My most cherished possessions are my grandma's letters and my vintage Martha Washington cookbook.

My audience knows me, and I wear beautiful clothes as a badge of honor. They remember where I came from.

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

I like doing food as a focal point on my table. It is not like going out and buying flowers or candles, which are expensive.

I can certainly be part of the socialite group and walk those carpets every day, but I choose not to because I prefer to be grounded. You can't be at home and on the red carpet.

When I came to the Food Network, I didn't want to do a cooking show. I told Kathleen Finch for nine months I didn't want to do a cooking show, I wanted to do a home-and-garden show.

How do I cope with stress? I clean and organize.