The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives

by Ree Drummond

Crazy delicious recipes for a crazy busy life from the #1 New York Times bestselling author and Food Network star.

For home cooks, nothing beats spending a long, relaxing day preparing dinner for your family, savoring every flavorful step. But few of us really have the time to do that anymore, with school, sports, work, and appointments keeping us running and pulling us left and right. What busy home cooks REALLY need are FAST, EASY, and DOABLE solutions to solve the challenge of feeding their families quick, easy, wholesome food that tastes great day after day, week after week—without falling into a rut and relying on the same handful of meals.

Ree Drummond transforms taking it easy in the kitchen into an art, giving readers her very best make-it-happen strategies, pulled from her own non-stop life as a devoted wife, mother of four, food lover, and businesswoman. Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes for a Crazy Busy Life includes more than 125 of Ree’s best food solutions for making filling, nutritious meals with minimal fuss, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

With a mix of flavors and dishes that will please everyone, Ree makes it easy to whip up delicious, simple, down-home recipes that go from stove to table in no time!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Adult, Food and Drink, Reference

400 pages, Hardcover

First published October 17, 2017

About the author

Ree Drummond began blogging in 2006 and has built an award-winning website, where she shares recipes, showcases her photography, and documents her hilarious transition from city life to ranch wife. She is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks . Ree lives on a working cattle ranch near Pawhuska, Oklahoma, with her husband, Ladd; their four kids; their beloved basset hound; and lots of other animals.

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not my favorite Ree Drummond cookbook. That's not to say that it isn't a good cookbook, its just not a great cookbook which is what I have come to expect from Ree. The recipes are focused on meals that are quick and easy to make, often relying on pre-made or pre-mixed ingredients (such as pancake mix or freezer dough). While this does indeed make the process faster, it can periodically be to the detriment of overall flavor.

Now, there are hidden gems in this book; recipes that I have already revisited a number of time this year or can definitely see myself doing so in the future. The Overnight Muesli has become a staple in my house; a quick and easy way to prep a delicious and nutritious breakfast the night before! We've made all parts of the Greek Feast multiple times, I'm a sucker for the tomato-cucumber salad. Ree didn't include an entire section on salads this time around (the one aspect of the book that may have disappointed me the most), but she did include one killer recipe: the Citrus Salad with Vinaigrette is bright and delicious - a must try. Speaking of must tries, if there's one recipe you reach for in this entire book, let it be the Fried Shrimp. I can't rave about these enough! They remind me of a good ole' walleye fish fry on the lakes of Northern Minnesota - tastes like home.

99 Recipes Completed:

Breakfasts: 9/11 Recipes
Granola Bars (4/5)
Amish Baked Oatmeal (3/5)
Peachy Pancakes (2/5)
Overnight Muesli (4/5)
Mini Sausage Casseroles (3/5)
Orange Vanilla Monkey Bread (3/5)
My Mom's Muffins (4/5)
Waffle Iron Hash Browns (3/5)
Orange-Blueberry Muffins Tops (3/5)

Lunches on the Go: 8/9 Recipes
BBQ Chicken Wings (4/5)
Lemon-Basil Potato Salad (5/5)
Apple-Celery Slaw (2/5)
Pasta Salad in a Jar (3/5)
Salad on a Stick (2/5)
Beef Noodle Salad Bowls (3/5)
Thai Chicken Wraps (3/5)
Greek Feast to Go (5/5)

Apps and Snacks: 12/15 Recipes
Pimento Cheese (4/5)
Watermelon Feta Bites (4/5)
Stuffed Pizza Crust (3/5)
Hot Corn Dip (4/5)
Bacon Wrapped Almond Stuffed Dates (3/5)
Rosemary Skewers (3/5)
The Merc's Queso (3/5)
Zucchini Roll-Ups (2/5)
4 Cheese Lover's Crostinis:
1. Brie and Preserves (3/5)
2. Pesto and Mozzarella (3/5)
3. Cream Cheese and Tomato (3/5)
Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Dip (N/A)

