All Episodes Talk

[Iboatedhere]

I am not sure what olives were doing in a mexican pasta salad, but perhaps that is just me. 

 

I put olives on tacos.

 

Was Ree the one that said pasta salad was a catch all type food or did I hear that somewhere else? Basically you could throw anything in there and it would work. Sometimes when I'm out of ideas for a quick dinner I'll boil up some pasta, throw any vegetables I have at it, and pour on some Italian dressing and call it a day. It's hard to mess it up.

[anneofcleves]

Her ultimate comfort food show played yesterday.  I think next time I'll give her dumplings a try, because I'm a huge fan of cornmeal dumplings.  I wouldn't use canned stock, though, because it's no where as good as the real thing if you're really going for the "ultimate" dish.

 

Her quesadilla was a hot mess and another thing most people don't need a demo on how to cook.  Has she done a peanut butter and jelly sandwich yet?  I'm kind of confused on that and don't know if I should apply the peanut butter first?  The jelly first?  Which jelly?  Should I mix them and caramelize them under the broiler like I've been told I must for her stupid version of cinnamon toast (on crappy bread)?  

 

And on the cinnamon toast, Ree, Ladd is right. 

[grisgris]

At the risk of sounding like a parrot, I came here to post more or less the same thing. HOW many times has Ree made quesadillas?  ITA that the shrimp and peppers filling did not look appetizing. I can take or leave chicken and dumplings and the pasta was nothing special. WRT the cinnamon toast, I have to second Ladd's version. Isn't the whole point of cinnamon toast to make a quick and tasty breakfast or snack? That was the way I was raised to make it. Ree's version was too much trouble and time consuming.

 

I hate to sound petty and shallow, but Ree didn't look very good in those TH shots of her in the orange top. I thought she looked on the pale and drawn side and the harsh eye makeup doesn't help.

[anneofcleves]

Hi grisgris!  Every so often she wears something that is really off the charts bad.  Yesterday she wore some flowy, red and white checked top that really looked terrible with her hair and skin tone.  I don't remember what episode it was, though.  In my opinion, she wears navy blue really well.  It complements her hair and pale skin nicely.

 

and the pasta was nothing special.

 

I'm always screaming at the tv when she bases a pasta sauce on standard, canned tomato sauce.  It's nasty salty and over-processed tasting.  That sauce would be so much better with crushed tomatoes.  Or in the summer, with a mess of chopped fresh tomato.  And it would be just as quick, minus the chopping.

[grisgris]

Waves back to Anne! Look at the bright side. At least Ree didn't open up a couple of jars of Ragu, add some cream and call it a day.

[Lillybee]

How many dishes does she make without cream and butter?

[HyeChaps]

Vanilla on cinnamon toast??  Another vote here for Ladd's recipe.

[anneofcleves]

I think I've seen the woman put butter in a stir fry, but I could have been hallucinating.  She is very fond of the butter/oil combination when sauteing anything.

[mousie]

 

I think I've seen the woman put butter in a stir fry, but I could have been hallucinating.

You are not hallucinating. I have seen that too. I think it was in one of her Land O Lakes commercials.

[grisgris]

Seriously?? Ladd and the boys are too dumb to know how to heat food up in a microwave?  I was dumbstruck by the amount of grease that Ree dumped out of that skillet. The pasta sauce looked very bland, but I guess that's how the "menfolk" like it.

 

I was much more interested in hearing what colleges Alex was considering. I suppose it won't be long before we see Ree making up care packages to send Alex at school...

 

/yawn...

[ShellSeeker]

I figured she'd leave instructions on how to prepare the veggies and dip.

[Iboatedhere]

If your grown ass husband can't figure out how to reheat something in the microwave without written instructions, divorce him.

[anneofcleves]

She's done it again - managed to demonstrate one of the 100's of simple variations on the 1950's favorite, Americanized goulash, and make it seem like it's an actual recipe.  Probably once a week we ate a version of this:  hamburger, canned tomato, and pasta.  For us, we used macaroni and cheese from a green can, because we weren't fancy like Ree.  At least she didn't use her beloved Lawry's season salt, but I bet you in real life she sneaks it in.  I think the reason she smirks so much is because she cannot keep a straight face when demonstrating stuff like this on what is supposed to be a cooking show.

