Ree Drummond's Blog, page 12

January 11, 2016

Fried Goat Cheese by Ree

FriedGoatCheese21Once upon a time, I wanted to make fried goat cheese. I’ve made it a few times before as an appetizer, as a treat to put on salads (you heard me!), and as a tasty snack. I simply love the stuff.


And then I went to the pantry to fetch my breadcrumbs—an essential component of the crispy outer coating—and found I didn’t have any.


I cried.


And then I cried again.


And then…I glanced at another shelf in the pantry and saw a bag of pretzels. And my day got a whole lot brighter.


 

FriedGoatCheese2Throw the pretzels into the food processor…


 

 

FriedGoatCheese3And grind them up until they’re supah fine.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese4Pour the crumbs into a bowl and set ’em aside. Vow never to buy breadcrumbs again because pretzel crumbs are the cat’s meow.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese6In a separate bowl, mix a couple of eggs (also known as aigs) with a couple of tablespoons of water.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese7Then line up the pretzel crumbs and egg mixture with a bowl of all-purpose flour. This is your assembly line!


 

 

FriedGoatCheese5Now you need some goat cheese. Fortunately, I had a few packages in my fridge from when my sister Betsy visited, because she and I like to sit around and eat goat cheese together. It makes our sister bond stronger. And just a little tip: this works a little better if you throw the cheese into the freezer for about 20 minutes or so! Firms it up just enough to make slicing neater.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese8And speaking of slicing, you need to do just that! First, slice it in half…


 

 

FriedGoatCheese9Then slice each half in half to create four nice, thick slices. These result in pretty darn substantial goat cheese pieces, so if you want to go a little thinner, you can do five evenly spaced slices instead.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese10Drop a piece into the flour…


 

 

FriedGoatCheese11Turn it over to coat it…


 

 

FriedGoatCheese12Then shake off the excess and ignore whatever is going on with my hand in this highly unfortunate photo.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese13Quickly dip it in the egg mixture (you’ll need to turn it over a couple of times)…


(You can go ahead and ignore my hand in this photo as well. Thank you for your cooperation.)


 

 

FriedGoatCheese14Then drop it in the pretzel crumbs…


 

 

FriedGoatCheese15And turn it over to coat it completely!


 

 

FriedGoatCheese16Keep going until they’re all breaded.


I mean pretzeled.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese17Heat about half an inch of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat (you don’t want it too hot!) and place four of the goat cheese slices in the pan using a slotted spatula. See that gentle sizzle around each piece? That’s what you want. If it violently sizzles when you put it in the pan, it will brown too quickly!


Fry the slices on the first side for only about 45 seconds to 1 minute, until it gets light golden brown and crisp. Then use the spatula to carefully turn them to the other side, and fry for another 30 to 45 seconds (a little more if need be.)


 

 

FriedGoatCheese18Remove them to a paper towel, then fry the remaining four slices! I like to do them in small batches just to maintain control over how brown they get; if you see they’re getting brown, you can turn four a lot more quickly than you can turn eight.


It only took me 47 years to figure out these things out.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese19Serve the slices relatively soon, so the cheese is nice and warm and soft inside. I love them with a side of warmed marinara…or, of course, you can put them on top of a gorgeous arugula or spinach salad! (I have a recipe for this coming on a future Food Network episode. Great for guests. Yum!)


 

 

FriedGoatCheese21And the pretzel crust was perfect!


 

 

FriedGoatCheese22Fried Goat Cheese. I don’t know what to say, except if you haven’t ever tried it…well, you must.


Unless you hate goat cheese. And then it might not be your cup of tea.


I myself hate tea! But oh, do I love goat cheese.


 

 

FriedGoatCheese23And what’s not to love?


Here’s the handy dandy printable.


 


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Published on January 11, 2016 05:23

January 4, 2016

Killer Kale Salad by Ree

DSC_2978This is the kind of thing you make with your sister after Christmas is over and you look at each other after eating your nine hundredth cinnamon roll of the week and decide you’ve simply got to have something green and crunchy before you go berserk.


Or before you go ahead and eat your 901st cinnamon roll—whichever scenario fits.


 

DSC_2918First, slice up a few slices of bacon into bits…


 

 

DSC_2920And fry it up until it’s just beginning to crisp.


 

 

DSC_2922Remove it to a paper towel lined plate and set it aside.


 

 

DSC_2923Pour off most of the grease, then add a little bitta butter.


