Pioneering Passion

She may not be the first to show up on the Network channel, but she was one of the first to show up on my side bar. PIONEER Woman, aka Ree Drummond, has had my attention for nearly six years. I first fell in love with her website, then my emotions were captured by her home, her photography, her simple way of life, her dog Charlie, and definitely her passion for cooking. She is so country. I was country when I fell in love with her, well I felt like it since I was situated in a town that barely existed on a map, for nearly 7 years. I could relate to her distance from a functioning town, her feeling of loneliness (which is not necessarily negative) out on the ranch, and her absolute love of gardening/cooking/ and needing to connect with those around her via way of her computer. I have created many of her recipes such as the Sleeping in Omelette, Restaurant Potatoes, and Cowboy Breakfast Burritos. Everything I have created, with her step by step instructions, has been magical and delicious. Now I get to spend a few minutes of my mornings watching her living life on the farm from my cozy front room. Fireplace on, Ree on Food Network, coffee in hand, kids gone to school, wrapped in my favorite blankets is the perfect way to start my mornings. I have been in a definite LOW with cooking. My husband has taken over the kitchen, and has proved to be every bit of a genius in the kitchen as I once was. I was grateful and still am, but unsettled. I have lost several passions, but I think they (the missing passions) are key to my happiness. Passion. I need to PIONEER my passions, light the flames, and knock some socks of MY audience. Ree is preparing my starting line. She is fueling me with the desire to provide warmth, nourishment, and love to my family. Work takes it away from me, but I want to swoop back in after 7 days of work, and claim it. Claim my kitchen, claim my blogging, claim my passions. There is more to this girl than just 7 days....I just need to PIONEER my energy, steal her wonderful recipes (I am not, nor will ever be the one to PIONEER my owns recipes-that's my wonderful husband's talent), and find myself again. Watching her gentle, simple, kindhearted life gets me.



I started with our St Patrick's Day feast. I made the traditional meal of Cabbage, Corned Beef, and Mashed Potatoes. My hubs gave the best idea of using the pretzel buns and Gouda Cheese I purchased, to make a delicious Corned Beef Sandwich. It was amazing!!! I topped my bun with the beef, cabbage, and a nice smearing of condiments, horseradish and mustard. The cheese was enough to put everything over the top delicious. Passion was in my dinner! I didn't care what everyone thought, even though I asked a million times, because I was satisfied. The dinner started with Trivia questions about the history of the holiday, then prizes, food, beer, and for dessert my daughter cleaned the kitchen. The night was perfect. I packed up the left overs, the St Paddy's day Tie, and a beer and dropped it off for my dad. He loved it. We completed the Holiday with a family movie Night. Something Irish of course. "The Quiet Man."  with John Wayne and the spunky O'Hara made for the perfect end to our Irish Night.