiarello (didn’t like his attitude), Elizabeth Faulkner (just don’t really know anything about her), and Chuck Hughes (don’t really know anything about him). After that, Geoffrey Zakarian, Marcus Samuelsson, and Beau MacMillan would be the next three to go, leaving Anne Burrell and Alex Guarnaschelli to compete for the final spot. Since I can’t have Anne and Robert in the finale, then let’s have Anne and Alex and add a female Super Chef to the prestigious Iron Chef crew.

Of course after tonight, it’s hard to speculate about who will win this competition, but it’s certainly going to be interesting to watch, and it’s not going to be an easy task for the competitors. But since it is Next Iron Chef, it shouldn’t be easy for them. One thing I’m wondering, though. When this is over, will those who serve as Chopped judges be any more sympathetic to those competitors than they were before? That may be as interesting to watch as these episodes are.

Mary Beth’s Luck Runs Out Tonight

For the past two weeks, my husband and I both predicted Mary Beth would be the one to leave The Next Food Network Star. Both weeks, we were wrong. At this point, I’m wondering if we should apologize to Jyll and Whitney. We didn’t think either of them would be in the final three either, but perhaps by predicting Mary Beth’s exit, we jinxed them. If so, sorry about that. Surely, though, this will be Mary Beth’s week to leave the show.

It’s nothing personal against Mary Beth; she seems like a nice enough lady, but we would not watch a show hosted by her. To us, she just doesn’t have the energy, creativity, or personality of Guy Fieri, Giada De Laurentiis, Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, Michael Symon, Robert Irvine, Anne Burrell, or Bobby Flay.

Jeff, Vic, and Susie are making food that is much more visually appealing and creative, and according to the judges, food that just tastes better than Mary Beth’s. For that reason, we are hoping not to jinx either of them by predicting one more time that Mary Beth will be the contestant eliminated on tonight’s show.

When we decided to try our hand at determining who would be the next to leave the show, we both had Vic and Susie in the top two; Jimmy had said that Vic would be victorious, while I chose Susie. However, after watching the last two episodes, I’m starting to think Jeff just might have a shot at this. Fortunately for him, he has recovered from the “Balls on a Roll” fiasco. Since then, he’s the one who’s been on a roll, winning camera challenges and cooking challenges. He has become more sure of himself while Vic and Susie have floundered.

At this point, I still believe that Jeff, Vic, and Susie will be the final three, and Mary Beth will be eliminated tonight. Depending on how things play out in tonight’s episode, I may have to revise my final prediction, though. If Jeff performs like he has on the last two episodes, Vic and Susie will have their work cut out for them. And the more I think about it, a guy who can be charming and funny and has a show all about sandwiches might be a lot of fun to watch.