Ree Drummond was called the "pioneer woman" by millions of fans, and may now be more accurately called the "very busy woman". As part of the collaboration with Wal-Mart, she not only just released another new "Pioneer Women" brand cookware and kitchen tools, seasonal decorations, linens and other household items-this is a winter/Christmas themed holiday Series-but she also released a new cookbook last fall. She continues to produce her popular food network show (yes, it is called "Pioneer Women"), and given the continuing pandemic, most of the production is now actually an internal Drummond family project: "I have been While filming my food and watching online shows with my children, they have been shooting with iPhone since the quarantine, believe it or not!" Drummond said in another recent interview with Mashed. The most important thing is that she is still a mother and husband, there are many things to do besides work, including preparation for the holiday and the feast brought by the season.

We chatted with Ree Drummond about her favorite holiday dishes, why she finally accepted the grand holiday decorations, how she and the Drummond gang could maximize joy while minimizing holiday stress, and how pioneer women managed to Keeping more relevant in the cooking scene. New food blogs, TikTok hacking videos, YouTube chefs, and a steady stream of "MasterChef" are increasingly crowded.

What are your best suggestions for anyone planning to host a holiday party this year?

I think there may be two things I would say. The first thing is to do it as early as possible. I think we waited until the last minute to eat so many dishes. So plan your menu, plan what you can do the day before. I have a mashed potato casserole that I made two days before Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It saved a lot of time on the day of the party. Pre-made holiday platters and plates, cooked food and salads. You can put all of these together earlier in the day and minimize the things that require last-minute cooking and preparation.

Then I will say that the second part is to let us not put pressure on ourselves. Don't be afraid to use cute holiday paper plates and napkins. Your guests and family will remember laughter and good times, they will not remember your perfect table.

What mistakes do people make when planning a holiday meal?

I will respond [no pressure]. Over the years, I have learned with difficulty that if you want to host a grand party or prepare a big meal, if the recipes you choose are last minute, it will cause confusion. You don’t want your guests to get this Kind of atmosphere. Again, my favorite thing to do is to make mashed potatoes in advance, prepare the vegetables a day or two before meals, measure the ingredients, make the pie crusts in advance, and store them in the refrigerator or freezer. I hope that on the day of the party, this is really about assembling, baking and finishing. If you are making casseroles, casseroles are great because you can make almost all casseroles two days ago, then put it in the refrigerator without baking, and then take it out and put it in the refrigerator a few hours before the party Bring it to room temperature and then bake it out. If you make them a few days in advance and then let them become more delicious in the refrigerator, they will almost be better.

Which holiday dishes do you always serve?

Oh my God. All I think about is the food before and after the holidays. I have a dish, burgundy mushrooms, my mother-in-law taught me how to make it, basically in a soup pot, you put two or three containers of white mushrooms, a full bottle of red wine, a bunch of garlic, butter, some seasonings , And then cook for nine to ten hours. You must try it. They are amazing, and I associate them with December because they smell so good. 

Eggs Benedict is always made by my mother on Christmas morning, so I like eggs Benedict in any form. There is an Eggs Benedict casserole on my website. If you have to serve several people, this is a fun and easy way. The cinnamon rolls are huge. My mother and I have always had a tradition of making cinnamon rolls and giving them to neighbors. I like lasagna around Christmas, so I am not afraid to make a few casserole lasagna first, followed by biscuits and gravy. This is a Christmas morning tradition for us.

What about desserts? Whether it's an adult's favorite or a child's favorite, what desserts always appear?

The fudge is huge. My father-in-law made the best fudge ever. He makes 20 pans a year, so this is a great Christmas gift. I like bread pudding, it’s a great way to entertain, because it’s best to assemble it earlier in the day or the day before, so that the bread is soaked, and then bake before, to make some kind of creamy whiskey sauce to match the bread pudding ——Now it sounds really suitable for breakfast.

Which side dishes are definitely the easiest for people to make with confidence, especially those who are more like amateur chefs?

Oh my goodness, how many times would I say "mashed potatoes" in this interview? But I like to put the mashed potatoes on top, maybe saute some shallots, caramelize some shallots, then I put them on the bottom of the casserole, then pour the mashed potatoes on top, and put more char on top of the mashed potatoes Sugar shallots, this is a great way to elevate them. If you add enough things to mashed potatoes, butter, cream cheese, and cream, it will taste like you are a French chef and you really know what you are doing. 

I think a good mashed potato dish is the best choice for any food, be it turkey, premium ribs or tenderloin. Then anything that can be in the form of a casserole, just the classic broccoli cauliflower casserole with cheese, you can just make pure cheddar or jack cheese, but you can also improve it a bit and make Gruyere or Fontina. I think I like casseroles during the holidays, probably because they are easy and you can fill the refrigerator.

What is your favorite holiday decoration technique and decoration technique?