Under 40: 10/11 Recipes
Cap'n Crunch Chicken Strips (4/5)
Roasted Red Pepper Soup (3/5)
Mango-Chili Chicken (4/5)
Shrimp Mango Lettuce Wraps (2/5)
Hamburger Streaks with Mushroom Gravy (3/5)
Fried Shrimp (5/5)
Shrimp Po' Boys (3/5)
Smothered Pork Chops (3/5)
Chicken Piccata (3/5)
Taco Quesadillas (3/5)

Under 20: 11/12 Recipes
Veggie Tortellini Soup (3/5)
Honey-Soy Salmon (3/5)
Turkey Taco Skillet (4/5)
Spaghetti Carbonara (3/5)
Marsala Mushroom and Goat Cheese Flatbread (4/5)
Steak with Chimichurri (3/5)
Dinner Nachos (3/5)
Pepperoni Chicken (3/5)
Lamb Chops with Mint Sauce (4/5)
Steaks with Wasabi Cream Sauce (5/5)
Panko-Parmesan Chicken (4/5)

Take Your Time: 12/15 Recipes
Slow Cooker Glazed Ribs (4/5)
Slow Cooker “Pot” of Beans (2/5)
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken (4/5)
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (3/5)
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup (4/5)
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup (4/5)
Meatball Tortilla Soup (3/5)
Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs (3/5)
Stuffed Bell Peppers (2/5)
Cincinnati Chili (4/5)
Meat Pies (3/5)
Lobster Mac and Cheese (4/5)

Sheet Pan Suppers: 6/9 Recipes
Roasted Shrimp with Cherry Tomato (3/5)
Teriyaki Salmon and Kale (2/5)
Veggietastic (2/5)
Tuscan Chicken (4/5)
Sausage and Root Vegetables (2/5)
Chicken Fennel Bake (3/5)

Meatless Marvels: 8/10 Recipes
Citrus Salad with Vinaigrette (5/5)
Pantry Pasta (4/5)
Broccoli Cheese Potatoes (2/5)
Roasted Vegetable Panzanella (5/5)
Festive Pasta Salad (3/5)
Shortcut Ravioli (2/5)
Greek Grilled Eggplant Steaks (2/5)
True Pasta Primavera (4/5)

Sensational Sides: 7/12
Baked Sweet Potato with Sour Cream and Mint (4/5)
Curried Rice (4/5)
Mango-Avocado Salad (2/5)
Hasselback Potatoes (4/5)
Broccolini with Garlic and Lemon (3/5)
Hominy Casserole (1/5)
Funeral Potatoes (5/5)

Bread, Baby!: 5/6
Roasted Garlic Pull-Apart Cheese Bread (3/5)
Zucchini Bread (4/5)
Checkerboard Rolls (3/5)
Confetti Cornbread (3/5)
Quick-and-Easy Garlic Rolls (4/5)

Sweets, Glorious Sweets: 8/18
2 Dump Cakes
1. Peach Dump Cake (3/5)
Ice Cream Pie (3/5)
Chocolate Cake in a Mug (3/5)
Peach Dumplings (4/5)
No-Bake White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake (2/5)
Skillet Apple Crips (3/5)
Lemon Bars (2/5)
Blueberry Cake Milkshake (3/5)

Extra: 3/6
Cheddar Jalapeño Scones (3/5)
Slow Cooker Ancho Chili Brisket (4/5)
Mexican Macaroni Salad (3/5)

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what I'd expect from The Pioneer Woman. Love her take on cooking and living.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my favorite of her cookbooks, so far. Tons of terrific and easy recipes. Since I’m a regular cook and not a chef I am always on the lookout for easy recipes. For example there is a great granola bar recipe made with rice krispies. Chicken strips made with Cap’n Crunch and a stuffed pizza crust. Yum! 😋

[Melodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy the Pioneer Woman's TV show and usually love her cookbooks, finding at least 3 or 4 things to make ASAP. Not so with this one. There wasn't a single recipe that I even considered. Very disappointing, Ree. I returned it! That almost never happens with a cookbook! I gave it 2 stars rather than 1 because of the nice pictures.

[Mireille Duval · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a really beautiful book. The amount of pictures make recipes really easy to follow even for n00bs like me. The cutesy tone and the real life anecdote work for me, but I can see how it could be grating for some. This was actually intended as a gift to a family member who likes cookbooks, but I might keep it after all, because none of the recipes come across as "healthy", and some of the ingredients may be a little harder to find up here in the North than they are in Middle USA. I must say that none of the recipes made me go OMG YES I'M COOKING THIS RIGHT NOW. But it's still a beautiful book..!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you why I LOVE this book!

