The Paula Deen Diet

I just returned from a two week vacation and I'm EXHAUSTED.  It's not surprising because I have chronic sleep deprivation even when I'm in my own home.  But throw different time zones and sleeping arrangements into the mix and I'm doomed.  Everyone I visited was lovely to me, but I still found it hard to sleep.  I was so happy to come home and sink into a deep sleep last night.  However, my bird Tee had other ideas. She began screaming at the crack of dawn this morning until I woke up.  Sigh. Only 5 hours of sleep.  Of course, another reason I could be tired is the extra poundage I acquired, all due to the Paula Deen Diet of rapid weight gain though Southern eating. It was fun while it lasted, but now I'm back home and I must make amends to my arteries.

It's all kind of hazy right now, but I do remember eating a lot of shrimp and crab legs fixed in different ways.  I also had my first tomato sandwiches of the season, made with my uncle Grady's hand picked tomatoes.  And my Aunt Scotty made shrimp and crab gumbo, which is quite a feat for someone with rheumatoid arthritis.

I also went to a barbecue joint called The Shed, which was named one of the best places serving barbecue in the nation, and will be featured on the Food Network this summer. It also acquired some fame as one of the places Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie did whatever it is they do on the first season of The Simple Life. Word is, Paris is now banned from The Shed, which was unnecessary as she likely never intended to pay them another visit.  The Shed looks the way a good barbecue establishment should look, ramshackle and unkempt.

The ribs are sensational and come in wrapped in foil.  It usually requires an entire roll of paper towels for your hands and face, as you eat them.

The more genteel types eat theirs from a fancy styrofoam box, with sides of beans and potato salad

On another day, I made spinach strata, an opulent version of Savory Bread Pudding.  The strata is assembled the night before you cook it and looks quite unappetizing as you store it in the fridge.

However, it puffs up and browns nicely as it bakes the next day.

People always love this recipe, make sure to bow your head modestly as they wolf down second and third helpings of it.   

By the time I left Mississippi for Florida, I swore I would practice more restraint and avoid high fat meals.  Well, that wasn't always successful. I remember a meal of fish stuffed with crab, served with bernaise sauce.  On another occasion I ate an enormous hamburger with cheese and 1,000 Island Dressing. In an attempt to salvage some control, I substituted steamed broccoli for the fries.  Too little, too late

Strata with Spinach and Gruyère  (Cook's Illustrated)

To weigh down the assembled strata, two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic-covered surface, make ideal weights. A gallon-sized zipper-lock bag filled with about 2 pounds of sugar or rice also works.  Or lay cans of food on their side on top of the strata.

This recipe doubles easily; use a 9 by 13-inch baking dish greased with only 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and increase the baking time as directed in step 4. Feel free to substitute any good melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or colby.

Makes one 8 by 8-inch strata, serving 6 (I think you might want to double the recipe if you're serving more than 4 people.  In my experience, people want extra helpings.)

8 - 10    slices supermarket French bread (1/2-inch thick) or Italian bread (6 - 7 ounces)

5    tablespoons unsalted butter , softened

4    medium shallots , minced (about 1/2 cup)

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed dry

Table salt and ground black pepper 

1/2    cup medium-dry white wine , such as Sauvignon Blanc

6    ounces Gruyère cheese , grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

6    large eggs 

1 3/4    cups half-and-half 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on large baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through drying time. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes; add spinach and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach and shallots are combined, about 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.

3. Butter 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; arrange half the buttered bread slices, buttered-side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of spinach mixture, then 1/2 cup grated cheese evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining spinach mixture and another 1/2 cup cheese evenly over bread. Whisk eggs in medium bowl until combined; whisk in reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers; cover surface flush with plastic wrap, weigh down (see note, above), and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

4. Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes (or about 60 minutes for doubled recipe). Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; serve.

Comments

[Sonali]

Glad to see you back from your vacation. Hmmm...the ribs look yummy. He he @ Paula Deen's Diet. She uses tons of butter in her show. Once I made her banana walnut french toast...decadent & delicious.

[kalyn]

Sher, I'm a super light sleeper and when I travel I use a drug called Ambien. My doctor gives me a prescription for 25 and it lasts me several years, so it's obviously not habit forming. For me at least it works amazingly well. I take one, sleep for 8 hours, and wake up feeling great. Might work for you if you're interested.

[Shannon]

YOU'RE BACK!! Yay! It's been odd not checking your blog obsessively for the past couple of weeks. Is that you in that photo?

Those ribs look amazing and so does that strata. Mmmmm! And I must say, I do NOT miss having a bird awaken me at the crack of dawn--I used to take to throwing a shoe at the bird cage (horrible, I know, but I was much younger & more callous) to shut my parakeet up, but he got used to that after awhile and it made no difference! I probably could've thrown the entire cage out of the window and he'd still merrily chirp in the new day.

[Kristi]

mmmm... BBQ. I love BBQ, and The Shed looks awesome. And The Paula Deen Diet sounds like something I could ascribe to. And I'm not even Southern. ;)

[Glenna]

Paul Deen Diet--the PDD--I laughed out loud on that one. So THAT'S what I've been on all these years and have the thighs to prove it. Life is so good when you can and understandable when you can label it. Did you know she has aprons that say "Body by Paula Deen". She also has one that says "Worth the Weight". So true.

Enough about that--your food tour of your vacation was fabulous, and ohmygawd, the strata will be on my table this week. Loved the Savory bread pudding so I have to try this one too.

[s'kat]

Nothing like a good ol' strata to bid farewell to a week of well-deserved feasting.

