Throughout time, celebrities have wowed fans from their smooth and angelic voices, to their crazy and comical yet passionate and heart-rending roles through movies, talk shows, etc. As Americans, we have come to “idealize” these individuals for whatever reasons. Surprisingly enough, despite what the tabloids might say, stars are just as driven by good foods as we are. Now, I’m not one to tell you how they remain slim and trim after eating a fifty-dollar hamburger, but I will tell you that it’s interesting knowing the favorite foods and recipes of these celebrities.

Let’s take a walk down the red carpet into the kitchens and restaurants of the stars, getting up close and personal with some of them.

First, let’s take a trip to the south where Patti LaBelle received her inspiration to both sing and cook. For LaBelle cooking is about love, which is expressed through not only her legendary 4-octave ranged and melodic voice, but also through her experience in the kitchen. This soulful artist expresses her culinary knowledge offering award-winning cookbooks (LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About) with recipes such as: Say-My-Name Smothered Chicken and Gravy, Fierce Fried Corn and Philadelphia Butter cake.

Oprah Winfrey continues to shock America with her amazing weight loss along with her benevolent deeds. Having professed her love for food to over fifty million viewers, she expressed her weight loss secret as eating the right foods and exercising.

Oprah knows good food when she tastes it, selecting a local California cook’s gourmet sandwich as her ultimate favorite. This curried chicken sandwich pleased Oprah so much that she invested her money into the upkeep of this chef’s local restaurant, which was on its way to closing down.

Curry Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients:

20 whole black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

1/2 lemon

3 pounds medium chicken breasts

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

1/2 cup honey

1-1/4 teaspoons curry powder

3/4 teaspoons lemon pepper

Pinch of salt

Butter for spreading

1 loaf Challah or other rich egg bread cut 12 thick slices

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 bag salad greens

Directions:

In a large saucepan over high heat, add peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves, lemon and 14 cups of water; cover and bring to a boil. Add chicken and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, 7 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through; drain. Once cool, quarter each tender crosswise. In a large bowl, combine mustard, honey, curry powder, lemon pepper and salt; stir in chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day. Butter both sides of the bread slices. In a heated nonstick skillet over medium-high flame, cook bread in batches 3 to 5 minutes or until browned, turning once. Combine carrots and almonds with chicken mixture. Divide chicken curry among 6 bread slices. Top with tomatoes, salad greens and remaining bread slices. Serve with fruit.

Patti LaBelle’s Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese

1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups half and half

1 cup Velveeta, cut into small cubes

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2 quart casserole. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, add the oil then the elbow macaroni and cook until macaroni is just tender (about 7 minutes). Do not overcook. Drain well and return to the pot.

In a small saucepan, melt the first measure of butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar cheese and the Monterey Jack cheese. To the macaroni, add the half and half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheeses, the cubed Velveeta and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and dot with the remaining butter.

Bake until it is bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.