First, Drummond uses regular, everyday ingredients -- sometimes she even uses store-bought cake mixes, etc!

Recipes are organized in colo-coded sections: Breakfasts, Lunches On the Go, Apps & Snacks, Under 40 (less than 40 minutes to put together), Under 20, Take Your Time, Sheet Pan Suppers, Meatless Marvels, Sensational Sides, Bread Baby, and Sweets, Glorious Sweets

Recipes within each section contain the serving size, a little bit about the recipe, a "bold" list of ingredients, and color photographs of the food, including step-by-step of instructions with photos!

Sprinkled throughout are snippets about the family and at the end of the book is a tribute to Charlie.

At the very end (just before the index) is a small section called Recipes for All Occasions, which provides headings such as Plentiful Potluck to Neat to Reheat to Slumber Party Delights, etc. with a list of recipes and their corresponding page number that works for each event.

Following this is a Universal Conversion Chart for Oven Temperature and Measurements Equivalents

Fabulous!

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love The Pioneer Woman - I’ll buy her line of products all day
1. Take my money,
2. I’m even willing to go in to Walmart (worst store on the planet, not sorry).
So of course I adore her cookbook. The step by step pics are glossy and just fantastic, and a lot of the recipes aren’t that bad (“bad” meaning not too unhealthy or high calorie- easily adjustable for lifestyle, I guess is what I’m trying to say).
The entire presentation 👌🏻

[Dorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pioneer Woman Cooks:Come And Get It
by: Ree Drummond
2017
William Marrow
5.0 / 5.0

This is exactly what you would expect from Ree....beautiful glossy color pages, endearing stories of her life and family, and simple but unbeatable recipes, for all palates. Color coding the different type of dishes, make it super easy to use, and to find recipes quick.
The photos are all gorgeous, the recipes easy to follow.
Chilaquiles, Pimento Cheese, Potato Chip Cookies. Zucchini Bread, Confetti Cornbread and Hot Corn Dio....
Just a sample of the recipes I plan on attempting, from this gorgeous cookbook.
If you like simple food, tasty but quick to make, this would be a great cookbook to choose.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come and Get It is a delightful collection of simple recipes. Each recipe is accompanied by color photographs showing each step in the process. Also are some photos from Drummond family life.

[❄️✨ Kat ✨❄️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my new favorite cookbook, tbh.

There are all sorts of recipes in here - main dishes, desserts, bread, etc. for everyone including the pickiest of eaters.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Ree Drummond’s books and tv show. She’s a loving wife and mom, has some fantastic recipes, funny, and I love they clothes she wears! So when I saw this book was available at my library I put it on hold. Two days later I had it in my hands.

There are photos and stories of her, her family & pets, and The Merc. The recipes have photos of each step which I really liked. I do wish the book included the nutritional info for each recipe though. Many of us are restricted on the amount of salt, calories, carbs etc. that we can have each day and that would make it easier to decide whether to try the recipe or not.

Speaking of recipes, a few I want to try are Overnight Muesli, Orang-Vanilla Monkey Bread, Tai Chicken Wraps, Pretzel Coated Fried Goat Cheese, Dinner Nachos. I also want to make many of the Take Your Time (slow cooker), Sheet Pan Suppers and Meatless Marvels recipes.

I love this book so much that I renewed the hold so I could keep it longer, and plan on buying a copy.

If you love Ree, recipes, or cookbooks, check this book out.

[Jessa Rodrigues ☕ (decafJess) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally my favorite cookbook so far. Ever.

The design, the simplicity of directions, the availability of ingredients, the tastiness of the recipes themselves... I love you, Pioneer Woman. You're the best.

[Sarrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the writing much more than the recipes in this one. She is down-to-Earth and funny, but the layout (photos for every step!) doesn't lend itself to easy usage. The recipes are very handy and friendly and would be a great starting place for people without much cooking experience.

