Read From Mama's Table to Mine Online
Authors: Bobby Deen
From Mama's Table to Mine
From Mama’s Table to Mine
“Bobby Deen nails it with these favorite Southern recipes. What they’ve lost in calories, they’ve gained in flavor. Perfect for everything from a quick weeknight meal to an elaborate Saturday-night celebration.”
—Rocco DiSpirito, chef and author
“It’s so great that Bobby has refashioned some all-time favorite Southern dishes in a healthier style. He continues to work hard to keep America healthy and happy.”
—Curtis Stone, chef, television host, and author
“Thanks, Bobby Deen, for giving us 120 delicious reasons why we can have our cake and eat it too … quickly! From Hush Puppies, to Slow-Cooked North Carolina–Style Pulled Pork, to one of my favorite childhood sandwiches, the Crispy, Crunchy Reuben, to a number of delicious desserts, all the bases are covered. If you love Southern food—without the calories or the time commitment—you’ll want this cookbook!”
—Carla Hall, host of ABC’s
The Chew
“Bobby Deen has been our ‘brother from another mother,’ and when you taste his dishes, you immediately recognize Paula’s influence. His tasty food stresses eating healthier without sacrificing the delicious Southern flavors and traditions he grew up with! Way to go, Bobby!”
—Pat and Gina Neely, hosts of
Down Home with the Neelys
THE DEEN BROS. GET FIRED UP
THE DEEN BROS. TAKE IT EASY
THE DEEN BROS. COOKBOOK: RECIPES FROM THE ROAD
THE DEEN BROS.: Y’ALL COME EAT
A Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Original
Copyright © 2013 by Bobby Deen Enterprises, LLC
Photographs copyright © 2013 by Ben Fink Photography
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of
The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
BALLANTINE and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS-CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Deen, Bobby.
From Mama’s table to mine : everybody’s favorite comfort foods at 350 calories or less / Bobby Deen and Melissa Clark.
pages cm.
eISBN: 978-0-345-53665-5 1.
Low-calorie diet—Recipes. 2. Comfort food. I. Clark, Melissa. II.
Title.
RM222.2.D443 2012
641.5′63—dc23 2012033950
Book design by Liz Cosgrove
v3.1
Mama, this book is dedicated to you. You taught me everything I know about making food that makes people happy. Your unconditional love and support continues to be the guiding force in my life. With you in my corner, I know the sky’s the limit. I love you.
D
OWN HERE IN GEORGIA,
we’re fond of that old saying “Eat like a champ.” When we see someone really digging into food and enjoying it, we’re sure to proudly clap him on the back and congratulate him. Well, I reckon that saying certainly applies to me. Of course I know how to eat like a champ; I’ve been taught by the best, y’all, Paula Deen. I love my Mama’s food, it truly is the best-tasting food on this planet. But, let’s face it. I can’t eat her rich food every day of my life. While I was lucky enough to be raised on Mama’s dishes, there came a day when I had to find a way to dial it back a bit. And being the champion eater that I am, I was determined to find a way to slim down my favorite recipes without losing one ounce of flavor.
The way I see it, eating right and living healthier is not about sacrifice, it’s about making good choices that keep you satisfied. For that understanding I have to give credit to the second most important influence in my life, my coach and good friend Sam Carter. Sam and I met when I was thirty years old, but I looked and felt like I was at least ten years older. He made me realize that being healthy is much more than just showing up at the gym. Being healthy is a whole lifestyle and mind-set. And that thinking has made all the difference in helping me look and feel younger. No matter where I am in my life, Sam’s words of wisdom stay with me.
Even though my work and personal lives are busy and often take me far from Savannah, I try to make it to my Mama’s place for Sunday dinner as often as I can. There’s just nothing like sitting round her great-big-old kitchen table with the whole family gathered to share in her amazing food. Mama doesn’t end up eating too much at these gatherings because she’s so busy feeding us, but we all manage to get in a hearty feast.
From my
Chicken-Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
to
Yes You Can Mac and Cheese
, right on down to
Red Velvet Cake
, these are the types of foods that I looked forward to as a boy. And you’ll find them all right here, along with dozens more mouthwatering comfort foods. What you won’t find are the heavy calories and fat you’d expect, because I’ve lightened them all up, as you
can see from the before and after calories and fat info I’ve included with each recipe. I like to call this process turning Sunday food into Monday food. Who wants to wait all week to enjoy these tasty treats? I certainly do not. But I know that I can’t load myself up with the calories these dishes usually contain. So I sat down, took a good look at these favorite recipes, found the major culprits in them, and took the fat and calories down a notch without losing any of their great flavor and appeal. I came up with 120 comforting, down-home recipes, all containing 350 calories or fewer per serving. Then I shared them with my Mama. I knew I was on to something when she proclaimed, “Sonny boy, are you sure you remembered to take down the fat and calories? Because I still taste all the great flavor I’d expect in these down-home classics.”