I had to be frugal, thoughtful, resourceful. I didn't have anyone to tell me, 'You can't.' When you're young, you think you can do anything, and that was really a gift. That's why I can never understand someone telling me 'no' today. 'No' just isn't an option.

Why I have had such a huge career and why I have sold over four million books, is that people can do what I share with them to do.

My secret to survival has been embracing life's challenges and not letting them dictate my frame of mind or determine my fate... Learning to stand strong in the face of challenge and adversity is the only way to get through the tough times.

Christmas is more stressful with present buying and making sure everyone gets included, but Thanksgiving is really not that. I don't ever really get stressed out about the food.

You don't need to be born with a silver spoon to reach for the brass ring

Baking is how you start kids at cooking in the kitchen.

Seventy percent store-bought, ready-made plus 30 percent fresh allows you to take 100 percent of the credit.