"I'm Ree Drummond, I live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. All my recipes have to be approved by cowboys, hungry kids, and me! Here's what's happening on the ranch..." Sound familiar? This is the opening to the best show to ever air on the Food Network, The Pioneer Woman.
The show first aired in 2011 and my mom and I have been hooked ever since. There are endless reasons to love her — and let's be honest — wish to be her.
Who is this goddess?
Ree grew up a city girl but her lifestyle quickly changed when she fell in love with a 4th-generation cattle rancher from Pawkuska, Oklahoma, and from there, "The Pioneer Woman" made all of her successes.
There are many words to describe Ree and the achievements/awards she's earned thus far: award-winning American blogger, New York Times' bestselling author, food writer, business owner, and television personality. But to her, the most important labels in her life are "mom" and "wife."
What's a day in Ree's life like?
Ree and her husband Ladd have four beautiful children, two boys and two girls. All of her social media pages as well as her blog are a perfect balance of business, family, and pleasure (she obviously has an eye for photography), a balance that many people struggle and strive to have in their hectic lives.
Through watching "Pioneer Woman" on the Food Network Channel to stalking her Instagram page and killing hours flipping through her cookbooks and blog posts, I can honestly say I'm Ree's number one fan. Not just because of her success and fame, but for all that she stands for.
On her blog, you might see a recent post about her newly opened and renovated business, "The Pioneer Woman Mercantile" (road trip anyone?) right next to a post about how she likes to spend the holidays with her family or even a new recipe for sticky buns.
In an interview, Ree said, "I think everyone has a story, I've just found a fun way to tell my story and convey my day-to-day life." And that's exactly what makes her so inspiring.
So what about the food?
16-Minute Meals are one of the Pioneer Woman's biggest hits, both on her TV show as well as her blog. This has major appeal to us college kiddos. Who knew a delicious meal was even possible in that little time? Skip the outrageous estimated time for pizza delivery and try Ree's go-to 16-minute meal, French Bread Pizzas, and your life will change forever.
Where do I get her products?
I've always loved cooking for as long as I can remember, but the moment I truly realized I was a foodie (and Pioneer Woman wannabe) was when I unwrapped cookware from The Pioneer Woman's line sold at Walmart! My friends and family must really know me
What I love about Ree's cookware line is that it is so accessible to everyone, specifically college kids who want to transform their kitchen into a beautiful frontier of their own. Even though I cringe every time I pull into a packed War-Mart parking lot, we all seem to shop there and The Pioneer Woman section makes it completely worth it when you walk out with adorable kitchen additions.
One of my favorite things about The Pioneer Woman products are that they're always changing, which means there's always more to add to your collection! There has been a fall line, a holiday line, and I'm hoping a spring line will be coming soon (fingers crossed).
What's next?
Ree's Instagram biography reads, "Wife of Cowboy. Mother of Four. Lover of Butter. Amen.❤️" If this isn't a life goal, I don't know what is! But if marrying a rancher from Oklahoma and becoming a famous blogger and TV personality aren't in the cards for you, (keep on dreaming!) then there's still hope.
You can still become a "Pioneer Woman" on your own frontier, wherever that may be in this world. All you have to do is follow by Ree Drummond's example: showcase your love of food and family in your own way, all while being completely yourself — just like Ree said in her most recent blog post, "I have to be me," which are the most inspiring words possible.