Whether you’re a fan of the classic champagne toast or you’re looking for something a bit different, we’ve got you covered. For those who enjoy a bit of bubbly, you can’t go wrong with Paula’s New Year’s Eve Champagne Punch or her glitzy Startini champagne cocktail recipe with festive gold flakes.

For you cocktail connoisseurs, consider serving up The Lady & Sons’ Pecan Caramel Apple Martini or this Christmas Martini recipe, which is appropriate all holiday season long! Prefer something a little more classic? You can’t go wrong with a Hot Buttered Rum recipe or a traditional Eggnog recipe!

But not everyone (Paula included) needs an adult beverage in hand as they ring in the new year! Whether you’re looking to make something fun for the kids or you just don’t drink, this Not-Really-Champagne Cotton Candy Mocktail or Paula’s Rosemary Blood Orange Spritzer are both fabulously festive options.

And while taste is ever-important, let’s not forget the importance of presentation on a night like New Year’s Eve! Have fun with beautiful sugared rims, garnishes, edible glitter, and swizzle sticks to make them feel extra celebratory.

Now that we have our New Year’s Eve cocktail recipes and New Year’s Eve mocktail recipes sorted out, let’s raise our glasses and cheers to a new year full of joy, love, and adventure. Here’s wishing y’all a sparkling New Year’s Eve!

Cheers!

The post 15 New Year’s Eve Cocktails & Mocktails Recipes appeared first on Paula Deen.

The silver lining of such a stormy year is that it really helped us to find what matters most for each of us. For some, it was their physical health. For others, financial stability became a priority. For me, that would be my family and my friends. In that spirit, I’ve decided on two resolutions in 2021 that will help me to keep my focus where it belongs.

First, I’ve decided to embrace minimalism—or at least my version of it. In October of 2020, Michael and I sold our home, Riverbend. As we got older and slowed down a bit, we realized it just didn’t match our lifestyle anymore. It was too much house filled with too much stuff and too many distractions from good conversations with good people. So we are in the process of finishin’ up some renovations to the first house Michael and I built together—our beautiful Dogwood home. It’s smaller, cozier, and just feels like home. And I know many of you will recall this house, as it’s where I filmed my shows for years.

During that hectic move, I realized that I just didn’t have a need for many of the material items that filled my closets, shelves, and garages, so I took that opportunity to get rid of countless pots, pans, dishes, old appliances, clothes, shoes, trinkets—you name it. While I may never be a true minimalist, I can at least work towards it by keeping just those items that I really need and that really make me happy.

My second resolution, though, is my most important resolution of all—in 2021, I’m resolvin’ to be a better friend and relative. I’m promising to be more present, to be a better listener, and to truly be there when folks need me. I like to think I do all these things already, but who among us can’t be better at them?

While my business keeps me hoppin’, I never want to forget to put my family and friends above everything else. After all, I can’t take my business with me when I go, but I sure can take the memories I’ve shared with those I love.

Now, I’d love to hear from all my friends out there. What are your resolutions for 2021? Share with me in the comments section, won’t you? I promise I’m listenin’!

Happy New Year!

Paula

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Whether your focus this year is on your physical health, work, relationships, spirituality, or anything else, what we eat has a big impact on our attitude and also on the decisions we make. When we eat good food, our body finds its ideal weight. When we’re at our ideal weight, we function better and everything around us improves, just like that.

If you want to shed those extra holiday pounds, find balance, and feel good, you’re in the right place. Here are some easy tips that will help you find health and your ideal weight:

1. Drink at least 8 glasses (64 oz.) of water a day. This will keep you hydrated and will help your body flush toxins. If you stay hydrated, your body won’t confuse hunger with anxiety or boredom.

2. Eat real foods. Avoid packaged stuff, and eat as close to the earth as possible. This way, you’ll be fueling your body with the best nutrients that our planet has to offer.

3. Start every meal with fresh fruit or a salad. This is a great way to add vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your daily diet. This will also fill you up so you’ll only eat the necessary amounts of your main dish.

4. Listen to your body. Eat when you’re hungry, and don’t eat when you’re not. Chew each bite 30-50 times to make sure you’re eating only the necessary amounts of food your body really needs.

5. Move! It’s not news that staying active adds years to your life. Aim for at least 30 minutes of a workout you enjoy 3 times a week. Other tips to include on your daily routine is parking farther from where you need to be, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and using a step tracker to make sure you hit a daily goal.

Enjoy the ride, eat plants, and be ready to shine!

The post Garden Fresh with Claudia Deen: Tips for an Ideal Weight appeared first on Paula Deen.

