Congratulations to our giveaway winners Adrienne, Heather, Wanda, Mary-Jo and Kiki on winning Ree Drummond’s new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays. Enjoy!
Today we’re featuring Broccoli-Wild Rice Casserole, one of Ree Drummond’s Thanksgiving side dishes from her new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays. Even better we’re giving away five copies!
Believe it or not, in her acknowledgements Ree credits me with giving her the idea for this book a few years ago. She ponders whether the idea came while we were sitting in her kitchen “sipping coffee (or was it wine?).” Hmm.
Maybe I’m a bit biased, but I love Ree’s Year of Holidays. Bookended by New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve, this book is exquisitely crammed with recipes, photos, decorating ideas, and tips for all twelve big holidays in between. Imagine, all your favorite holiday recipes—stuff you really want to make—done well and in one place.
As I page through the book, there are so many dishes I want to share with our readers. Like Ree’s brilliantly simple Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries or her to-die-for Caramel Apple Pie. As David was leafing through the book, he stopped at a photo of an Easter brunch plate, pointed to the Eggs in Hash Brown Nests, and boldly proclaimed, “I want that!” And even if there are no kids at my house on Valentine’s Day, I’m definitely making those Candy-Dipped S’Mores.
I also loved all the pictures of the family—Ree’s kids, her mom and dad, her mother- and father-in-law, and her sister, Betsy. There are even some vintage photos of her. These photos make an already great book feel warm and special.
Because I’ll be reaching for it regularly, this book has been added to the select group that actually lives in my kitchen. I am looking forward to this year of holidays, and to adding some wonderful new recipes to our traditional ones.
Thanks for the gift of new holiday inspiration, Ree. You can call me for coffee (or wine!) any time!
Let’s keep it simple. To enter the contest to win one of the five books we’re giving away, leave a comment telling us what dish you can’t wait to make or eat this Thanksgiving. Contest ends this Sunday night, November 17th at 9 PM Eastern Time. We’ll announce winners the following morning.
(I’m pretty excited about trying those Brussels sprouts!)
- 2 cups wild rice or wild rice blend
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 to 3 broccoli crowns, cut into small florets
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
- 1 medium-large onion, cut into small dice
- 1 pound domestic white or baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
- 2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Place rice in a large saucepan, along with 5 cups of the broth; bring to boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is just tender and broth is almost absorbed, 35 to 45 minutes; set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a large pot of boiling, salted water. Add broccoli florets and cook until bright green and tender crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately drain broccoli and plunge it into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain and set aside.
- Heat 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and mushrooms; saute until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery; saute until all of the vegetables are soft and mixture starts to turn golden brown. Sprinkle in flour; stir to incorporate. Stir in remaining 3 cups of broth; bring to a simmer and continue to simmer to thicken slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in heavy cream; continue to simmer to heat through. Remove from heat.
- When ready to assemble, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread half of the rice in a 13- by 9-inch pan or other 2-quart casserole. Add enough broccoli to cover the surface. Repeat layering with remaining rice and enough broccoli to cover the surface. Ladle on sauce to evenly cover the casserole.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter; toss with panko crumbs to coat. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over casserole. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until breadcrumbs and golden brown and casserole is bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve or as Ree would say, “Then dig in!”
We agree, Ree.
Corn Fluff
Stuffing is my favorite…..always love the sides.
Pecan pie of of course!
The yummy broccoli casserole !
pumpkin pie
Turkey & Stuffing !!
Pecan sweet potatoes
Sweet potato casserole!
Dressing with cranberry sauce!
I can eat turkey anytime of yr. We have turkey burgers for breakfast every school morning for the boys and I sneak an extra one for me I will be making my pecan pie for the holidays for me and all the extras with your new recipies
Green bean casserole
I love dressing and will make that and I will make the eggs in a nest at some point during the holidays, maybe more than once.
Dressing….love the cornbread dressing!
Pumpkin pie!
I can’t wait to make corn meal rolls!! They are so yummy and perfect for Thanksgiving!!
Pecan bars! Made with a cake mix butter crust, gooey topping, tons of pecan hakves an a touch of orange zest!
Stuffing, stuffing, and more stuffing. I can’t wait to make this holiday favorite!
I can’t wait for roasted sweet potatoes or brussel sprouts! I really love it all…cornbread dressing, homemade cranberry sauce, potato casserole, green chili cream corn – all of it!
brined cajun turkey
My husband’s awesome cornbread dressing!
Green.Bean.Casserole!! I love the old fashioned version, cream of mushroom and all. I have seen updated recipes but they just don’t look the same. I love it!!
Looking forward to the whold shebang !
I always look forward to the dressing. I love the stuff!
Cornbread dressing!
love Turkey
Looking forward to the whole shebang !
I love to make turkey and dressing, and love having left overs!
My favorite Thanksgiving dish actually comes the day or two after. I call it Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza. Use cranberries for the sauce, top with shredded turkey and whatever other toppings you like. Sweet and savory, thrifty and delicious!
Anything pumpkin and of course oyster stuffing. I have cooked my way through Pioneer Womens cookbooks and would love to have a signed holiday book.
Happy Holidays!
Hominy casserole!! So yummy!
We just found out my newborn has a dairy allergy, so no mashed potatoes or green bean casserole for me 🙁 It’s a good thing stuffing is my favorite!!!
Sweet Potatoes!
Sweet potato souffle!
sweet potato casserole
I’m looking forward to pecan pie!
I always like to try a new dressing recepie.
Butternut squash stuffed shells.
I am excited to try the broccoli casserole this year.
My moms homemade Portuguese stuffing!!
I am so excited about the corn bread dressing we make at Thanksgiving! I could eat that for days!
For the first time ever I will be making a pumpkins cheesecake. Pumpkin..yum! Cheesecake..yum! What is not to love?!
Turbacoducken!
Green Bean Casserole!
Pumpkin Cake with cream cheese frosting
STUFFING
I love brussels sprouts will be fixing them
I can’t wait for onion casserole, goes with the traditional holiday foods so well
Butternut squash au gratin
I love a good sweet potato casserole!!
My mother in law always makes homemade noodles which she cooks in chicken broth. The flour that coats the noodles thickens the broth into a gravy- like consistency which is really delicious.