Ree Drummond.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks.
Harper Collins, NY. 2009.
ISBN: 978-0-06-165819-8

Ree Drummond, after college in Southern California, was planning to pack it up and move to Chicago and start law school. But during a visit to her parents, she met, became smitten by, and married the Oklahoma rancher she blogs about as "Marlboro Man." In 2006 she started blogging about cooking and ranch life, and over time added blogs about homeschooling and photography to her site. The Pioneer Woman Cooks is not only a large Website, with five blogs and a community portal, it's the title of Ree Drummond's New York Times best-selling cookbook.

I began following the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog not long after she started; you can find that particular part of her site here, and the complete indexed recipe archive here. These are not only recipes for really good, easy-to-make-from-scratch food, these recipes include well-written how-tos, complete with step-by-step instructions and photographs that are lovely in their own right. Drummond followed up the success of her blog, which features not only recipes but anecdotes about ranch life, her kids, the cattle, the horses, and the cowboys, all illustrated with lovely photography, with her cookbook. The cookbook is very much inspired by her blog, with recipes for fabulous food, great step-by-step photos, and easy-to-follow instructions. That said, the cookbook doesn't simply duplicate the recipes and images from her Web site, though there is overlap.

You've got recipes for Pico de Gallo, Chili, Pot Roast, Cinnamon Rolls, and Pizza dough (as well as Pizza). You've got hearty breakfast dishes like Migas (cheddar-cheese scrambled eggs, with jalapenos, onions, and crispy fried tortilla squares), as well as Marmalade Muffins, and French Breakfast Puffs, and Buttermilk Breakfast. For dinner (that's lunch, in ranch), Mac-and-Cheese, Roasted Corn Salad, Sherried Tomato Soup, and Cowboy Calzones. And she's not forgotten supper either, with Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Fried Chicken, Rib-Eye Steak with Whisky Cream Sauce, and Simple, Perfect Enchiladas. Dessert is there too: Perfect Pie Crust, Chocolate Sheet Cake, Mocha Brownies, and Flat Apple Pie. Ree Drummond even has the perfect menu for a "girl's night in" dinner party, complete with Sangria, Roasted Beef Tenderloin and Burgundy Mushrooms.

This really is basic home-cooking comfort food, but it's good food elegantly presented. I'll absolutely be using this as a gift for those just starting to cook, those who want to try "ranch" style food, and for international friends who as me what American cuisine is, exactly.