Oh no. Don’t get me started. Betty Botta bought some butter. “But,” she said, “This butter’s bitter! If I put it my batter, it will make my batter bitter…”


As I said, don’t get me started.


 

 

DSC_2925Turn the heat to medium-low, and when the butter melts, throw in some sliced red onion.


 

 

DSC_2930Cook ’em low and slow, stirring occasionally, until they’re nice and soft and slightly caramelized. This’ll take about 10-15 minutes, so hold yer horses!


 

 

DSC_2935Remove the onions to a plate…


 

 

DSC_2936Then throw in a bunch of sliced mushrooms! These will shrink quite a bit, so don’t be afraid to totally go for it.


 

 

DSC_2937Stir them around…


 

 

DSC_2940Then pour in some wine. White or red—whatever your preference, Maynard.


 

 

DSC_2942Sprinkle in salt and pepper…


 

 

DSC_2943Then just cook the heck out of them over medium to medium-high heat…


 

 

DSC_2946Until the mushrooms are nice and tender and the wine is mostly cooked off.


 

 

DSC_2947At that point, crank up the heat to high and let the mushrooms brown for 30-45 seconds before flipping them and letting them brown on the other side. Then remove the pan from the heat and set them aside. And whatever you do, don’t eat any! Unless you’re me and have no self control and eat a third of them before the salad’s even ready.


I have problems.


 

 

DSC_2950And speaking of salad, let’s make the dressing! Just a simple balsamic vinaigrette: 3 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic…


 

 

DSC_2952Then salt, pepper, and some dried thyme leaves. Put on the lid, shake it up, and that be it!


 

 

DSC_2953Now, for the green, just strip the kale off the stalks, roll up a few leaves at a time, and slice them very thin.


 

 

DSC_2955You’ll end with a big, beautiful bowl of shaved kale! This is my favorite way to prep kale for salads, because the leaves are hearty and strong and don’t wither easily when tossed in dressing.


 

 

DSC_2960The first thing I do is pour in a little dressing and toss the greens to coat them.


 

 

DSC_2963Next (this is getting really exciting!), throw in the mushrooms (or what’s left of them after your little incident earlier)…


 

 

DSC_2964The bacon…


 

 

DSC_2966And the onions…


 

 

DSC_2968Then toss it all together.


 

 

DSC_2957And now. I have thing about kale salads.


 

 

DSC_2970I have to add huge chunks of goat cheese!


 

 

DSC_2971Pour in a little more dressing…


 

 

DSC_2974Then gently toss everything together. Yum!


 

 

DSC_2980Serve it up and dig in. So incredibly flavorful!


One of my favorite salads in the world.


Here’s the handy dandy printable!


 


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Published on January 04, 2016 01:34

December 31, 2015

I’m Making This Today! by Ree

pimentocheeseI posted this recipe for pimento cheese almost exactly a year ago, and of all the New Year’s recipes in the universe, this is the one I woke up thinking about. It is absolutely, positively, 100% addictive, and while it’s appropriate for any year-round gatherings, there’s something about a bowl of this stuff paired with Castelvetrano olives (speaking of addictive) and simple crackers that says New Year’s Eve to me.


Super simple to whip up—give it a try! Here’s a link to the step-by-step and printable recipes:


The Best Pimento Cheese in the World


Have a happy, safe New Year’s Eve, everyone!


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Published on December 31, 2015 07:36

December 28, 2015

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup by Ree

DSC_3011My sister Betsy is visiting, which means my sides hurt from laughing and I haven’t stopped cooking for three days. Bets and I love to cook and eat together, and you never know what direction we’re going to head. Some visits we do nothing but bake cookies. Other visits we cook up weird stir fry dishes and appetizers. Other visits we try to master bread.


This visit has been all about the slow cooker. I have to point out that Bets and I did not grow up in a slow cooker house. Our mom was a great cook and made hearty, homey food, but she just didn’t routinely use a slow cooker. So it’s fun to figure out these things together!


Here’s a soup we made Saturday. It’s my favorite kind of slow cooker recipe in that it requires no pre-cooking or sauteing or browning. You literally throw everything in, turn it on, then go live your life until it’s done.


 

DSC_2880Dice an onion. Alternately, have your kid sister dice an onion.


 

 

DSC_2882While your at it, dice—or have your kid sister dice—a red bell pepper…


 

 

DSC_2883And a yellow one, too!


 

 

DSC_2884Now, for the chicken: Throw chicken breasts right into the slowcooker. (We used four, but I adjusted the recipe amount to three. That would be plenty!)


