The Pioneer Woman Cooks Food From My Frontier by Ree Drummond, blogger and food network star, is her fourth cookbook. Although I have watched Ree’s TV show and made some of her recipes before, this was my first time trying to make something from her cookbooks. I wanted to get her new book because my family has enjoyed some of her recipes that I have made.
At first sight the book cover is inviting and Ree’s smile call’s out to me “let’s cook”. The content is divided into nine selections that range from breakfast to canning. The photographs of the food makes my mouth water; I think if I took a bite out of one of the pages I could taste the food. Throughout the book Ree included pictures of her life at the family cattle ranch that made this city girl want to move to Oklahoma.
The best way to review a cookbook is to cook some of the dishes. I began by looking in the book to see what recipes I wanted to make. The recipes I would select had to reflect some of the different categories, compliment each other, and completed in a short time.
Menu
Starter: Restaurant-Style Salsa
Drink: Mango Margaritas
Entree: Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Side: Corn Casserole With Peppers
Dessert: Apple Dumplings
I enlisted the help of two awesome ladies Sarah and Leah, who love to cook. Cooking with these ladies was a blast. Each of us had a different task as we tackled each dish at a time. Each recipe has step by step instructions that are easy to follow. This book would be great for someone who maybe intimidated by cooking or has just started to learn.
We made the salsa first and paired it with tortilla chips so our husbands could snack while we prepared the rest of the meal.
The corn casserole was next because it had a longer baking time. It called for fresh corn but it’s not in season so we used frozen corn that I thawed out. It was delicious but I can’t wait to try it with fresh corn.
The spicy lemon shrimp I paired with warm soft tortillas. This is a versatile dish, you can have it with crusty bread for dipping into the sauce, or pair it with pasta.
The mango margaritas was the perfect drink to compliment all the dishes. Sarah is our official mixologist and she kept the drinks coming.
While we sat to eat dinner the apple dumpling were baking in the oven. Once done I paired it with my homemade whip cream to balance the sweetness. This was my favorite dish, it will definitely be one of my go to recipes.
The best part about cooking is getting to eat, instant gratification. The Pioneer Woman Cooks Food From My Frontier will get a lot of use in my home. I can’t wait to try to make other dishes in the book.
The book’s cover and content inspired me to create a tablescape that would make us feel like we were enjoying a meal on the ranch with Ree. The color scheme, flowers and ceramic cow were the perfect way to display the dish we made. Being that it’s been cold and snowing in New York a pop of color plus sharing a meal with friends is warming to the soul.
To see the cooking in action check out the video.