 

The cardiac-arrest-in-a-tortilla recipe looked like others she's done 150 times before.  I loved how she made it a point to tell us how she uses a whole wheat tortilla for better nutrition.  Bwahahaaahaaaa.

 

And for the love of God, can you let those girls help with something more complicated than celery sticks and dip?  She's veering into Ina territory in making her guests seem like idiots who are too dumb to really help with anything.

 

I bet in real life, she would come home and find all of this stuff untouched, because Ladd and the boys went to grandma's or the aunt's house for meals. 

[imjagain]

I can't believe the instructions. The food, I'm used too. Pioneer woman is a top rated show, so people must like her/food. I can see how some might like it. I try to eat pretty healthy and the show is not something I seek out for recipes.

But my god, why put those instructions for your husband and son's. She actually wrote out put egg in tortilla and roll haahaa.

anneofcleves

You are right.

I bet IRL Lad would be going down to his mother's for dinner with boys.

We have seen Lad grill many times. She should have made a couple of sides for them. And said Lad would be grilling dinner for himself and the boys. Those instructions made him look like an idiot. Maybe that's what she was going for. (shrugs)

Edited August 17, 2014 by imjagain

[Qoass]

 

And for the love of God, can you let those girls help with something more complicated than celery sticks and dip?

Here's a thought:  how about having the BOYS help?  While they seem to have a firm grasp on using a weed-whacker, it wouldn't hurt for them to learn to handle a whisk as well.

 

Personally, I'm just really uncomfortable with that 1950s mindset that the men cut the grass and the "girls" stay in the kitchen.  I know, I know...

[Diane]

If your grown ass husband can't figure out how to reheat something in the microwave without written instructions, divorce him.

I have never understood, why they do that.  Ina does it too for Jeffery.  Makes them look stupid.

[Fostersmom]

My guess is it's more for the viewing audience than anything else. If these cooking shows just consisted of "half made" dishes, just the cooked ingredients, but not the assembly or finished product, viewers would tune out. Yeah, I'd think any reasonably intelligent person could figure out how to put pasta and sauce in the microwave or reheat the 20,000th chicken plate Ina leaves for Jeffery, but that's not how TV works. Just like every episode has to have a special theme or field trip on every single cooking show made in the last 10 years.

[monkeybread]

Just saw the episode and wow, I totally agree with all of you fine posters about the instructions. Are they really that dumb? Wow. As for the pasta ala Ladd, that was just basic meat sauce. The only thing I have never added to something like that is thyme. 

As usual just cheese, bacon etc etc. Nothing new ever. I snickered when she made that comment about the whole wheat tortillas too. 

[cam3150]

I just saw the episode with the right and wrong cinnamon toast and, I have to admit, Ree is correct.  I always used to it the "wrong" way and then I saw her way on the blog so I tried it.  Absolutely delicious.  Really there is no comparison.  There is a bit more work involved but it is completely worth it.  The way the sugar carmelizes under the broiler just makes the whole thing. 

[Iboatedhere]

I just saw the episode with the right and wrong cinnamon toast and, I have to admit, Ree is correct.  I always used to it the "wrong" way and then I saw her way on the blog so I tried it.  Absolutely delicious.  Really there is no comparison.  There is a bit more work involved but it is completely worth it.  The way the sugar carmelizes under the broiler just makes the whole thing. 

 

It looks good and I could see doing it that way if I had to make a lot all at once but I'm not going to heat up the oven just for two pieces of toast for myself.

[cam3150]

 

but I'm not going to heat up the oven just for two pieces of toast for myself.

I normally use my small toaster oven for toast if I'm just making a few pieces.I actually don't even own a normal toaster.  What stops me from making it is the assembing of the spread but I never really thought about making a bigger batch at once to use as needed. I may try that. 

 

I also do agree with Ree and the way she cooks buttered toast or bread for about 10 minutes before turning on the broiler.  I always used to just use the broiiler but baking it first gives the butter a chance to really melt into the bread and then the broiler toasts it.  Sometimes it's the little things...

