Nothing Says Love Like Food and Ree

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With many of you celebrating Valentine’s Day today (Feb. 14th), I thought it would be a good time to share my thoughts on Ree Drummond’s latest cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper! 

There’s just something about food and love that go together. An example, I’m sure many are planning a romantic meal for this special day of love. Need I say more? Yes, I do so here’s my thoughts on the cookbook.

THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS DINNERTIME by Ree Drummond

I find cookbooks by Ree Drummond to be so much more than just about ingredients and directions.

The author/blogger/photographer shares her life and her family through her cookbooks. Through the pages you will find beautiful color photographs of her husband, children, extended family, friends, pets, and livestock. In addition, she shares photos reflecting her family’s life on a ranch and day-to-day activities. She shares bits of nature, life, and humor.

Flipping through the latest cookbook is almost like thumbing through a family’s photo album and being a part of their life.

The icing on the cake, so to speak, is that the cookbook is jammed packed with delicious recipes that are easy to prepare. The dishes are divided into 11 categories along with a universal conversion chart, index and more. There are also helpful prep tips and suggestions for stocking a kitchen.

The recipes are broken down with an ingredient list and easy to follow instructions. The recipes are also accompanied by gorgeous color photos showing how the finished dish should look. In addition, there are vivid step-by-step photos you can follow along as you prepare the dish. The recipes include variations and suggestions of what to serve with them.

The cookbook covers a vast array of recipes. There’s ‘Frittata’ for when you want Breakfast for Dinner, a ‘Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Salad Wrap’ for dinner, ‘Ready-To-Go Freezer Meatballs,’ ‘Cajun Chicken Pasta,’ a ‘Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole,’ ‘Mini Blueberry Galettes’ and much, much more.

DINNERTIME covers comfort food, 16-minute meals and classic favorites. There’s something to please even the pickiest eater with more than 135 delicious recipes. This folksy downhome-style cookbook will quickly be a favorite go-to for scrumptious meals.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper by Ree Drummond, William Morrow Cookbooks, @2015, ISBN: 978-0062225245, Hardcover, 400 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you collect cookbooks? Do you like cookbooks to share more than just recipes?

Wishing everyone a safe, happy and memorable VALENTINE’S DAY!!

Spirit OF Steamboat, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays

Once again I’m sharing books from different genres. Both of these fun books have holiday themes and will quickly be family favorites (plus make wonderful gifts).

Spirit Of Steamboat, A Walt Longmire Story by Craig Johnson

If you’re looking for a short story to get you ready for the coming holiday season, then author Craig Johnson’s latest release, SPIRIT OF STEAMBOAT, is just the ticket.

This holiday novella will have you laughing, crying and holding your breath as Sheriff Walt Longmire recalls his first Christmas Eve as sheriff.

The walk down memory lane begins when a mysterious young woman arrives at Longmire’s office on Christmas Eve. She appears to know him, but he can’t remember her and she isn’t telling. She asks about his predecessor, Lucian Connally, while avoiding his questions. Carrying a garment bag, she says she has something to give Connally and asks for Longmire’s assistance to see him.

Longmire takes her to the Durant Home for Assisted Living where Connally, already enjoying the holiday spirit, claims he doesn’t know her either.

With the whisper of ‘Steamboat’ the young woman sets in motion memories from Christmas Eve 1988 when three people were killed in a terrible crash and a young girl hung on for dear life all during a record-breaking blizzard. It was Longmire’s first year as sheriff, the roads were closed due to the blizzard and the helicopter couldn’t get the child to Denver, her only hope of surviving. It came down to Longmire, a couple of friends, and a whiskey-soaked Connolly who had flown the only thing that could get the child to Denver - a decommissioned plane from his World War II days as a pilot.

Their hair-rising ride to Denver is a heart-pounding adventure. It will hold you spellbound as the troubled plane makes its way through the blizzard with the crew trying to hold it together.

Johnson once again brings the story to life with his vivid details and dialogue. His rich narrative will have you shivering from the cold of the blizzard and smiling from the determination of the group hell bent on getting the girl to the hospital.

SPIRIT OF STEAMBOAT is a standalone read that will become a holiday favorite to enjoy again and again.

Author Craig Johnson’s website is http://www.craigallenjohnson.com/

Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson, A Walt Longmire Novella, Viking, @2013, ISBN: 978-0670015788, Hardcover, 160 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

FYI:
Longmire is the highest-rated scripted program in A&E’s history and stars Robert Taylor (Matrix, Vertical Limit) as Sheriff Walt Longmire, Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba, Young Guns) as Henry Standing Bear and Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, 24, Riddick) as Victoria Moretti. Longmire was developed by Shephard/Robin Productions for Warner Horizon.

THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: A YEAR OF HOLIDAYS by Ree Drummond

Preparing food for the holidays can be a daunting task. Author/blogger Ree Drummond makes it easier this year with her new cookbook, THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: A YEAR OF HOLIDAYS, slated for release Oct. 29.

In this exquisitely designed hardcover cookbook, Drummond shares 140 step-by-step recipes to celebrate every holiday from New Year’s Day all the way through to New Year’s Eve. It’s divided into holiday sections including recipes for the traditional, as well as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and the Big Game among others. Many of the sections also highlight easy Do-Ahead Game Plans to make preparing the meal easier and less stressful the day of the festivities.

The cookbook not only gives simple step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the dish, but also includes photos for each step. The stunning color photos makes the recipes easier to follow and see how the dish should look as it evolves, as well as the end result. The no-hassle instructions are simple making cooking a fun activity. 

The book include such tasty recipes as Red Velvet Pancakes, Cheddar Chive Biscuits, Mummy Dogs, Soul Sweet ‘Taters, Yorkshire Pudding, and Toasted Ravioli. In addition, there are simple recipes for yummy dishes using holiday leftovers. While the recipes are featured as holiday dishes, with their easy preparation they can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Woven throughout the recipes are charming photos of the author and her family, as well as showing life on their ranch. This cookbook not only serves to provide delicious recipes and easy instructions, but also delivers a feel of sharing with friends and family. This charming cookbook brings the warmth of family and the fun of holidays to life.

Holidays are a time for family, friends and sharing delicious food. Gatherings to celebrate these special occasions just got easier with THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: A YEAR OF HOLIDAYS.

Author Ree Drummond’s website is http://thepioneerwoman.com/

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays: 140 Step-by-Step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations by Ree Drummond, William Morrow Cookbooks, @2013, ISBN: 978-0062225221, Hardcover, 400 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Thanks for stopping by today. I really appreciate it. Have you started a holiday stack of TBR books yet? Do you have favorites that you re-read each year? Remember, you can pre-order THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: A YEAR OF HOLIDAYS now and have it in time for this busy holiday season.

Let’s Talk

Do you ever have questions that ramble around in your head and won’t go away because there are no direct answers?

Sometimes I have the strangest questions pop in my mind and they always lead to more. I call them my questions for the universe because there are answers to them, but they are so vast and numerous that they seem endless. They always remind me of the movie, You’ve Got Mail, where Meg Ryan’s character is sending Tom Hanks’ character an email and sends out a question into the vast universe without really seeking a direct answer.

I should be sharing a review with you today, but instead I’d like to share some of my universe questions to see if you have answers. Or perhaps you have your own universe questions you’d like to ask.

Here’s an example. Peeling potatoes the other evening for creamed (mashed) potatoes, I wondered why are there are so many black spots on the potatoes lately even though I’ve tried several different brands. What causes the black spots? Why do some call them creamed potatoes, while others call them mashed potatoes? How do the cooking shows always have potatoes with no spots? What if a cook got so upset with the spots that they targeted the potato company? Or what if they took their rage further up the chain and held the agriculture commissioner hostage until the spot problem was resolved? (Okay, so I need to cut down on the murder mysteries I’m reading and watch a bit less of NCIS, Castle, and Bones.)

Then there’s some news I read awhile back where scientists had finally been able to store computer files onto a strand of synthetic DNA. They put sonnets, Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech, and more onto the DNA and then were able to retrieve it. 

I understand that that is a major breakthrough in the scientific field. However, what will that accomplish for the individual person? What good will it do us? Will this new discovery cure any of the diseases that plaque our lives? Will it help improve the lives of those less fortunate? I can, however, see this being a gold mine for mystery and sci-fi writers. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.

Then there’s the question of blog stats. On the blogger dashboard, it gives me one reading for the number of visits per day and other information. When I receive a blog stats weekly report, there’s totally different number for those days and for those activities. And still, another stat meter gives me completely different figures. How do I find an accurate number? Which stats do I believe? Are the stats really that important? And what are some of these stats and rankings different organizations ask for?

Next there’s technology. Why is it that as we advance with modern technology, we have to give up the technology we enjoy that still works good? We had to give up 8 track tapes for cassettes, then we had to give up cassettes for CDs. We had to give up VHS tapes for DVDs and to me it was so much easier to record and watch a VHS tape than it is a DVD. There was no waiting for the tape to load and when you put a tape in, it began where you left off when you took it out. 

