Thursday, October 29, 2009

Cookbook Review - The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl




When The Cajun and I got back home from the movies and our visit to the new Target, I found a package waiting for me at the door - my new The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook had arrived!

If you are a fan of The Pioneer Woman website, her stories, her romance with Marlboro Man, her punks, her sense of humor, her quirkiness, her livestock and horses, and of course her cowboys, you'll definitely want her cookbook too. It's a pretty book with a country feel, and all of the floral graphics and drawings of butterflies, dragonflies, flowers and chickens that we're used to seeing on her blog, scattered about the pages.

And of course there are the recipes. Done in the same step-by-step tutorial style that we're all used to seeing at the blog - the first cookbook that I think I recall ever having seen to try this - though the pictures are much smaller than we are accustomed to, and were a bit odd to me at first, it seems to work, and honestly you get used to it pretty quick once you get lost in the recipes and all the stories and photography.



This is good, basic food - nothing pretentious here. Just regular, good ole country cooking, fat (and flavor) included, and much of it like the way many of us down south already cook anyway.

But, there seems to be a little bit of magic that falls out of these pages too.

The familiarity of Ree herself and her stories of ranch life, complete with some equally familiar pictures and stories you'll recognize as a follower of the blog itself, seem to draw you into this book, so that once you run back into a recipe, you find yourself ready to cook something!

See that recipe for potato skins up there? It's really nothing out of the ordinary and in fact, is probably the same basic recipe most of us use when we make our own potato skins. But after flipping through that recipe, and seeing it there in it's full color step-by-step glory, it made me immediately want to get up and make some potato skins, while I read through the rest of the cookbook.

So I did!



I like her method of flipping the skins. Great idea! These are sooooooooo yummy!

 

This is simple, country cookin' y'all. The kind we all love. The kind of cookbook you'll find yourself looking to a lot I suspect. From jalapeno poppers, to breakfast potatoes, to egg in the hole, to pulled pork, to chicken fried steak and fried chicken, to meatloaf. There's the cinnamon rolls we've all drooled over. And pineapple upside down cake. And red velvet cake. It's all the familiar, simple and yummy southern foods we all adore, mixed in with tales of ranch life and lots of eye candy in between.

Of course, there's Charlie.



And, the horses.



And the cattle.



And mama cows with baby cows.



And then, well ... there's the obvious.



If you like ranch life and cowboys, and really, what woman doesn't, gorgeous photography and funny stories, and the usual quirky wit of Ree Drummond, plus the bonus of some downright, good country cooking, you'll want to add this cookbook to your collection too.

This is a perfect holiday gift idea for your gift giving list. Click right here to order your copy. If you like the cooking over at my food blog Deep South Dish, know you will love this cookbook too.

~

23 comments:

  1. I love Pioneer Woman too. Her cookbook is on my Christmas list!

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  2. Ohhh! Country cooking! I grew up on it and love it, love it! My friends here in the North laugh at some of the things I crave.

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  3. great post... I'm gonna head over to her site now to sign up... the book looks like it is just up my alley... I love the stories, and the simple to follow lots of illustrations is just what this hairy knuckled neanderthal in the kitchen needs

    Thanks for the post

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  4. If ever I write a book, I'll have you review it. This was nicely done.

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  5. Well done! Love this review! I have a couple that I will be giving away on my blog. Everyone should have a copy of this cookbook.

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  6. I'm waiting on my book to be delivered right now. It's on a truck out for delivery and should be here within 2 hours. I can hardly wait!

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  7. Great review! I can't wait for my copy to show up.

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  8. Love PW! this will be a cookbook that I will purchase....and a big reason is for the pics of the cowboys and Charlie (don't know why but I just LOVE Charlie!)

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  9. I can't wait to get my copy. Waiting for the Houston book signing, but I can barely stand it!!!

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  10. Great review. I just love The PW's blog too. From the writing to the pictures and of course the recipes, I just love everything about it. And now after your wonderful review, I can't wait to get my hands on the book. Thanks!

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  11. I'm a pioneer woman fan and have made a lot of her recipes. YUMMY!! I really want this cook book. It's on my christmas list :)

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  12. I hadn't seen her site, will go see...I used to have a cookbook with every recipe illustrated like hers, it was very useful since I was just a beginning cook at that time...

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  13. Thanks Mary for the great review. Can't wait to get this cookbook.

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  14. The Pioneer Woman and My New 30 were the first two blogs I ever read........just goes to show you what you can accomplish as a blogger. I look forward to her cookbook, and Mary, you should have one too. XO, Joyce

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  15. Great review of PW's book! How exciting! She does have lots of great recipes to share!

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  16. She has absolutely "LIT UP" the tv lately..From Bonnie Hunt to our local tv station 4 here in OKC. Matter of fact she is doing a book signing here (OKC) tonight! Who doesnt just LOVE Pioneer woman?
    One look at her blog and I was hooked...I am a daily reader. AND cant wait to get my copy of the cookbook..
    Pioneer Woman simply ROCKS.

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  17. Nice review. Thanks for sharing it with us. I got notice that my copy was being shipped. It seems like I've been waiting on it for years:)

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  18. Glad you liked it!! I cant wait to get mine. BTW, MAKE THAT LASAGNA, its to die for. It really is.

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  19. Mine was suppose to arrive today and didnt make it. It is set to arrive tomorrow so i have to live vicariously through you. I just had to post that I made the lasagna last night and we'll be enjoying the leftovers tonight. My only suggestion is use only one can of tomato paste and a little less parsely and salt. Otherwise it is divine.

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  20. I have heard so many good things about this book. I need to get a copy!

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  21. Hey!
    Thanks so much for the Bloggy love ;oD
    Oooh, girl, you make me wanna go out and buy this book right now- Thanks for sharing!

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  22. A friend on mine received this book as a Christmas present and I had the opportunity to read it....great book. Good recipes and the stories and photos are wonderful.

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