Salads, green veggies, chicken, fish, and whole grains… we want in! If you’re ready to tackle eating right with gusto, be sure to save some of these fresh eats for your fresh start. After all, fresh food has so much good flavor! The yummy flavors offered in these recipes just may keep you on the healthy-eating train a little longer than usual. Enjoy, y’all, and happy 2017!

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• Get in shape – I’m very proud that I lost 40 pounds and maintained this weight loss. I’m not going to say it was easy, but once I came to terms that I had developed type 2 diabetes, I knew I had to make some changes. I found that makin’ small changes lead to big results, and I took it one day at a time. I am so proud of my new book, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, and it is chock-full of lighter. These recipes reduce the fat, sugar, and calories, but not the delicious flavor. Now, my key to life is moderation, so one day a week, I still eat what I want, including Chicken Fried Steak. Never say the word “diet”.
• Try something new – I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined the cast of Dancing with the Stars. I had been asked to dance over the years, but until I lost the weight, I knew I couldn’t participate. At 68 years young, I went for it. I was dancin’ for all the ladies over 40— and competing against 19 year olds wasn’t easy. Thanks to all of you for voting and supporting me. You kept me on for six weeks! I also made some new forever friends on this journey. Kim Zolciak-Biermann and her family may even join me for some fun on the Island in Pigeon Forge, TN, so I might be givin’ Kim a cookin’ lesson at Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen!
• Hug as many friends as possible – It was the first time in a few years that I had a book tour, and it was so good to meet and chat with all of you. Your stories inspire me. Thanks for all who waited in long lines. It is my goal to look each of you in the eyes and thank you for your support. I’m lookin’ forward to more fun visits with y’all!

I’ll share only a couple 2016 resolutions:

• Spend more time with family – Thankfully, Michael was by my side for most of 2015, including eight weeks in LA for Dancing with the Stars and during my book tour. Jamie, Bobby, Michelle, and our grandsons, Henry and John, made the trip to LA to visit, which was a wonderful surprise. Now in 2016, I want to spend more time with my family at home, especially my five grandsons who are growing up so quickly and miss their “Guinny.”
• Save the animals – I love my pets, and for 2016, I want to help raise awareness of pet adoption and help support local shelters.
• Bonus resolution – I need to clean out my closet and donate to a woman’s shelter. This one should be easy, right?

I’d love to hear your resolutions, and I wish you all the best of luck in keeping even three. I’m wishin’ you and your loved ones a happy and healthy New Year. I’m continuing my book tour for Paula Deen Cuts the Fat in this year, and I’ll stick with my resolution of meetin’ and thankin’ as many of you as possible. Check my book tour page, and let’s make it a date!

The post New Year, New You! appeared first on Paula Deen.

Satisfy your guests’ hunger while you put the finishing touches on the meal with Collard Green Wontons. A perfect one-bite appetizer full of Southern flavor, the crispy wonton works perfectly with the creamy, cheesy center. And, it’s great way to get your vegetables! It doesn’t hurt that they’re also alleged to bring you prosperity.

Hoppin’ John Salad is a wonderful side dish for your meal. Full of beans and black-eyed peas (a staple in the South believed to bring luck), this dish is hearty and delicious. Get a second serving for good luck!

For the centerpiece of the meal; Thyme Mustard Catfish With Black Eyed Pea Cakes. It’s a lightly fried and perfectly flaky fish. Make the black-eyed pea cake patties ahead of time, and cook them off when ready to serve. If you can’t get catfish in your area or it isn’t your favorite fish, you can substitute another thin white fish filet.

Jalapeño Cracklin’ Cornbread packs a punch thanks to the kick from the jalapeno and wonderful flavor from the cracklin’s. It’s the perfect way to sop up the extra sauce on your plate!

Cornbread Leek and Bacon Bread Pudding. A great southern twist on bread pudding, the crumbly cornbread adds extra flavor to this savory bread pudding, and the smoky bacon and ham add a real depth of flavor. This rich and creamy dish is impossible to resist.

A truly southern recipe, The Lady and Sons Okra and Tomatoes is a perfect vegetable side dish. This stewed okra is a really warm and comforting dish. It’s simple and flavorful and can be made ahead and re-heated when it’s time to serve.

New Year’s Eve is a night of decadence—one last splurge before you commit to those New Years resolutions. Paula’s Chocolate Pecan Layer Cake is rich and delicious, a real show stopper!

And…to ring in the New Year, Paula’s Startini is a beautiful cocktail for such a festive occasion.

Nothing says comfort like a real southern meal, so cozy up with the people you love, pop the bubbly (if you so choose), and enjoy these classic southern dishes.

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