The Pioneer Woman (32 page)

Add the chicken to a stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes.

 

Remove the chicken pieces from the water using tongs or a slotted spoon and set them aside on a plate to cool.

 

Remove 2 cups of broth from the pot and set aside.

 

Bring the remaining broth back to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook it al dente. Drain the spaghetti, discarding the cooking liquid. Place the spaghetti in a large bowl.

 

With two forks (or your fingers), remove the bones from the chicken. Shred or cut the meat into bite-size chunks and add it to the bowl.

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

 

Add to the bowl the cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups of the cheese, the onion, green pepper, pimientos, seasoned salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chicken, and reserved broth. Stir well to combine, then taste to check the seasonings.

 

Pour the mixture into a large baking pan and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly.

CHILI

8 servings

Sticks to ribs. Freezes beautifully.

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the beef and garlic until the meat is browned, stirring often. Drain off the excess fat.

 

Pour in the tomato sauce, spices, and salt. Stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (If the chili becomes dry, add ½ cup water at a time as needed.)

 

After an hour, combine the masa with ½ cup water in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir well, taste to adjust the seasonings, and cook for 10 minutes.

 

Stir in the optional ingredients, if using, and cook for 10 more minutes.

 

Serve with shredded cheddar, chopped onion, and corn chips, as desired.

POT ROAST

6 servings

It's the right thing to do.

Preheat the oven to 275°F.

 

Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast on both sides.

 

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. When the oil is very hot, add the onions, browning them on one side and then the other, about 1 minute per side. Remove the onions to a plate.

 

Throw the carrots into the hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about 1 minute. Remove the carrots to the plate.

 

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the roast in the pan and sear it on all sides until nice and brown all over, about 2 minutes. Remove the roast to a plate.

 

With the burner still on high, deglaze the pan by adding the red wine or 1 cup of the stock and scraping the pan with a whisk to loosen all the flavorful bits.

 

Place the roast back in the pan and add enough stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add the onions, carrots, thyme, and rosemary.

 

Cover the pot and roast the meat for approximately 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast) or 4 hours (for a 4-to 5-pound roast). The roast is done when the meat is tender and pulls apart easily with two forks.

 

Slice and serve with Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Recipes).

CREAMY MASHED POTATOES

12 servings

Sinful. In a forgivable way.

Peel the potatoes and rinse them in cold water. Cut the potatoes in quarters, place them in a large pot, and add water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fork tender.

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

 

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. With the burner on low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher for about 2 minutes to release the steam. Turn off the burner.

 

Add the butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, seasoned salt, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and if the mixture needs thinning, add a little milk. Taste to check the seasoning.

 

Spread the mashed potatoes in a large casserole pan and dot the surface with the remaining butter. Cover with foil (you can refrigerate it for up to 2 days at this point) and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes.

 

Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.

BEEF STEW WITH MUSHROOMS

6 servings

For long, cold winters on the ranch. Extra wine helps, too.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour over the meat and toss to coat.

 

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter in the olive oil over high heat. Working in batches, add the meat and sear it until brown on all sides, taking care not to crowd the meat, a few minutes per batch. Set the meat aside on a plate as it's done.

 

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the shallots and the garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, the consommé, and ½ cup water.

 

Add salt and pepper to taste and stir. Bring to a boil, then add the browned meat and the juices from the plate. Reduce heat to low and add the thyme.

 

Cover and simmer for 90 minutes, or until the meat is very tender. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons flour with ¼ cup water and stir it into the stew. Cook the stew for 10 minutes, until thickened. Turn off the heat and allow the stew to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

 

Serve with egg noodles.

FRIED ROUND STEAK

6 servings

Lifeblood for hungry cowboys.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

 

On a plate, combine the flour, the seasoned salt, and 3 teaspoons of black pepper.

 

Season both sides of the cube steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing to coat with as much flour as possible.

 

Add the butter to the pan right before frying. When the butter is melted, add the steak, working in batches so as not to crowd the meat. Flip when the surface of the meat is deep golden brown and cook about 1 minute on the other side.

 

Remove to a paper towel–lined plate. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

3 dozen cookies

For a little pick-me-up…or a big chocolate fix.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

 

In a large bowl, stir together the butter, margarine, brown sugar, and white sugar until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.

 

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture in batches, stirring gently after each addition.

 

Stir in the flaxseeds, if using, and the chocolate chips.

 

Drop balls of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until golden. Move the cookies to a rack and eat them warm.

CINNAMON ROLLS

Makes 4 dozen rolls (using about 7 pie pans—I often use aluminum ones for easy gift giving)

Guaranteed to heal an aching heart.

To make the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat; do not allow the mixture to boil. Set aside and cool to a little warmer than lukewarm.

 

Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk mixture for 1 minute.

 

Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.

 

Remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1 cup of flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, punching it down if it begins to rise too much.

 

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 × 10 inches.

 

Pour 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly.

 

Sprinkle 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Sprinkle generously with half of the cinnamon.

 

Beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly toward you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don't worry if the filling oozes out as you work!

 

When you reach the end, pinch the seam together. Cut 1½-inch slices with a sharp knife. Place the sliced rolls onto buttered pie pans, being careful not to overcrowd.

 

Repeat with the other half of the dough.

 

Cover the pans with towels and set aside to rise for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

 

Bake for 13 to 17 minutes, or until golden brown.

 

While the rolls are baking, combine all the icing ingredients in a large bowl, adjusting the proportions of sugar and liquid until you have the desired consistency.

 

Pour icing over warm rolls fresh out of the oven. Allow the icing to settle into the cracks and crevices.

Serve warm. You can also cover and freeze the cinnamon rolls for gift giving.

T
O MY
friends and readers of my website, ThePioneerWoman.com, for your love, encouragement, and support over the past several years. I feel it daily. Thank you.

To my editor, Cassie Jones Morgan, for believing in me back when you didn't really have any reason to. You're the first, best, only, and last editor I'll ever have.

To Sharyn Rosenblum, for keeping me on track and making me smile.

To Susanna Einstein, for your help and support.

To my oldest friends, Jenn, Sarah, Jules, Mitch, Kash, Christy, Shaney, Ang, Kristi, Shelley, Susan, and Carrie.

To Mom, Dad, Nan, Chuck, Betsy, Doug, Mike, Missy, Tim, Hyacinth, Connell, Lela, Betty, Becky, Patsy, Edna Mae, Ga-Ga, and everyone who's loved me all my life.

To Bartlesville, for raising me.

To Pawhuska, for being my home.

To my kids, for being wonderful.

To Marlboro Man, for being mine.

REE DRUMMOND
began blogging in 2006 and has built www.ThePioneerWoman.com into an award-winning website, where she shares recipes, showcases her photography, and documents her hilarious transition from city life to ranch wife. The number one
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Pioneer Woman Cooks
, Ree has appeared on
Good Morning America
, the
Today
show, and
The View
, and has been featured in
Ladies' Home Journal, Woman's Day, People, More
, and
Southern Living
. Ree lives on a working cattle ranch near Pawhuska, Oklahoma, with her husband, Ladd, and their four children.

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