Creative Southern Recipes for All of Us

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier by Ree Drummond

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

According to Tina Fey in Bossypants, the content necessary for best-selling books is "one night stands, drug addictions, and recipes." I guess she is right (even if she was being a little cheeky) because this cookbook has been on the Publisher's Weekly top ten best seller list since its publication -- 8 weeks as of this date. Another example of Tina's sagacity is the new book-buster Fifty Shades Triology, which was mentioned with giggles at a ladies luncheon yesterday, but I digress.

My husband got brownie points one night for surprising me with a gift of this cookbook. I'm not the gourmet chef of the family. I'm the comfort food, "let's get it on the table so we can eat" chef. I was over cooking by the time I came across Ree Drummond's first cookbook/blog, but I sat down and read her first cookbook from cover to cover. And then my dad did the same. Then I actually cooked some of the recipes and enjoyed it! And Dad did the same! I credit Ree with helping Dad and I find or rekindle our love of cooking.

So I was counting the days for Hastings to get this book and am happy to announce that it is as amazing as the first - but with more food, more recipes, more gorgeous colorful pictures of every single detail. (Pat Fowzer -- it even has ALOT OF PURPLE!!) The only downside is that it is less of her personality and less of her family, i.e., there is no picture of her husband in chaps. But if we want that we can buy her other books, right?

The very first day that I got this book, my teenage son actually sat down and tabbed what he wanted me to cook him. Recently, my teenage daughter did the same. This is high praise indeed -- I think I will have to just remove the tabs because now just about every recipe is tabbed.

The best praise of all is that the recipes are as good as last time, and some of them even more inventive but still simple wholesome Southern goodness.

There are even two simple canning recipes for pickles and jam, which is pure southern pantry stock. I appreciate that, since I am all about gardens but still somewhat afraid of canning, that having been the realm of Mom, aunts and Grandma. Every summer I vow to can, and then I wimp out. Maybe I actually will do it this time.

Thanks again, Ree!



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