[ash | · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Visually Appealing Cookbook -- Cooking Made Easy

Let me start by saying... I LOVE Ree Drummond. Her show, The Pioneer Woman, is my absolute favorite to watch. Her new cookbook is saving our meal times! We were stuck in a pattern of the same old recipes and/or take out. Cooking wasn't fun anymore and was becoming an unpleasant activity. We bought this book as our family Christmas present.

I saw The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives in the store and started to flip through. I was immediately drawn to the colorful images, ingenious layout, and yummy sounding meals. I am not one to purchase a cookbook -- Most of the time the cookbooks I've flipped through are either: a) loaded with recipes or ingredients I'm not interested in or b) little to no pictures. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives has tons and tons of recipes for breakfast, lunches, suppers, under 40 meals, under 20 meals, sides, sweets, meatless meals, appetizers and snacks!!

BUT WAIT .... The best part is that every recipe comes with a full color image featuring the final product IN ADDITION TO images for EACH AND EVERY STEP OF THE COOKING PROCESS!! As a visual learner, this has made the cooking process very simple and effective because I know I am on the right track with how the meal and final product should look. Ree doesn't just leave it at recipes either -- she includes the name and image (w/ description) of her favorite pantry items, freezer/fridge staples, and favorite cuts of beef. This cookbook is amazing. A lot of recipes are perfect for freezing too. Everything you need -- all in one place.

Also, we have already hit winners on 3/3 recipes -- we made the Mini Sausage Casseroles, Spaghetti Carbonara, and Curried Rice. EXTREMELY Delicious! Even my 2 year old son is enjoying these recipes.

[Tena Edlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love these cookbooks. They’re beautiful, funny, and this one especially was filled with page after page of recipes I can’t wait to try. These cookbooks are made for cooking good food, but they’re also meant for reading and enjoying like any other book.

[DK Simoneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the detailed pics for instructions. Liked her conversational style. Found inspiration for some recipes to try. Or even to create my own versions. Who wouldn't love a muffin top?!? Without the base. And the sheet dinners seem like they could be a life saver

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully photographed and written as a kind of diary of her family and recipes that reflect an “ on the go” feeling. Quick fixes and quicker fixes. If you are a twenty or thirty something you may need this book.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading the stories and seeing the pictures plus I cannot wait to try numerous recipes out of the book. There are so many great ones and love her style of cooking. I did not give this book 5 stars because most of these recipes are on her blog or the Food Network so nothing new. It is nice having them in one place.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cookbook was actually fun to read! I really liked the pictures for the individual steps instead of just a typical recipe. When I try some out, I’ll come back and update my review.

[L.G. McFerren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this cookbook. Easy to follow and very colorful. Plus who doesn’t love Ree Drummond!

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't go too in depth, mainly just looking to find some good "try later" recipes me and my boyfriend can make down the road. Hopefully everything tastes as good as it looks!!

[claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had very few recipes that I would like or even bother trying.

[Alex Curtis]

I'm more of an Ina Fan, but I think Ree is Adorable and the few things I had by her were good.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Ree and I enjoyed reading her little blurbs but the thing I’ve always liked about her cookbooks is how familiar everything is to my Midwest rural kitchen. This cookbook has too many recipes that my husband turns his nose up to. He’s not eating a roasted vegetable sandwich. There are a couple recipes I will make but it’s not going to be a go-to like her other cookbooks are

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found a few recipes I can't wait to make, but the rest seemed like something I've seen before.

[Debbie Tollefson · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I enjoy watching her show, this cookbook was a waste of my money. Very few things I would ever try, plus the commentary is just silly

[J.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoy the range of recipes. Like that the recipes have photographs for each step. Only complaint is the cook/bake time does not appear at the start of the recipe. Most cookbooks I have show the bake/cook or even prep time listed along with the ingredients. With this cookbook, you have to read through all the steps to find out how long to cook/bake it. I'd rather have it listed at the start, so when I scan the recipes I'd know this is a recipe means I'm running the oven for 45 minutes, etc.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Ree Drummond! Her recipes for the most part are easy. Very well done!

[Debbie]

What a beautiful cookbook! Ree Drummond has done it again! The recipes look fantastic but even more than the recipes, I love her pictures of her family and the ranch. I've got every one of her cookbooks and I love them all.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found at least 20 recipes that I want to try!