[novhappy]

Did I just watch an instructional cooking show involving chunking up potatos and onions tossing them w oil and in oven. Big tip is add peppers!! Then a tedious biscuit recipe which she has done before sausage and thickened milk and basic scam led eggs? Why didn't I change the channel! I was groggy??

[monkeybread]

I saw that last night, I am so glad I know how to roast potatoes and make scrambled eggs yey! 

[Diane]

I say the same thing when Ina roast vegetables for the umpteenth time. But I still watch because I enjoy the show.  She has also scrambled eggs many times,

[anneofcleves]

Her indoor grilling show yielded the usual dull and boring food.  The pasta salad was a confusing combination of flavors - chipotle, smoked gouda, and basil.  At first I thought I misheard her, but then I checked out the recipe on FN and discovered that's what I'd heard.  The lone review for it said it was OK with tweaks.  That pretty much sums up her cooking skills.

 

I give her props for the grilled vegetables with the Greek yogurt-based dressing.  That is probably the most vegetables I've ever seen her serve.  

 

The idea for the cookout was nice.  I think it's a nice idea to have a three generation party like that with the women in the family.

[Tippi]

Ice cream in a dish--what an innovation!  With fruit on top!  I don't know if I can handle such a difficult and original recipe.

[grisgris]

I give her props for the grilled vegetables with the Greek yogurt-based dressing.  That is probably the most vegetables I've ever seen her serve.  

 

 

True. However, she was serving wimmin only. No menfolk around. LOL!

I love smoked gouda, but not awash in that mess Ree called dressing.

 

One positive take-home was that I was intrigued by Ree's method of putting the BBQ sauce on the chicken. I have an old recipe from my childhood for barbequed chicken that you finish with a honey-mustard glaze. My mom made it infrequently because she hated the mess it made. It never occurred to me to start everything skin-side down. I'll have to give it a try.

[Tahitigirl]

I'm getting weary of "cowboy food" or "girly food." I don't care how set in their ways a husband might be, you can still raise your (male) children to eat vegetables. Either it's all for show, or she's given up on having a balanced diet for her boys. "Can you imagine cowboys eating this? Not in Osage County!" Ugh.

[LuckyBitch]

Ice cream in a dish--what an innovation!  With fruit on top!  I don't know if I can handle such a difficult and original recipe.

 

Kind of like Retchel Ray's Microwaved Bacon recipe.

 

I see they got rid of the reviews, but then there's this.

 

She also used to have "recipes" on FN's site for Pineapple Wedges, and some other funny ones.

[Diane]

Ice cream in a dish--what an innovation!  With fruit on top!  I don't know if I can handle such a difficult and original recipe.

Or Ina's recipe for melted store bought ice cream with berries.

[ariel]

Oh dear, yet another post where PW's repetitive recipes are compared to Ina's recipes.

[Diane]

Oh dear, yet another post where PW's repetitive recipes are compared to Ina's recipes.

My point is they all have repetitive recipes.

[Hildegard802]

Boys won't eat anything that doesn't contain meat.  Boys don't help with gardens.  Boys won't touch anything with wine in it.  Girls love to garden.  If they're turning out that way, it's only because that's how YOU have raised them.  The ignorant, sexist crap this idiot spews is beyond ridiculous.  Fifty years ago my brothers had to take their turns weeding and doing other gardening chores.  And guess what, Ree?  I'm a girl.  I HATED gardening.  I much preferred being on a horse or tractor.  

 

I don't recall seeing the hot mess that was on today.   She had a whole lot of the "I'm so funny" shit going on.   

[NausetGirl]

It's her schtick, Lillybee.  More butter, more cheese, more meat, more frosting, more candy.  Bleh.  No balance.  She's actually a lot like Guy Fieri in her cooking style.