[steven]

Everyone in the Deen family looks pretty well-fed to me and they all seem pretty happy as well. Maybe they're on to something? The food all looks amazing!

[ann]

that soup looks a little odd with all the crab parts in it, but boy oh boy, i bet it was DELCIOUS
mmmm... so hungry....

[anne]

Wow, that strata looks awesome. I'm not sure quite how I'm going to survive should I choose to go vegan instead of vegetarian!

I'm glad you're back! Is that you in the Shed picture? Very cute photo.

Also - fellow insomniac here, with a snoring husband. And I live right next to a freight train line. Can you say unending sleep deprivation?

[Christine]

So nice to see you're back. I kept checking... and Upsie was always there, keeping an eye on things.
Ah, travel. How I can relate. After 2 recent weeks on the east coast, I'm sad to say that I did pack on a few pounds, lost many nights of sleep, all in the name of visiting loved ones and having a great time. The sacrifices we make!

[sher]

Sonali,

I think I saw the episode where she made the french toast. Everything she makes looks so good. Have you seen the episode where she drinks melted butter?

Kalyn,

I should have remembered that they gave me Ambien in the hospital, and it worked very well. So, I will get some for the next time I go on a trip. Thanks!!

Shannon,

No, that's not me, it's my lovely cousin Roxy. And boy, I understand about throwing something at a bird's cage. I once threw a magazine at Tee's cage(it's a very heavy cage that I could dance on top of, so she was totaly safe) in the morning. Tee just looked at the magazine as it sailed past her door, gave the bird version of "whatever"and kept screaming.

Kristi,

It is very good BBQ, I dreamt about it on occasion. How's beastie?

Glenna,

Yes, maybe some day science will discover that massive amounts of butter and fried food are actually the healthiest way to eat......?

s'kat,

:):) Yes, a strata sort of symbolized the whole week I was there--buttery, rich, and over the top.

Oh Ann,

You should see how scary gumbo can really look!!! That was a very tame version. I'll have to make some and it will look like swamp water full of critters.

Steven,

Oh I agree with that--eating all that comfort food that Paula makes is sure fun--until you have a heart attack or a stroke!!!

Anne,

Oh, I hear you about the snoring husband. Mine makes a weird clicking noise too. Of course, I never snore. :):) Mainly because I never fall asleep. No--not me there eating the ribs--it's my cousin Roxy.

Christine,

Your experiences on your trip sound just like mine!! Thanks for checking on my site. Upsie sends you some love head bumps.

[Rosie]

Hey Sher!

Good to have you back - well fed and sassy as always! My family just got back from Vegas and I can totally empathise with your diet and lack of sleep...I now need a vacation from my vacation!

I think its time to crawl down South for some fine barbeque...yummy....

[Kristi]

Beastie is doing well! Thanks for asking. He/She could definitely go for some BBQ though, even though it's currently only 8:15 am. Your pics made me hungry all over again. ;)

[Barbara (Biscuit Girl)]

I did a double take when I saw the heading to your post! Paula Deen and diet in the same sentence!! I love her show but man, my heart hurts watching her cook. Someone once said when she cuts her finger she bleeds butter. hahaha Sweet lady but I bettin' her cholesterol is off the charts.

[Gerald]

Hey Sher, welcome back! Looks like you had a lot of good-eatin during your vacation! All your pictures reminds me of the time I spent in Memphis!

[Lisa]

Ah, here's the food! Shrimp and crab gumbo, yum. The ribs look great too. And now I'm craving a tomato sandwich. Thanks for the strata recipe; on occasion I make brunch for my husband's kids and grandkids, and this will be a fun new dish to make them eat. :)

[Jaye]

Oh wow, I'm craving tomato sandwiches so much it hurts! And that strata is earmarked for my next pot luck luncheon, it looks so cozy and warm!

[Evan]

hi, thx for dropping by and liking the pecan tassies =) your blog is pretty impressive too. keep up the good work!

take care!

[mae]

Mmmmm. That fritata sure looks good. I love spinach. Shrimp and gumbo, bbq ribs. My tummy's grumbling... and it's too early!

[mae]

Duh! see, i told you it's way too early... i meant 'Strata'.

[Julie]

I wish I had an aunt who made crab shrimp gumbo. You're a lucky woman! All that Mississippi food looks wonderful.

[jenn]

I love the name Roxy! You're the one with the giant man-hands sitting across from her, right? Ha ha!

[gattina]

Sher,
I just saw THe Shed on Foodnet yestersday, their bbqs looked heavenly!
Oh... I want your lip-smacking strata... now!!!

[gabriella]

Hi Dear! Welcome Back.

Okay - so I am reading your blog bc I have not done a good catch up in a while and I see "Paula Deen Diet" I was like "WHAT?" Paula Deen doesn't do diet. Except, the "Seafood diet, I see food, I eat it" Which seems to be the one I am on lately.

That strata looks so good. I bookmarked that one to make soon. SOON. oh my god. To die for. I make a breakfast casserole that everyone loves but I would love to add this one to my repetoire!

[gabriella]

Oh and I FINALLY got around to updating my links and added to my blog. Miracles never cease.xo

[gattina]

Sher,
tell you what, I dream of your strata every night since your post! I know I'd love it... yes, YES!!! I just did it for lunch and it's sooo delicious! I'm going to submit your strata to Kalyn for this week WHB since I'm going to talk about the fried basil that I've added on the strata. Hope it's okay for you :)

[Weight Healthy]

those foods are making me starving!! great foods! i hope it has less calories in it... better be sure.. hehehe

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