Why can’t technology advance without destroying what it has already created? Why are we forced to change just because others want new gadgets? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for advancements in technology. I just don’t like being forced to make changes when what I like works for me. What about you? What about new computers not accepting the programs from the old computers?

And, have you ever considered how many bloggers there are and what type of blogs are floating around in blogdom for viewing? I wonder if there is a record somewhere of the numbers. There are so many different blog formats available - blogger, wordpress, etc. - how could anyone keep track? 

I blog for fun. I’m listening to Mary Kay Andrews’ LADIES' NIGHT and the protagonist makes her living as a lifestyle blogger. Can a person really make a living from blogging? Then I think about Ree Drummond (just one example) and how her blog, The Pioneer Woman, transformed into cookbooks and a TV show. So I guess you can if you have the right platform. Would you have ever imaged making money through blogging 10 years ago or even 5? Have you ever thought about making money with your blog? How would a person even begin to do that? Can it be done with a book blog or is it only lifestyle blogs? What qualifies as a lifestyle blog?

Now I come to some favorite, but difficult questions in my universe. Which book do I read next? How will I ever get my ‘to be read’ stack down lower? Why are there so many wonderful books released at the same time? How can I possible read all of the intriguing books authors email me about? Can a person burn themselves out reading too much (oh, no tell me this can’t happen)?

Do you ever get that wonderful, but scary feeling when it comes to books? I’m not complaining, but I read and listen to books at the same time and still can’t get caught up. I’m thankful and delighted there are some many great books to check out. I do, however, feel bad when I have to refuse a review request because I’ve already scheduled reviews for the next 2 or 3 months and simply don’t have an opening to do another. And there are times I have to remind myself to take a step back and remember I started doing this because I love reading, not for the pressure of reading everything that’s out there (even though I want to read everything).

Well, I guess that’s enough of my universe questions for today. How about you? Do you have any questions that ramble around in your head searching for answers, knowing there’s no one answer but endless possibilities? 

Thanks everyone for stopping by today and visiting. I hope everyone is having a great Sunday and your Fourth of July holiday wasn’t rained out like ours was here in Georgia. Hug those you love (2 and 4 legged) and enjoy a good book - it’s one of the best ways to spend the day!!

THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS by Ree Drummond

When you’re like me and not a talented cook, cookbooks can be somewhat intimidating. The recipes are detailed instructions with an occasional photo of what the beautiful results are suppose to look like.

I’ve found a cookbook that not only contains delectable recipes, but is also enlightening and entertaining causing far less intimidation.

THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS FOOD FROM MY FRONTIER by Ree Drummond is a cookbook filled with more than 100 delicious recipes and cooking tips. It also includes vivid step-by-step color photos of the dishes to show how the process is created. In addition, there are photos of the author’s family and their working cattle ranch in Oklahoma sprinkled throughout the recipes giving it a scrapbook feel.

The cookbook is divided into 9 sections: Breakfast; Lunch; Soups; Starters, Party Food and Drinks; Pasta and Pizza; Supper; Sides; Sweets, and Canning. There is a brief introduction from the author and the book concludes with ‘Keepin’ It Real’ - highlighting photos I never expected in a cookbook, showing a messy kitchen.

The recipes range from simple to elegant and are all easy to prepare with many having variations to add to the dish. Among the recipes are Perfect Iced Coffee, Breakfast Pizza, Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms, Peach-Whisky Chicken, Tangy Tomato Brisket, Pork Chops With Apples and Grits, Roasted Cauliflower, and Knock You Naked Brownies.

There are old classic recipes from the author’s popular blog, The Pioneer Woman, and numerous new recipes to tantalize the palate.

This is a delightful cookbook filled with not only yummy recipes, but beautiful color photos to lure you to the kitchen to try your hand at a few of the dishes.

The author also has her own cooking show on the Food Network, The Pioneer Woman, where she shares many of these recipes while giving a glimpse at ranch life. 

 
The Pioneer Woman Cooks Food From My Frontier by Ree Drummond, William Morrow, @2012, ISBN: 978-0061997181, Hardcover, 304 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

 

Do you find cookbooks intimidating? Do you have a favorite cookbook? Thanks so much for stopping by today. BTW, author Boo Walker was scheduled to guest blog today but was unable to. Hopefully, we’ll be able to reschedule his post at a later date.