 

This list should explain why Ree is a ratings winner.  It's not her blog, or her photographs.  It's not the family, the ranch, the lifestyle.  It's not her inventive new recipes for working moms and empty-nesters alike.  It's definitely not those dumb-ass phony scenarios they come up with every week to "support" the dishes being shown. And it's not her husband's bee-hind either.  It's because Ree cooks what we'd all LIKE to eat.  Butter, cheese, meat, cream, salt, sugar.  Most of us don't eat too much of these things too often - for obvious reasons.  But in a perfect world, this is what we'd love to shovel down 3 times a day.  PS - I think Ree signed on with the World's Lamest Producers.  Same ones Ina Garten has.  Same schtick entirely. Phony skits featuring that week's recipes.  Whatever happened to pointing a camera at a knowledgeable expert and letting them show us what they know?  Ree's skills are intermediate at best.  Someone who is going to be cooking on TV should be a skilled expert in my opinion.  I'm not saying she needs to make Beef Wellington every week but come on.  I made French Bread pizzas in high school 40 years ago.  On my own - no training from Mom or anyone else.  Too bad we never cloned Julia Child.

Edited September 4, 2014 by NausetGirl

[NausetGirl]

My point is they all have repetitive recipes.

 

Ree and Ina have the same lame producers.  Two women from the UK - neither of whom seems to have had a genuinely-creative idea about either program.  Same shtick on both shows.

[anneofcleves]

t's because Ree cooks what we'd all LIKE to eat.  Butter, cheese, meat, cream, salt, sugar.

 

Well, not exactly.  I'm as big a fan of these things as the next girl, but PW's usage of these ingredients is boring at best and gratuitous at worst.    

[NausetGirl]

Hyancith just comes across as such a b!tch and this episode did her no favors, at least in my opinion.  When she was trying to emcee the dog "fashion show", she just did not seem even remotely nice or friendly or welcoming.  Maybe she just nervous in front of the camera?

 

I love all things pasta salad so I would not mind trying out that recipe. I am always looking for new ideas.  Even thought I just watched this last night, I don't remember the other recipes except the chicken legs, which I have no real comment on.

 

The pet parade in and of it self was not a bad idea but how is it in any way a reward for the kids?  That made no sense to me at all. 

 

It isn't a reward.  At all.  Once again, lame idea from lame producers.

[Lisin]

Spicy baby back ribs; twice baked potato casserole; jalapeno corn, two versions of dump cake

[Lisin]

You know what drives me crazier than anything else about the way she cooks? It's so dumb but it really bothers me. When she makes bacon crumbles she always cooks the bacon first and then chops up the cooked bacon. It is about a million times easier to chop the raw bacon and then cook it in pieces. I do not understand why she does it "backwards" in my view. 

[imjagain]

She showed us how to make dump cake!?!?

I am speechless.( not only because I have a cold and lost my voice).

I really try not to rag on Ree to much, because I watch and if she bothered me too much, I wouldn't. But, come on. Another mashed potato dish and of course every 10 year old's first cake they get to bake, Dump Cake.

[ShellSeeker]

You're right Lisin, but I'd never noticed that before. You're right of course. I always chop up the bacon, let it render over medium-low heat, and then drain off most of the fat. The only time I cook bacon and then crumble it in later is when it's added at the end.

[autumnh]

I mean really, how many forms of loaded baked potato or twice baked potato anything do we need to see? She just seems to recycle recipes and never shows originality. I used to like her but now every episode is the same...no thanks.

[imjagain]

I mean really, how many forms of loaded baked potato or twice baked potato anything do we need to see? She just seems to recycle recipes and never shows originality. I used to like her but now every episode is the same...no thanks.

Yes, I think we all pretty much know what goes into a loaded potato.

If she was making something different with the potatoes I would fine with another potato dish.

Last November I went to a wedding and the dinner was salmon or chicken, green beans (boring) but the side of potatoes were fab, they called them knish potato casserole. Just so good and a little different than ordinary mashed potatoes.

I love a good knish. And I was not disappointed. I have found some recipes online just haven't tried them.

[autumnh]

Yes, I think we all pretty much know what goes into a loaded potato.

If she was making something different with the potatoes I would fine with another potato dish.

Last November I went to a wedding and the dinner was salmon or chicken, green beans (boring) but the side of potatoes were fab, they called them knish potato casserole. Just so good and a little different than ordinary mashed potatoes.

