Actually, Ree Drummond’s latest cookbook has one more subtitle. It’s The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It!: Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives. And, even if you seldom cook, this is a scrumptious cookbook to browse.
Ree Drummond, blogger turned cookbook author and television celebrity, begins this latest cookbook with a collection of her favorite things. It includes her “20 Favorite Pantry Items”, favorite freezer staples, refrigerator staples, and favorite cuts of beef. Then, as in most cookbooks, it’s broken down by breakfast, lunches, appetizers, suppers. But, she also categorizes recipes by the length of time it takes to cook them. There are beautifully photographed step-by-step directions, along with options for changing up the recipes.
I don’t cook much. However, just as I watch her television show, “The Pioneer Woman”, for the glimpses of ranch life, I read the cookbook and appreciated the glimpses of her family, ranch life, and the animals on the farm. She has photographs sprinkled throughout the book. Fans of the show will appreciate photos of The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, “The Merc”, the new store and restaurant that she and her husband, Ladd, renovated and opened. There are photos of the dogs, cattle, and even a ranch cat. There are also family stories, including one about her father-in-law, Chuck. And, if you’ve been watching the show as long as I have, her poem may bring a sniffle or two. It’s “Ode to Charlie”, the Basset hound that was always around, until he died.
Most of the recipes are not too complicated. As she says, they’re intended for people with busy lives. The cookbook is beautiful, filled with photos of all that comfort food. It might be a perfect gift for someone who enjoys home cooking.
Ree Drummond’s website is www.thepioneerwoman.com
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It!: Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives by Ree Drummond. William Morrow, 2017. ISBN 9780062225269 (hardcover), 382p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure – Library book
Lesa, I love to read cookery books much more than I like to cook. That's why I have books like Nigel Slater's 'Kitchen Diaries' (in which his cats, his (small) house, his (smaller) garden and his local market feature often). He has a new one out, 'The Christmas Chronicles' – I don't usually buy books about Christmas, as to me the whole Christmas food thing is a complete pain in the neck – but this one has had rave reviews, so I'm tempted. He's a wonderful writer.
A book I have bought recently is The Little Library Cookbook – apologies if I've already mentioned it, but it is so lovely. The author Kate ? (memory failing me this morning and I have a cat ensconced on my lap…) chose food references in her favourite books – from Hemingway to Barbara Pym, Jane Austen, Dodie Smith, Winnie the Pooh… and created the recipes for them. (It's not a collection of other people's already-developed recipes, she wrote them all herself). I went to the Edinburgh launch and she was such a nice person, very modest and entertaining, and she brought some fabulous bakes with her, always a good move. The book (and her blog, which preceded it) are doing fantastically well. And another good thing IMO – she is NOT thin!! All these anorexic-looking clean eating fiends can just go away, she makes pies and buns and casseroles – the food we actually want to eat, especially in this weather. Kale and spiralised cauliflower (whatever that is) be gone!
I haven’t seen this one yet. I like taking cookbooks out of the library to look through but my favorite cookbooks to actually Usa are the two Skinnytaste cookbooks. The recipes are pretty easy, tasty and on the lighter side.
Yes, I definitely have cookbooks to read and cookbooks to use – for actual cooking I prefer the straightforward ones with simple ingredients and straightforward instructions (early Delia Smith, Mary Berry, even the free MacDougals Baking Book that my mother sent away for when she got married. For reading I love to hear all about the author's life, where they got the recipe from, who they cooked it for – happy in the knowledge that I'll never cook something that involves Armagnac, 0% Italian flour or anything that requires three days of pre-planning…
Rosemary, Your note made me laugh. I use simple cookbooks when I do cook. But, I loved your comment about you'll never cook something that requires three days of pre-planning. And, I really enjoyed your comments about your favorite cookbooks to browse. I don't remember you mentioning The Little Library Cookbook before. It sounds delightful! Thank you for your comments, and the humor.
Sandy, I'll have to see if we have those at the library. I don't buy cookbooks, since I cook so little.
I too enjoy the TV show with Ree Drummond and her family. I just wonder how they get it all done. I like her recipes too. She has a show with 4-16 minute recipes!
I used to have large cookbook collection but with our postage stamp sized kitchen, I don't do much cooking. I am FB friends with the author. I kept the cookbooks that I love the most. I actually received two copies of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks and three pressure cookers for my first wedding. I remember my aunts writing to me to ask me if I had kept the one that they had given me. I never told tham that they were identical.
I have one cookbook that traces American history through recipes that I love. I have made Martha Washington's recipe for gingerbread. It requires a whole lot of ginger. There were some gasps when everyone bit into it at Christmas time at my cousin's house. I like the bite and the fact the Martha Washington made it.
I wonder, too, Gram, as they continue to have projects, including that new inn they're working on. Lots of work there.
I love it, Carol, that you said there were some gasps last Christmas. It sounds wonderful to have cookbooks that you can connect with.