 

 

DSC_2886Season the chicken with whatever you’d like: I sprinkled on chili powder…


 

 

DSC_2888Cumin, salt, and pepper.


(Pssst. You can also sprinkle on a packet of taco seasoning if you wanna be particularly sassy.)


 

 

DSC_2889Then everything else goes on! Onions…


 

 

DSC_2891Red bell pepper…


 

 

DSC_2893Yellow bell pepper…


 

 

DSC_2898A big can o’ tomatoes…(I only had whole, but diced would be even better.)


 

 

DSC_2899And a can of Rotel! It adds zip and zest and zeal.


Zeal? Never mind.


 

 

DSC_2902To add a little more liquid to the mix, pour in chicken broth…


 

 

DSC_2903Then add a chipotle (or two or three, depending on how tough you are) for heat.


 

 

DSC_2908Next, rinse a can of black beans and add them in. You can use pinto if you have ’em—even kidney beans would be fine!


 

 

DSC_2914Then add salt and pepper, a little tomato paste, and give it all a stir.


 

 

DSC_2913Lid goes on, and set it on high for 4 to 5 hours!


 

 

DSC_2983This is 5 hours later. I stirred it once or twice during the cooking just for kicks, but you don’t have to.


 

 

DSC_2984Stick two forks in and shred the chicken as much as you want. We shredded ours pretty fine (and it fell apart very easily) but you can just break it apart if you prefer the chicken to be in larger chunks.


 

 

DSC_2988Before you serve it up, a little lime is nice! Pardon the not-good quality of this photo. It was getting dark and it was cloudy and my camera was tired.


 

 

DSC_2989Zee finished soup!


 

 

DSC_2992Smelled divine and looked divine—we were ready to dig in.


 

 

DSC_2994But of course…tortilla soup needs fixins! Sour cream (yum)…


 

 

DSC_2995Avocado (yum)…


 

 

DSC_2997Grated cheese (always yum)…


 

 

DSC_2998Cilantro leaves (don’t leave these out; they make the whole soup!)…


 

 

DSC_2999And finally, crushed up tortilla chips. Normally, tortilla soup would have strips of corn tortilla, but the chips give it the same corn flavor and they’re fun.


 

 

DSC_3004Dinner is served!


You will love this, friends!


Here’s the handy dandy printable.


 


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Published on December 28, 2015 06:00

December 23, 2015

Video: Chocolate Mint Mini-Bites by Ree

browniebites11I posted this delightful little recipe in 2012, and I’ve made it several times since. It’s a perfect little treat for Christmastime, and because of the glaze over the top, they last several days if you keep ’em in a container!


Here’s the step-by-step post from my archives if you’d like to browse: Chocolate Mint Brownie Bites


The printable recipe is below!


And here’s the video of me making the bites on my Food Network show if you prefer to see it in action. Hope you’re all having a beautiful Christmas week!


 





















(Note: If you’re having issues with viewing the video, please let me know your browser and operating system information! [Unfortunately, the video is not viewable outside the U.S.])


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Published on December 23, 2015 07:42

December 21, 2015

Pecan Pie Bites by Ree

Pecan Pie BitesI made all sorts of sweet and delightful treats over the weekend, and boy are my arms tired! And actually, they’re not tired from actually making all the sweet and delightful treats. They’re tired from washing all the dang dishes associated with making all the sweet and delightful treats.


Can I hear from my friends out there who DO NOT LIKE DOING DISHES? Well, hello. I am your soulmate.


Anyway, one of the treats I made was from a recipe I found on the Land O’ Lakes website, and they turned out to be so amazing, they didn’t even last half a day. So if you’re hoping to make these for neighbors or friends or Christmas cookie platters, I’d suggest you quadruple the amount OR put a little (decorative) duct tape over your and your family’s mouths. The fact that they’re small make them exceedingly pop-in-your-mouthable (mouthable?) and before you know it…you’ve eaten five! Or ten. Or…never mind.


As I’m wont to do, I snapped photos of the step-by-step process. They were a total cinch and again…so delightful!


 

DSC_2791Start with half a cup of brown sugar…


 

 

DSC_2792And 6 tablespoons beautiful, glorious butter. That there Land O’ Lakes variety. Of course!


 

 

DSC_2793Then add an egg yolk…


 

 

DSC_2794Half a teaspoon of vanilla…


 

 

DSC_2796Then cream it together until it’s all mixed, scraping the sides along the way.


