The Pioneer Woman Cooks

by Ree Drummond

*****



As far as cookbooks go, this one takes the cake. If I were gonna write a cookbook this is how I would do it. Good recipes and great stories. It is truly a cookbook you will want to sit and read. A popular blogger by trade, Ree Drummond knows how to chat casually with her audience even in printed word. Her stories will amuse and entertain while her recipes will comfort your soul and your growling stomach. I highly recommend the Rib-eyes with Whiskey Cream Sauce....yummmmmmmm. I hunted this book down and bought it at a Barnes and Nobles in Dallas. I paid full cover price and don't regret it one bit. It doesn't hurt that I was a Pioneer Woman fan long before I purchased the book. The only negative I can find with this book is that some of the recipes are for things that a good Texas girl like myself grew up knowing how to cook. I have my own recipes for beans and cornbread (although hers is good).

Book Review Rating System

Just so you all know what my rating system will be and what the stars mean:

* Only read it if you have NOTHING else to read. Airplane magazines might be better.

** Read it if you are bored, desperate or stuck in a doctor's office with 2 year old gossip magazines.

*** Read it if your preferred book is already checked out of the library or if you happen to catch it on the clearance rack.

**** Good or very good read. Worth picking up and dedicating some time to read. Might not be a great value, but worth it to treat yourself or someone else.

***** Great read and worth every penny you'll have to spend. Go out and hunt it down. Or, could be a great book at a good value.

My first book review

Once I let this cat out of the bag, many of you will laugh, and those of you with little girls will nod approvingly.

Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy by Jane O'Connor. ****




Now many of you were probably expecting something of a more intelligent tone, and we will get to that I promise. But as a mother, I find myself reading about 100 times more children's books than adult ones so it seems fitting that I would start with the current obsession at my house.

Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy is a fabulous tale of a froofy girl and a plain family (I like to make up words as I go). She is glamorous and over-the-top, much like little girls see themselves. It's an entertaining story with a good lesson built right in so well that your kids would never know it is actually good for them (man it sounds like vegetables). There are several Fancy Nancy books and even dolls to go along with it. I highly recommend it for your little girl or a gift for any girl (of any age).

I give it 4 out of 5 stars. (Only four because I really need there to be more of these and because it isn't a super great value as I haven't been able to find the original books in anything but hardback.)

Coming Soon to a Book Shelf Near You....

I like to read...a lot. I mean, really, if I could spend the rest of my life curled up with a good book I would never want for anything. Except maybe a bathroom and the occasional cup of coffee. One can not live with out coffee. And coffee creates need for a bathroom...I mean really, we all know what I mean. I have had the privilege of reading a variety of good books as of late. Some fiction, some self-help, some cookbooks (yes, you can indeed read a cookbook, I just don't recommend it when you're hungry or on a diet), some serious, some cheesy. I have decided to share my picks with you, my faithful readers. I will even recommend WHO should read it (this will require a bit of stereo-typing so please take all recommendations with a grain of salt and merely as my opinion) although don't let my recommendation stop you if you aren't, say, a teenage girl. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was an enjoyable read. Even if I haven't been a teenager in over a decade. Wow, I'm really old. Regardless, I will share what I'm reading or have read, and how I feel about it. I would love your feedback if you have read the same book or suggestions for books I should lay my hands on and read. My first review will surface soon....

Looking Back

A college roommate of mine (and fellow blogger) wrote a post recently that inspired me to write one of my own. When I look back on the previous decade, I am amazed at how much has gone on in my meager little life. And so, for a recap, I present the following:

I.....

graduated college
got a job
got married
changed careers
had a baby
got divorced
moved across the state
moved to Houston
met the most wonderful man in the world
moved back across the state
got married
gave up my career (that I was beginning to not like anyway)
had twins
watched my husband go off to war
raised infant twins and a 4 year old by myself
watched my husband come back from war (safely)
moved to Missouri and
had my fourth (count 'em folks...there are four) child.

My best friend has invested time and money in schooling for counseling and therapy. There is a stress assessment test that they use to determine when one's life has handed them too much. Each major change in a person's life adds points to that person's stress level...the higher the points the higher your stress and subsequent craziness. This said...please read the above list in reference to why I'm crazy as a bedbug. Just sayin'. It is an excuse...but a valid one.

