Cookbook Review: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Food From My Frontier 

by Ree Drummond

Hardcover

294 pages

Nine Chapters: Breakfast; Lunch; Soups; Starters, Party Food, and Drinks; Pasta and Pizza; Supper; Sides; Sweets; and Canning

I'm a big fan of Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman.  If it weren't for her then I never would have discovered food blogs, much less started one of my own.  Several years ago I was on a forum for bath and body products and someone mentioned The Pioneer Woman's site.  Out of curiosity I clicked on the link to her site and instantly fell in love.

I credit Ree with my discovery of food blogs.  Prior to clicking on her site I never even knew food blogs existed.  For years I had been alone in my love for food and cooking and suddenly a whole new door opened.  I became obsessed with food blogs and eventually I told myself that I could write one of my own.  The rest, as they say, is history.

I really enjoy following Ree along on her journey, whether it's on her blog or on her new Food Network show.  I enjoy everything she shares whether it's the footage of her ranch life, her kids, or her food.  I enjoy her personality and the fact that she doesn't take herself too seriously.  I think she's a real class act and I'm happy for her.  She's really carved out a wonderful career for herself.

I think The Pioneer Woman Cooks is a great book for any food blogger, but mostly I think this is a great book for the family cook.  There are so many wonderful recipes to feed your family in this book.  To be honest, I'm a little embarrassed to tell you how many recipes I have bookmarked.

I'd like to cook almost every recipe in Ree's new book, but here are the ones I managed to do so far.

First up are Ree's Make-Ahead Muffin Melts, which I wrote about on this post.  These little muffin melts are genius!  It's basically a make ahead egg spread that can be pulled out of the fridge in the morning, smeared on an English muffin, and broiled until hot and bubbly in mere minutes.  A very quick and tasty way to have a nice hot breakfast in the morning.  The best part?  You can customize these to suit your tastes.

Next up I chose Ree's Tequila Lime Chicken to serve alongside her Mexican Rice.  Ree's Tequila Lime Chicken is marinated in a mixture of lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, olive oil and tequila.  The chicken is tender and flavorful and pairs so well with refried black beans, Mexican rice, and some corn tortillas.  My family really enjoyed this meal.

Tequila Lime Chicken

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

by Ree Drummond

Makes 6 portions

3 limes

5 garlic cloves, peeled

1 jalapeno, sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

5 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup tequila

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Optional for serving:

pico de gallo

jalapeno slices

Refried black beans (heat two 14.5 ounce cans of black beans in a saucepan, then mash slightly)

Mexican Rice (recipe to follow)

Warmed flour or corn tortillas

Lime wedges

Avocado slices

Sour cream

Grated Monterey Jack cheese

Slice open the limes and squeeze the juice into a food processor or blender.  Add the garlic cloves, jalapeno slices, cilantro, kosher salt, olive oil, and tequila.  Blend the mixture until totally pureed.  Then add the chicken breasts to a large plastic bag and pour in the marinade.  Seal the bag and marinate in the fridge for several hours or overnight.  Remove the chicken from the bag and grill it over medium-high heat. Rotate the chicken 45 degrees on both sides to create nice grill marks, and continue grilling until the chicken is cooked thoroughly, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Slice the chicken and serve it on a plate topped with pico de gallo and a jalapeno slice, surrounded by refried black beans, Mexican Rice, rolled-up warmed tortillas, and a couple of lime wedges.  You can also add some avocado slices, some sour cream...load it up!

Mexican Rice

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

by Ree Drummond

Makes a huge amount; enough for two dinners*

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups long-grain rice

One 10-ounce can Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles

One 14.5 ounce can whole tomatoes

1 teaspoons ground cumin, or more to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 cups chicken broth

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low and add the rice.  Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure the rice doesn't burn.  Add the Rotel, whole tomatoes, cumin, cayenne, and salt.  Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes.  Add 2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the rice is done.  Add more liquid as needed; the rice shouldn't be sticky. 

Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top

*Note: This recipe easily makes enough rice for two full meals.  Plan accordingly.

