Carla Hall.Photo:Marvin Joseph Marvin Joseph That philosophy has allowed Hall, 59, to reinvent herself time and again. Prior to becoming aTop Cheffan favorite in 2011 (she competed in seasons 5 and 8) and a cohost onThe Chewfor seven years, Hall was a CPA at PricewaterhouseCoopers. “I really didnotenjoy that job,” she tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “I quit because I said, ‘I don’t want to be 40 and hate my job....

The Chewmay have ended, butCarla Hallwill still be returning to your television screen. It wasannounced in MaythatThe Chewwould not be returning for its eighth season. “I am so grateful for all the good times and incredible friends I have made over the past seven years on @abcthechew,” Hallposted on Instagramfollowing the announcement. “It has truly been an amazing ride. I am looking forward to new adventures! What’s next? Stay tuned! Onward and upward!...

Photo: Paul Archuleta/Getty Carla Hallknows just what to do with all those holiday leftovers! With Christmas just days away, the 57-year-old former co-host ofThe Chew(who partnered withAvastto talk about computer safety) shared three easy ways to rework those leftovers – which even tick the boxes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. According to theCarla and the Christmas Cornbreadauthor, the meats and veggies from more formal dinners go great in strata, quiche and salads....

Photo: Victor ProtasioOnThe Chew, America fell in love with Hall’s infectious energy and yummy comfort food—like this weekday pasta that’s “a great way to get kids to eat their veggies,” says the author ofCarla Hall’s Soul Food. The show ended in June, but fans can follow her as she joinsGMA Dayas its food contributor.Broccoli Pesto Pasta1 lb. uncooked penne rigate pasta1½ lbs. fresh broccoli, cut into 2-in. florets, stems trimmed and cut into 1-in....

Photo: Victor Protasio“There’s no need to smother fresh beans with tons of gravy,” says the chef and author ofCarla Hall’s Soul Food.Green Bean Salad with Pickled Onions1 large red onion, halved and very thinly sliced1 fresh habañero chile, unseeded and halved lengthwise1 fresh or dried bay leaf½ cup apple-cider vinegar1 tsp. granulated sugar1½ tsp. kosher salt, divided1½ lb. fresh green beans, trimmed1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil¼ tsp. black pepper1 fresh small hot chile (such as Thai chile), unseeded and very thinly sliced1....

Carla Hallannounced Tuesday night that her Kickstarter campaign to fund her first restaurant was a success. Hootie hoo! Just one month afterThe Chewhost started the crowd-sourced fundraiser to help build Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen in N.Y.C., Hall reached — and exceeded — the original $250,000 goal. In a video posted on herInstagram, the formerTop Chefcontestant announced, “Hey guys, we made it! We made it. The campaign for Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen has been funded....

Photo: Jennifer Causey"This is a family recipe from my husband’s side of the family," explainsCarla Lalli Music. “His maternal grandmother, Margaret Johnson, was an incredible home baker and she was especially renowned for her holiday cookie recipes. This one was absolutely required at every Christmas and holiday party since my husband was a child.““It’s like a shortbread, but instead of being crumbly, it’s firm and melts in your mouth,” says the author of theThat Sounds So Goodcookbook....

Carla Wallenda.Photo: Vivian Zink/NBCU Carla Wallenda, a member of The Flying Wallendas and the last surviving child of the troupe’s founder, has died. She was 85. The performer died of natural causes in Sarasota, Florida, on Saturday morning, according to her son Rick Wallenda, who shared a copy ofher obituaryon Facebook. “It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of one of the greatest performers of all time, and my mother, Carla Wallenda,“he wrote....

Carlee Russell.Photo:Hoover Police Dept/Twitter Hoover Police Dept/Twitter The mother of a woman who was murdered last year is calling outCarlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russellforlying about being kidnappedand said she was “disrespecting” those who have lost children and are still looking for their missing children. Shea Pilkington-Wiley, whose daughterMadison Shea Pilkington was found deadfollowing an assault in her apartment in Hoover, Alabama, shared her thoughts on Russell’s story in a recent Facebook post....

Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russellwas not kidnapped earlier this month, she admitted through an attorney on Monday. Hoover, Alabama police read the statement on Monday during apress conferencein which they said criminal charges were possible. HOOVER (AL) POLICE DEPARTMENT Anthony went on to ask for prayers while Russell “addresses her issues and attempts to move forward, understanding that she made a mistake in this matter,” adding, “Carlee, again, asks for your forgiveness and prayers....

The mother of theAlabama woman who vanished after calling 911to report a toddler missing along the highway last week says “hopefully” police are chasing down a suspect, but investigators say they’ve found no evidence there was a child on the road. The Hoover Police Department said in a Tuesday statement they are still “working to determine what happened” to Carlethia “Carlee” Nichole Russell between the time she made the call on Thursday and when she returned home on foot Saturday night....

Six days afterCarlee Russellmysteriously vanished alongside an Alabama interstate, only to reappear at her parent’s house two nights later, police say they’re “unable to verify” herclaim about being abducted. The 25-year-old Alabama nursing student left work last Thursday night and called 911, saying she saw a toddler walking alone alongside I-495 on her way back home. She told the dispatcher she was going to check on the child. Then, she called her brother’s girlfriend before suddenly vanishing....

Russell turned herself in Friday to police and has since bonded out. She is charged with false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident, both misdemeanors, according to Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis. HOOVER (AL) POLICE DEPARTMENT Each charge carries up to a year in jail upon conviction, as well as fines of up to $6,000, Derzis said. Derzis says he still does not know where Russell was during the period she claimed to be abducted, saying, “We have no idea where Carlee Russell was for 49 hours....