Holy & Hungry: Christian Cooking Show To Launch With "Faith-Inspired Recipes"

Casting call:

Are you restaurant owner that is guided by your passion for cooking and faith? Does cooking for others give you a spiritual satisfaction? Are you a leader in your community and enjoy giving back through sharing food with others? Do you have delicious, faith-inspired recipes that you want to share? If so, we want to hear from you! An exciting new series for The Cooking Channel hosted by Sherri Shepherd is looking for Christians in the culinary world who have created dishes with a literal and/or meaningful connection to their faith. Whether they own a restaurant or catering company, or just love to cook and have a particular dish or two for which they're known for, we're looking for Christians from all walks of life to featured in our show.

Yes, the show is really called Holy & Hungry. The producers would like a headshot and a description of the applicant's "favorite faith dish." I have no idea what that means and neither does the Google. (Tipped by JMG reader Steven)

Meet The Bears Of Sweet Paul

The foodies among you may already be familiar with Sweet Paul, which began years ago as Paul Lowe's personal cooking blog and has since grown to become a wildly popular print and online magazine. Lowe (above left, also known as "the gay Martha Stewart") does the kitchen work while the business side of the enterprise is handled by "the other Paul" - my longtime pal Paul Vitale. The fifth anniversary issue of Sweet Paul launches next week and I'm just the worst friend ever not to have mentioned them before now. And hey, they've even put out a well-received cookbook, Sweet Paul: Eat & Make. Join their 70,000 fans on Facebook.

Former "Ex-Gay" Poster Boy John Paulk Competes On Cooking Reality Show

Last night former "ex-gay" poster boy John Paulk competed on the cooking reality show Cutthroat Kitchen. The show was promoted by Go Local PDX on Friday:

"The fast-paced energy I experienced while taping the episode last summer was exhilarating," said Paulk. "I've never had more fun in my life competing with other talented chefs." This in not Paulk's first appearance on T.V. For several years, Paulk was a regular guest on local television morning shows doing cooking demonstrations. Currently, Paulk is preparing to launch his new, weekly radio show, "Talking with our Mouths Full," on Wild Planet Radio, KPQR 99.1 FM. - Portland's new radio station aimed at the LGBT community. Paulk is the former founder and leader of the ex-gay ministry 'Love Won Out,' which promotes freedom from homosexuality through the power of Christ. He has since left the ministry and denounced gay reparative therapy. Paulk's Mezzaluna Fine Catering has serviced many politicians and leaders with close ties to Portland's gay community.

Paulk's fall from "ex-gay" grace began in 2000 when activist Wayne Besen caught him in a DC gay bar. He resigned from Love Won Out shortly after Focus On The Family head James Dobson confronted him about the incident. Paulk disavowed the "ex-gay" movement in 2013 and has since issued public apologies.

(Tipped by JMG reader Daniel)

Most-Googled Thanksgiving Recipes

Frog eye salad. Dirt pudding. Pretzel salad. Never heard of 'em. Embiggen or go here for details.

Open Thread Thursday

Share your favorite recipes and if you've got them, photos of the finished products.

Open Thread Thursday

Tell us your favorite holiday recipe. What's delicious?

Paula Deen Apologizes

UPDATE: Interestingly, the video was made private moments ago after receiving hundreds of comments at YouTube. I'll repost if it goes live again.  The clip had already been posted on Huffington Post and dozens of other sites.  The New York Times has posted a lengthy recap.

UPDATE II: Raw Story has mirrored the clip.

UPDATE III: Deen has posted a second apology video.

UPDATE IV: Deen has been dropped by the Food Network.

A network spokeswoman said it would not renew Paula Deen’s contract when it expires at the end of June. The Food Network statement did not elaborate on its reasons for dropping her, but a person close to the network said its shows featuring her sons, Jamie and Bobby, would not be affected. Ms. Deen currently has three regular shows on the network, including “Paula’s Best Dishes.”

Open Thread Thursday

What's delicious? Share your latest recipes.

The Gender-Neutral Easy Bake Oven

In response to an online petition, Hasbro says they are working on the launch of a gender-neutral version of the long-selling Easy Bake Oven.

McKenna Pope, 13, of Garfield, N.J., got more than 40,000 signatures on her online petition at Change.org and the support of celebrity chefs including Bobby Flay, who backed her call for Hasbro to make a gender-neutral oven and to include boys in the ads. She was prompted to start the petition after shopping for an Easy-Bake as a Christmas present for her 4-year-old brother, Gavyn Boscio, and finding them only in purple and pink. Hasbro invited McKenna and her family to its Pawtucket, R.I., headquarters to meet with its Easy-Bake team, and on Monday, they drove to Rhode Island from New Jersey. During the meeting, Hasbro executives showed off a prototype of their newest Easy-Bake: one that's black, silver and blue.

Just a wild hunch, but I'm guessing lots of you had or (more likely) desperately desired an Easy Bake as a child.

You've Got Sam Kass

Another from AOL's "You've Got" series. Because hello.

Cookie Recipe Winner: Michele Obama

Family Circle announced today that the First Lady squeaked by Ann Romney in their election year cookie recipe battle.  Cindy McCain won in 2008.  Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton won both of their match-ups in previous years.

Presidential Cookie Bake-Off

Family Circle has launched a cookie recipe contest between Michelle Obama and Ann Romney. Each of their submitted recipes are at the link. The silly season just got sillier. And the freeping has apparently already begun, at this writing I can't get Family Circle's vote widget to open, no doubt due to heavy coverage in Wingnutistan.

Open Thread Thursday

What's delicious? Share your latest recipes.

Paula Deen Backlash

Details.

Open Thread Thurday

What's for dinner? Share your latest favorite recipes.

Open Thread Thursday

What's delicious? Favorites recipes and specialties, please.

Cooking Tips From Amy Sedaris

(Tipped by JMG reader Gary)

The Logical Follow-Up To Cherpumple

Foodie blog Chow provides the cooking instructions for the Turkey Cake: layered sweet potatoes, stuffing, and turkey loaf. Add a mashed potato icing and top with browned marshmallows. Follow that up with a lovely cherpumple and you've got your entire Thanksgiving feast in two easy-to-carry boxes.

(Tipped by JMG reader Jeff)

Open Thread Thursday

What's delicious? Share your personal specialties and recipes.