This is interesting because I used to be so low-key with Christmas decorations. In terms of what I would do, I would put myself in the low percentile. I have always had a big tree, but I have never really filled my house with a lot of decorations. But in the past five or six years, I have decided that the more the better. I think when my kids leave home, I want them to go home after graduating from college and actually walk in to see Christmas explode in our house. I think one thing I want to say is to have fun and don’t take it too seriously. I definitely prefer the interesting area of ​​holiday decoration. I like things with bright colors and fun, little emotions and proverbs. I used to be a little afraid of messing things up, it seemed too much, but now I completely turned a new page. I basically put some holiday signs on every table. The time of year is so short, I think I will encourage people to pursue it and have fun. More is more.

Is there any special winter holiday tradition that you and your family look forward to year after year?

For me, an important holiday tradition is baking. When I grew up, my mother and I made a pot of cinnamon rolls. We will put them in aluminum foil round cake pans. They are basically the best cinnamon rolls on earth. Neighbors and friends will just sit at the door and wait for us to show up with these cinnamon rolls. We will decorate [those] in an aluminum foil pot and wrap them with bows. I inherited this tradition, but now I like to put them in the decorative holiday pie pan, ceramic pie pan, and then use the pie pan as part of the cinnamon roll gift. In my product line, I have a very affordable holiday pie pan, so it can definitely make this gift possible. This is just a special little touch. For example: "This is the best roll you have ever eaten. Put the pan in place." I think this is a very interesting way to give gifts during the holidays.

How did you choose the items in the new holiday series? What informed the design? What are the specific items included?

Well, I definitely hope that it reflects the lives of my family and me during the holidays, so there are a lot of kitchen supplies, casseroles, pie plates, and gadgets with a Christmas holiday theme. In any case, I spend most of my life in the kitchen, but definitely around the holidays. But for me, I must have color, personality, a little bit of whimsy and excitement about each item. Never mistake my holiday items for what they are. They are just a little happy explosion of colors and personalities. I think for each item, I want to be able to see it and say, "It looks like a holiday item for pioneer women." I think this is a very cute collection.

What are your essential kitchen tools or gadgets?

In terms of gadgets, I am fascinated by my air fryer. I’m a bit late to the world of air fryer, I sometimes resist new appliances, new gadgets, but once I get it, and once I start to really understand what you can do with air fryer, I’m really fascinated. Before and after the holidays, this is great because you can take a pack of meringue, cut it into cubes, fill it with brie cheese and cranberry sauce, fold it up, and place them in an air fryer for four minutes , And then they will be turned into this beautiful little package that is perfect for appetizers. I had a great time. It is also perfect for reheating leftovers. People underestimated the power of leftovers in the air fryer. This really gave them a new lease of life.

Then, whenever you start a really big cooking show, I cannot fully emphasize the importance of having a good knife. The knife set in my kitchen is really big. Good knives, air fryers, and slow cookers near holidays are essential for things like queso. Always keep a slow cooker full of queso and a basket of fries nearby. This will satisfy any kid from 8 to 28 years old.

Are there any tips to reduce stress during the holidays?

Oh my goodness, I sounded like a broken record, but get ready in advance and everything goes well. When I plan a big meal, all I will do is put the recipe in front of me, or at least the list in front of me, and then I check each one carefully and determine in advance what I can do on the third day, two in advance God, I painted it. I do the same thing on Thanksgiving, it makes holiday meals and holiday parties not only pleasant for me, but also pleasant for my guests, because I can talk, I can visit, and they can help with simple Things. Make in advance, prepare in advance, plan. 

Once again, you must keep reminding yourself, especially after we have passed two years, your family will remember how fun these gatherings are. Sometimes if something goes wrong, if you cook the upper ribs too well-I mean, it's actually very sad, I have made it before but it's not delicious-you can always laugh at holiday food accidents, in Roasted viscera bags in turkey are always a classic, but don't put pressure on yourself. To have fun, not everything has to be perfect; as all of us might agree, being together is all these days.

You have been a leader in the field of home cooking for a long time, and even if the space becomes very crowded, you remain relevant. So how do you stay ahead?

Oh my goodness, this is a good question. I think it’s important for me to be loyal to myself and my cooking, rather than trying to be something I’m not in the food field. I have always absolutely let my family life and family life influence the things I cook and the foods I make. I also-I hope it shows-I am passionate about what I do, cook, host my cooking shows, write recipes. 

Twelve years after my first cookbook was published, I still like the whole process and the opinions of the people who made the recipe in my cookbook. I have been filming my Food Network show with my kids. Since the quarantine, they have been filming on the iPhone. Believe it or not, I think when I no longer have fun and are passionate about it, I should probably Pack it because the passion I feel is my fuel. I hope this shows, I hope this is reflected in what I do.

Who is the chef you most want to cook for you?

Oh my God. Oh... Bobby Frye. I guess it's a red-haired thing.

What is an ingredient that you can't live without?

cheese. Various. Yes, it's definitely cheese.

Do you have any sinful happy food?

Yes. I think any form of coffee flavored ice cream or ice cream, I can't believe it.

Check out Walmart's new Pioneer Women's Holiday series and her latest recipe "Pioneer Women Cooking-Super Simple!" on Amazon.