Congratulations to Mandy, BreAnn, Grace, Amber, and Tammy, the winners of this competition! 

If I had just checked the mailbox earlier on Lent Eve I would have seen Ree’s new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier, sooner. It arrived the night we’re supposed to empty our flour and sugar bins and use up all the excess butter to make (and overdose) on pancakes.

It was well past dinner when I gathered the mail and spied Ree’s book. Thankfully the dishes were done because once I started paging through the book that was it for the night.

The first picture that caught my eye was an incredibly well behaved bejeweled cat:

How did she get her so poised? Our Chloe would never stand for being decked out like that.

But it was her four-page Homemade Glazed Donut tutorial that made me stop. Why hadn’t I checked the mail sooner? Instead of pancakes I could have made doughnuts for dinner! It had all the same ingredients as pancakes– sugar, milk, eggs, butter, flour. Plus they’re fried, making them even more decadent for the day!

There’s another reason I should have fried up a batch of doughnuts last Tuesday night. As I later confessed on twitter, I have three weakness: potato chips, doughnuts, and a good stiff gin and tonic, and I believe we’re meant to enjoy our vices that night.

Gail of One Tough Cookie tweeted back asking if I planned to give up all three for Lent. At the time I didn’t commit, but I’m ready. Yes, I’ll give up potato chips. A reluctant yes to gin and tonics. But since I missed my shot at making doughnuts last Tuesday, I’ve allowed myself–at least today–a couple of Ree’s.

And having experienced Ree’s Homemade Glazed Doughnuts first hand, I think they’re pretty much the ultimate–pure featherlight delights, like warm Krispy Kremes rolling off the conveyer freshly showered with glaze.

Besides the perfect doughnut recipe, Ree’s new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier, consolidates all of your favorites from the site along with some brand new ones. (Photos too!)

There’s another reason to celebrate. Ree has generously offered Three Many Cooks five copies of her new book for a giveaway. And here’s the added incentive. Since the book isn’t officially available until March 12, five lucky winners will receive their copies a wee bit early.

To win one of the five copies of Ree’s new book,  The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier, simply tells us your food weakness(es). Giveaway ends Sunday March 4th at 9 PM ET and winners will be announced the next morning.

Enough! I’ve bared my soul now let’s hear from you.