Gina Neely

If kids cook with you and participate with you, to me that makes them more apt to eat the food. They feel like they made the dish; they want to taste it. It's special, It's an effort.

I need a man that's comfortable in his skin and not threatened by a woman with a big personality.

For me, being a public persona, I was always wondering, 'Was a man dating me for who I was? Was there an agenda? Did he want to be seen with me? Am I arm candy?'

Skillet corn bread has always been my go-to-comfort food, and my mom used to make it for me as a treat when I was younger. I do this for my girls now whenever I think they need a little love.

I love spinach - I eat it like a crazy woman.

I want to get married again. I love being married. I'm not against marriage, and I'm not against love.

Cooking has always sort of been my way to soothe the soul, if you will. I grew up around my great-great-grandmother cooking, and that's eventually where I learned a lot of things. So food has always been used to ease and comfort.

Life happens, honey. What are you going to do? Cry in a bowl of milk?

Down Home with the Neelys' was the highest-rated Food Network show in history. But the crazy part about it was I never wanted to do that show. I never wanted to live my life quite out loud like that.

You don't stop living because bad things happen. You keep going.

You cannot be in your 50s and not change your diet. That ministry won't work. You can't keep eating burgers and fries and thinking you're going to look cute and fabulous and trying to squeeze into that little black dress.

I say now, if I'm not laughing a whole lot on the first date, you're pretty much not going to get a second one, I can tell you that. It's all about the laughter and a good time for me.