Happy New Year!! And may the next decade be just as stressful!!!!!!!!!!

All I want for Christmas

*Singing in a Chipmunk voice* Christmas, Christmas time is here, time for toys and time for cheer..."

I'll save the Alvin and the Chipmunks reunion tour for later...for now I will instead just ramble on about whatever comes flying into my brain...cause that usually how I operate...

Seriously, it is now officially Christmas time at the Hawthorne house. Now there has been long a debate in our home over the family Christmas tree. Many of you will laugh, but it is a serious conversation that comes up several times a year and usually results in one of us saying to the other "you're a retard". (In the most loving manner possible, I assure you) My husband INSISTS on having a live Christmas tree every year. He claims that an artificial tree is fake and that he will not have "fake Christmas" because then we would be required to have fake presents, fake Christmas dinner and the like. I prefer the "fake" tree because it doesn't require constant attention to ensure our house doesn't burn to the ground (and that's the way I've always done it). The argument usually includes testimonies to the benefits of each person's preferred tree as well as insults to the other person's preferred tree. Including my favorite, the artificial tree always looks good from any angle, but a real one always has a "bad side" and there have been years when the bad side has been all the way around. I'm all for lookin' good. We have, however, come to an understanding that if Mr. Smartypants is here to retrieve and help decorate the tree, we will have a real one. If he is deployed I will put up the artificial one.
This year, the argument took a new turn. We are getting to go to Texas for Christmas (yee haw!!!) and will be gone for a couple of weeks (thank you Uncle Sam for inventing Christmas Exodus at TRADOC bases all over the Armed Forces). This created a problem. Being gone so long meant that a real tree would not survive our vacation and our house might burn down while we were gone. My husband's solution? Don't put one up at all. Huh??? Can we say "Bah Humbug". A tree must go up. We argued (nicely, I promise) about the tree for several days, debating the reasons we needed a tree up even though we were gonna be gone as well as the reasons we shouldn't bother. If you look at the picture, you can tell who won. He even gave in and let me put up the artificial tree (probably because I made the point we would have to take down the real one the night before we left town). Please know that I gave him the option of having his "real" tree.
Now some of you might argue that Mr. Smartypants was right all along and we shouldn't even bother. But let me leave you with this thought:

Christmas isn't just about one day. Christmas is a season where we prepare ourselves for one day. The one day is to celebrate. Not a day of food and presents and Santa Claus, but one day to celebrate a Birthday. THE birthday. HIS birthday. The Christmas season is another word for Advent, or a time to prepare for a coming of a King. Whether you celebrate HIS birthday or celebrate a chance to feast with family and friends, each symbol of the holiday gives us that warm fuzzy that only comes this time of year. Each warm fuzzy puts us in a better spirit, and makes us want to give and share with others. This is one time of year when we, without thinking, put others before ourselves. Is this not the spirit of Christ in us, as much as the spirit of Christmas? So take time to stare at your Christmas tree for that warm fuzzy, then use the warm fuzzy to remember why we have Christmas in the first place, and then put that warm fuzzy to action by giving (your time, your money or your talents) to spread not just Christmas cheer, but Christ Himself.

I would have pictures but who wants pictures of drool...

Moose is the last planned baby for the Herd. I say planned because I'm a firm believer that if God wants you to have more children, he's gonna give 'em to ya. Ask some of my friends who were surprised to find themselves pregnant when they shouldn't have been. So, he's the last PLANNED baby, and I'm, of course, spoiling him rotten and hoping he will stay little forever.

But, alas, they must grow up. And moms must be sad about this. My sweet tiny baby Moose is no longer tiny. He's still sweet as chocolate and biscuits, but he's not tiny. Matter of fact, he's getting so big that he has already sprouted his first tooth. It broke through yesterday. I cried. My baby's growing up fast. He's packing his car for college tomorrow in case anyone wants to say goodbye.

I would have posted pictures of our new tooth, but all you would have seen was my finger in his mouth and a WHOLE LOT of drool. And no one wants to look at puddles of drool...especially from someone else's kid.