I love a good knish. And I was not disappointed. I have found some recipes online just haven't tried them.

YES! I am from Brooklyn, NY...born and raised...now living in the middle of the US...I miss a good Knish!  I also agree....make it something other than loaded baked potato whatnot....she reminds me of Sandra Lee minus the over the top tacky table settings...but at least Sandra Lee has cocktails! lol

[grisgris]

I had to dig really deep to find something to "learn" from today's show. After reading the above posts about Ree's bacon distribution methods, it occurred to me ... actually, she did both. She cooked the bacon and chopped it up to add to the potatoes. She cut the bacon beforehand to cook with the green beans and onions. She said that she cooks the bacon first, THEN breaks it up only if she was going to add it to the dish at the last minute. That was contradictory to what she actually did. She added the cooked, chopped bacon to the potatoes before she put everything in the oven.

 

Now I'm confused...

 

This show was working my last nerve today with Ree's smirky little nervous giggle every time she said something, usually after she added a kilo of butter to something.

 

Is jalapeno the state vegetable of Oklahoma or something???  It appears in every frickin' dish!

 

That dump cake exceeded anything I've even seen on Semi-Ho. At least Aunt Sandy would have dolled it up with aigstract, booze and Cool Whip.

 

Same scenario, different setting. The only interesting tidbit was when Ladd was explaining that if an Angus was crossed with something else (???? couldn't understand him ????) the "something else" bloodlines could cause the cows to be feisty. Why was Missy out on the range in the hot sun while poor put-upon Ree was back at home slaving away in the kitchen? This also did not make sense. If the work was taking place at Missy's and Tim's ranch, wouldn't it had been more practical for Missy to prepare the lunch instead of Ree hauling everything to hell and back, probably to be delivered lukewarm.

 

It dawned on me that maybe Ree is taking a page from Ina's playbook and making three (in her case with quesadillas and lemonade, about 12) versions of the same dish and hope that the viewers will be none the wiser.

Edited September 7, 2014 by grisgris

[Lucygirl2]

I prefer to cook my own bacon most of the time as well but you can't tell me any of the cowboys would know the freaken difference if she cooked the bacon or used real bacon pieces. It isn't like the only choices are home fried bacon or Baco's. It is just annoying how she acts like a cowboy has some refined palette that no ordinary man has. Seriously? STFU, Ree, with that shit!

[Viqutorious]

It's like they aren't even trying.

That show had zero information regarding cooking, or anything... What I find the most confusing about thus show is most people look for, or at least aware of anti-biotic free meat. Yet on this program we get to watch our future dinner shot up with god knows what.

Ick.

[autumnh]

Ree drives me crazy when she is making a recipe...like the BBQ sauce on this episode.."I take a bunch of brown sugar"

 

What is a bunch? Yes I know we can look it up online but still..

 

I love Ina..at least when she makes different versions they look delectable.  Ree has about 14 different versions of roast beef/drip beef/hot beef etc sandwiches ..we get it..you like beef sandwiches!

[imjagain]

One more complaint about this episode (:

I'm sure all the food tasted great. And I could see it being served at a big family Sunday dinner, especially here in the Midwest.

But who the hell wants to eat that food outside near all the dirt and grim they have been working at?

If she had said they were all going to shower and change and she was making this great dinner for them to eat at the lodge after the end of a long day. I might buy the little story line they try to sell us.

Edited September 7, 2014 by imjagain

[anneofcleves]

I agree with all the comments about this episode.  And grisgris, she is totally straddling the line between Semi-homemade and Ina. 

 

Dump cake is an embarrassment of a dessert, in my opinion, and one that you make out of desperation.  Just serve popsicles for crying out loud, Ree.  And yes, yet another potato dish that uses sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, a metric ton of butter, and that super-elegant ingredient - green onion.  This has to be the 20th version of potatoes she's done like this.

 

The only redeeming thing about this show is the occasional glimpse we get into the world of ranching.  I think I'd find her show more interesting if she'd do one hour specials with more focus on the ranching and a bit less on her 3rd grade-level cooking.