 

 

DSC_2797Next comes a cup of flour…


 

 

DSC_2798(Plus 2 tablespoons flour, to be precise!)…


 

 

DSC_28001/2 teaspoon baking powder…


 

 

DSC_2801And salt.


This is such a simple recipe!


 

 

DSC_2802Mix it on low speed until it all comes together. Now, I did wind up adding an additional tablespoon of butter, because my egg yolk was on the small side…and everything wound up just fine.


 

 

DSC_2803When the dough is ready, scoop up small portions…


 

 

DSC_2804Put it in mini muffin cups…


 

 

DSC_2807Then use your fingers to press the dough into the bottom of each cup.


 

 

DSC_2808Use your thumb to press a little impression in the middle.


 

 

DSC_2809The cups are ready! Next comes the filling, which is where the real craziness comes in.


 

 

DSC_2811It starts with a cup of chopped pecans, which is different from a cup of pecans, chopped. In this case, I threw some pecans into the food processor, chopped them, then measured a cup of them.


 

 

DSC_2813Add a half a cup of brown sugar to the pecans…


 

 

DSC_2814Stir it together…


 

 

DSC_2815Then…get ready…


 

 

DSC_2816Add some heavy cream.


Wow.


 

 

DSC_2817Last thing is a little vanilla…


 

 

DSC_2818Then stir it until it all comes together!


 

 

DSC_2820Now, add a teaspoon of the mixture on top of each muffin cup.


 

 

DSC_2821That’s all there is to it!


 

 

DSC_2822Then bake them at 350 for about 13 to 15 minutes.


 

 

DSC_2824Let them sit in the pan for about 5 minutes to set up…


 

 

DSC_2851Then carefully remove them from the pan. Oh my goodness!


 

 

DSC_2855These are utterly divine. They taste exactly like a pecan pie, but in little bite form. And I’ll repeat: Make at least a double batch! They disappear super fast.


Also, I monumentally apologize for my hand in this photo. My camera does not bring out the best in it. It’s better in real life! I promise. (I think.)


 

Here’s the printable recipe over at Land O’ Lakes! (There are also a bunch of beautiful Christmas cookie recipes on their home page if you’re looking for some new ideas. Yay for cookies!)


Pecan Pie Bites at Land O’ Lakes


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Published on December 21, 2015 04:18

December 17, 2015

Red Repeat (Winners!) by Ree

The winners are…



Natasha P!

Teresa E.G.

Regina

Lorett H.

Tammy S.


Congrats, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your prizes!


giveawaysmallIt’s been almost two months since my cookbook was released, and I have loved hearing from those of you who’ve been enjoying it! Along those lines, it’s been almost four months since my product line was released and that’s been a lot of fun, too. So to celebrate, I’m repeating this fun giveaway I had a few weeks ago!


There are five (5) prize packages, and each one includes:


 

DinnertimesmallOne copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime! It’s chock full of my classic dinnertime recipes, each with lots of suggested variation and make-ahead tips. This is my favorite of my cookbooks so far, as it answers the daily question “What the heck am I going to make for dinner tonight?”


 

 

_MG_0812PW Cast Iron Cookbook Holder. (Pssst. Sorry about the butterfly. I can’t help myself.)


 

 

0008508105864PW Timeless Beauty Dutch Oven. I’m showing it here with the plain black knob, but it comes with a butterfly, too! And more importantly, it matches my cookbook. Ha.


 

 

batterbowlPW Batter Bowl! One of my favorite items in the whole line. There’s something about polka dots.


 

 

0008508105897This set of four footed bowls. Use them for cereal, soup, ingredient prep, popcorn…anything goes!


 

 

0008508106000_AVAhhhh, this butter dish. I love it, and I want you to have one!


 

 

0008508106006_AVAnd for fun (and cream), this PW Cow Creamer. Whether you actually use it for cream or you just park it on your windowsill, I promise it’ll make ya smile.


 

TO ENTER


1. Login below by using the Facebook OR Email links. (Note: If you have entered these giveaways recently, you are likely already logged in.)


2. Click on the question “Who will get this prize if you win?”


3. Select your answer, then click “Enter” in the lower right hand corner.


4. You should see a checkmark at the top of the giveaway box (many of you will see a message reading “You’re finished!”) That means you’re entered!


