Cooking with Paula Deen January/February 2022

WE’VE BEEN BLESSED with another new year, so I wanted to take a moment to talk about all the things I’m looking forward to in 2022. At the top of the list is good Southern food, and luckily, that usually involves family, too. Sundays are sacred in my household, and we always make time to gather around the table to enjoy a yummy supper together. Because it’s been chilly lately, I’m planning to whip up the Hearty Vegetable-Beef Stew and serve it with Rosemary-Cheese Bread and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes (all on page 53). Talk about comfort food, y’all. And if comfort food is what you’re after, there’s plenty of that in this issue. I’ve included some of my favorite ways to chicken-fry—from shrimp and brisket to pork chops and portobello…

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paula Deen EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nancy Meeks MANAGING EDITOR Morgan Crawford Scott PROJECT EDITOR Barbara McCarthy SENIOR COPY EDITOR Rhonda Lee Lother COPY EDITOR Meg Lundberg EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Katherine Cloninger Ellis CREATIVE DIRECTOR/PHOTOGRAPHY Mac Jamieson SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER John O’Hagan PHOTOGRAPHERS Jim Bathie, Steve Rizzo, Stephanie Welbourne Steele CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Matt Armendariz SENIOR DIGITAL IMAGING SPECIALIST Delisa McDaniel DIGITAL IMAGING SPECIALIST Clark Densmore GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR Deanna Rippy Gardner ART DIRECTOR Deana Callison CONTRIBUTING ART DIRECTOR Amy Merk SENIOR STYLIST Sidney Bragiel STYLISTS Courtni Bodiford, Lucy Finney, Mary Beth Jones, Lily Simpson, Dorothy Walton HAIRSTYLIST & MAKEUP ARTIST Emily Warren Peterson EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO PAULA DEEN Eddie Zorawowicz TEST KITCHEN DIRECTOR Laura Crandall FOOD STYLISTS/RECIPE DEVELOPERS Becca Cummins, Katie Moon Dickerson, Kathleen Kanen, Megan Lankford, Vanessa Rocchio, Izzie Turner TEST KITCHEN ASSISTANTS/PREP COOKS Audrey Harris, Leah Nicole Perez DIGITAL MEDIA MARKETING DIRECTOR Kristy Harrison MARKETING COORDINATOR Hannah Crowe ONLINE EDITOR Janece Maze DIGITAL DESIGNER Stephanie Lambert ADMINISTRATIVE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR Judy Brown Lazenby IT DIRECTOR Matthew Scott Holt DEALER PROGRAM MANAGER Janice Ritter ADMINISTRATIVE…

MADE IN THE SOUTH WHITNEY’S COOKIES A longtime passion for cooking, making people happy by creating “food memories,” and baking desserts led Chef Whitney Miller to audition and ultimately win the first season of MasterChef on Fox. This incredible honor gained her notoriety for her sweets, specifically her scrumptious cookies, and generated her nickname of the “Pastry Princess.” In 2019, Whitney decided to share her unique cookies with the world and took the plunge to open Whitney’s Cookies in Franklin, Tennessee. The brand uses time-tested recipes and high-quality ingredients to create each 5- to 6-ounce cookie with proficiency and care. The cookies are sold online nationwide in flavors including Chocolate Chip, Stuffed Chocolate Chip, Salted Peanut Butter Cup, Celebration Sprinkle, and the brand’s famous Brownie Cookie, along with two new specialty…

THE NEW YEAR IS A GREAT REASON TO COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE, and what could be better than starting off with a sprinkle-studded breakfast? These yummy buttermilk bakes topped with a scrumptious glaze are sure to kick-start the festivities on a tasty note. SPRINKLES BISCUITS Makes about 12 3 cups self-rising flour*¼ cup granulated sugar½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed4 ounces cold cream cheese, cubed¾ cup cold whole buttermilk⅓ cup rainbow jimmies1 large egg, beaten1 cup confectioners’ sugar⅓ cup heavy whipping cream2 tablespoons water¼ teaspoon vanilla extractPinch kosher saltGarnish: rainbow jimmies 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and granulated sugar. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in cold butter and cold cream cheese until mixture is crumbly. Stir in…

AIR-FRIED CHEESE STICKS Makes about 18 1 (16-ounce) package low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese3 large eggs1 cup plain bread crumbs, toasted1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoningEasy Tomato Sauce (recipe follows) 1. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. 2. Cut cheese into 3½x½x½-inch sticks. 3. In a shallow bowl, beat eggs. In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs and Italian seasoning. Dip cheese sticks in eggs, letting excess drip off. Dredge in bread crumb mixture. Dip in eggs again, letting excess drip off. Dredge in bread crumbs again to fully coat. Place on prepared pan. Cover and freeze for 1 hour. 4. If preheating is recommended by your air fryer manual, preheat fryer to 375°. 5. Spray air fryer basket and frozen cheese sticks with cooking spray. Arrange cheese sticks in a single layer in basket. 6. Set…