Recipes I have bookmarked to make:   Carnitas Pizza; BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas; Fried Chicken Tacos; Peach Whiskey Chicken; Apricot Shrimp Skewers; Pork Chops with Apples & Grits; and Honey-Plum Soy Chicken...just to name a few!

Make-Ahead Muffin Melts

I'm interrupting my normal posting schedule to bring you what I think is a recipe goldmine...the make-ahead muffin melt.  First I must disclose a few things.  First, I'm absolutely crazy for English muffins.  They're right up there on my list of top ten things I like to eat.  Next, I must let you know that I love all breakfast foods.  Breakfast is my all-time favorite! Last but not least, even though I do love to cook and spend countless hours in the kitchen, sometimes I just like to be lazy.  Hence my love for all things simple, easy, effortless, and of course all things make-ahead.  If none of these things appeal to you then you will most definitely not be as excited about this recipe as I am.

This little muffin melt probably doesn't look like much, but it's one of my favorite food discoveries this year.  In fact, I was going to share this recipe in my upcoming The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook review, but I really felt like this recipe deserved a post of it's own. 

Hardboiled eggs, chopped bacon, mayo, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and cheese

In my house we like to procrastinate.  We sleep in until the last possible second, leaving little time for a home cooked breakfast.  Usually in the mornings my kids only have time for cereal or (gasp) instant grits.  This is where this recipe comes in.  These little muffin melts are heartier and healthier than cereal, but they are also just as quick and just as easy as pouring a bowl of cereal.  Best of all, you can totally eat these on the go whereas you definitely can't eat cereal on the go.  

Basically this recipe is a customizable egg spread that can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.  When you're hungry for breakfast you simply take the egg spread out of the fridge and smear it on a English muffin.  Then you slide the muffin under the broiler and broil for 3-4 minutes until it gets all bubbly and golden.  The end result is a hot and hearty breakfast in minutes. The English muffin gets kinda crispy, as does the top of the muffin melt, but the interior of the melt is creamy and delicious. It's literally perfect on-the-go breakfast food.  Perfect to make for kids before school.  Perfect to make for hubbies who are eating on the go.  Perfect to make for a Mom who has absolutely no time for herself.  Perfect.

Who doesn't have time to take a bowl out of the fridge and smear this on an English muffin?

The other reason I love this recipe is because you can customize it to suit your tastes/needs.  There really is no end to the possibilities here.  Don't want bacon?  Add ham, or sausage, or even chorizo.  Want to cut back on fat?  Leave out the egg yolks, use reduced fat mayo, and/or cut back on the cheese.  You'd never notice the changes.  Maybe you want a vegetarian option?  Forget the meat and add in scallions, peppers, onions, spinach, tomatoes, etc.  Don't like English muffins?  Opt for bagels, a biscuit half, or just plain regular white bread.  You could literally make a different option every week.  I don't know about you all, but I like things that are easy and I always like having options.  To me this is something worth getting excited about.

Make-Ahead Muffin Melts

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

by Ree Drummond

Serves 6-12, depending on serving size

12 slices bacon

12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

1 cup real mayo

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

6 English muffins, split

Fry the bacon until crisp.  Use a knife to chop it up, then put it somewhere safe so your family won't wolf it down (I cut the bacon into lardons/slices prior to cooking it.  I think it cooks faster and easier that way).  Peel the hard-boiled eggs.  Then give them a rough chop.  Add the cheese, the chopped bacon, and the mayo to a bowl.  Next add the Dijon mustard, the garlic powder and the Worcestershire sauce.  Fold all the ingredients together, then give it a taste.  Add more of whatever you think it needs.

Preheat your oven's broiler to low.  Spread a good amount of the spread onto the halved English muffins.  Place them on the lower rack of the oven and broil them for 3-4 minutes, being careful not to burn them.  The topping should be hot and the cheese should be melted.  

If you're looking for breakfast options, please give these a try! 

Expect a glowing review of Ree's new book The Pioneer Woman Cooks soon!