5. If you are having trouble with the giveaway tool, feel free to leave your answer in a comment below.


6. Five winners will be selected at random and announced Friday night.


Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Published on December 17, 2015 10:56

Red Repeat! by Ree

giveawaysmallIt’s been almost two months since my cookbook was released, and I have loved hearing from those of you who’ve been enjoying it! Along those lines, it’s been almost four months since my product line was released and that’s been a lot of fun, too. So to celebrate, I’m repeating this fun giveaway I had a few weeks ago!


There are five (5) prize packages, and each one includes:


 

DinnertimesmallOne copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime! It’s chock full of my classic dinnertime recipes, each with lots of suggested variation and make-ahead tips. This is my favorite of my cookbooks so far, as it answers the daily question “What the heck am I going to make for dinner tonight?”


 

 

_MG_0812PW Cast Iron Cookbook Holder. (Pssst. Sorry about the butterfly. I can’t help myself.)


 

 

0008508105864PW Timeless Beauty Dutch Oven. I’m showing it here with the plain black knob, but it comes with a butterfly, too! And more importantly, it matches my cookbook. Ha.


 

 

batterbowlPW Batter Bowl! One of my favorite items in the whole line. There’s something about polka dots.


 

 

0008508105897This set of four footed bowls. Use them for cereal, soup, ingredient prep, popcorn…anything goes!


 

 

0008508106000_AVAhhhh, this butter dish. I love it, and I want you to have one!


 

 

0008508106006_AVAnd for fun (and cream), this PW Cow Creamer. Whether you actually use it for cream or you just park it on your windowsill, I promise it’ll make ya smile.


 

TO ENTER


1. Login below by using the Facebook OR Email links. (Note: If you have entered these giveaways recently, you are likely already logged in.)


2. Click on the question “Who will get this prize if you win?”


3. Select your answer, then click “Enter” in the lower right hand corner.


4. You should see a checkmark at the top of the giveaway box (many of you will see a message reading “You’re finished!”) That means you’re entered!


5. If you are having trouble with the giveaway tool, feel free to leave your answer in a comment below.


6. Five winners will be selected at random and announced Friday night.


Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Published on December 17, 2015 10:56

December 14, 2015

Pick Your Color (Winners!) by Ree

The winners of the KitchenAid mixers are… (Note: I added an additional winner because of the great response.)


 

Teri W.

Chris S.

Whitney H.

Kim W.


Yay, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com with the KitchenAid color of your choice. We’ll get them right in the mail to you!


More giveaways on the way!


There’s nothing like a KitchenAid mixer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’ve had the same plain white KitchenAid since I got married in 1996 and I still use it almost daily. It’s a beast! I have had a couple of dalliances with different colors (and patterns!) here and there through the years…but my good ol’ original is my first love.


mixers Photo: KitchenAid


Today, because it’s Christmastime, and because I love ya, I’m giving away three (3) KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer in the color of the winner’s choice! You can browse the colors on this page, and if you win…you get to pick it!


TO ENTER


1. Login below by using the Facebook OR Email links. (Note: If you have entered these giveaways recently, you are likely already logged in.)


2. Click on the question “Who will get this mixer if you win?”


3. Select your answer, then click “Enter” in the lower right hand corner.


4. You should see a checkmark at the top of the giveaway box (many of you will see a message reading “You’re finished!”) That means you’re entered!


5. If you are having trouble with the giveaway tool, feel free to leave your answer in a comment below.


6. Three winners will be selected at random and announced Wednesday night.


Good luck!


 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway sponsored by The Pioneer Woman.


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Published on December 14, 2015 05:17

Pick Your Color! by Ree

There’s nothing like a KitchenAid mixer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’ve had the same plain white KitchenAid since I got married in 1996 and I still use it almost daily. It’s a beast! I have had a couple of dalliances with different colors (and patterns!) here and there through the years…but my good ol’ original is my first love.


mixers Photo: KitchenAid


Today, because it’s Christmastime, and because I love ya, I’m giving away three (3) KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer in the color of the winner’s choice! You can browse the colors on this page, and if you win…you get to pick it!


TO ENTER


1. Login below by using the Facebook OR Email links. (Note: If you have entered these giveaways recently, you are likely already logged in.)


2. Click on the question “Who will get this mixer if you win?”


3. Select your answer, then click “Enter” in the lower right hand corner.


4. You should see a checkmark at the top of the giveaway box (many of you will see a message reading “You’re finished!”) That means you’re entered!


5. If you are having trouble with the giveaway tool, feel free to leave your answer in a comment below.


6. Three winners will be selected at random and announced Wednesday night.


Good luck!


 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway sponsored by The Pioneer Woman.


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Published on December 14, 2015 05:17

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