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.
Stuffing and pecan pie
I can’t wait for my moms home made crockpot stuffing. She made it a couple of years ago for the first time and I’ve been in love with stuffing ever since!!!
fried rabbit
We always have broccoli casserole… So I think I will switch it up this year with a new recipe ! Ree’s recipe looks great!
looks like I will try this and hopefully I will win a cookbook also!!
I can’t wait to make sweet potato casserole. A true southern tradition!
My sister always makes rice dressing, but only once a year at Thanksgiving. She makes a lot, and several of us bring a dish to take some leftovers home. It’s awesome!
side dishes side dishes side dishes!!!
turkey carcass and leftovers soup. omg. LOVE that stuff
cranberry sauce..
green bean casserole! I am making Thanksgiving dinner by myself for the first time this year and would LOVE a cook book to help me out!
I want to try the hash brown casserole.
Super simple but indulgent baked brie with pecans, cranberries, and brown sugar in puff pastry
Oyster Dressing
PE-CAN Pie!!! Yummm and all the other stuff…
I cannot wait for the mashed potatoes smothered with homemade turkey gravy! MMM….my mouth is watering!
This will be my first thanksgiving making homemade cranberry sauce, can’t wait 🙂
roasted garlic mashed potatoes!
I can’t wait for the whole Thanksgiving meal 🙂
My family loves me to bring a big bowl of ham salad and a big bowl of potato salad, for when we all get tired of (or run out of) turkey. I know, call us crazy. lol
I can’t wait to prepare the Thanksgiving stuffing! The recipe has been passed down from my mother. The memory of helping her prepare the stuffing on Thanksgiving when I was a child will remain with me forever!
I look forward to my dressing and cranberry sauce yummmm
Oh I can’t wait for the yummy cranberry stuffing and pumpkin pie!!
Mmmmm sweet potatoe mash-up
The first bite of dressing with mash potato, cranberry jelly and gravy. It is the combination that makes it so much better
Deep fried turkey is my favorite. As good as it is the day of, it makes incredible sandwiches the next couple of days.
I want to try the cinnamon rolls.
I’ll be making my sweet potato casserole and a pumpkin roll for dessert!
Pumpkin roll
Pumpkin Pie! I follow the recipe on the Libby’s can, but add a bit of nutmeg and a shot of whiskey to the pumpkin before baking. Yum!!
Sweet potato casserole
I love spritz cookies the best, but I love dessert so not too picky! I think I love spritz cookies the best, because my family always got together and made them for Christmas. My grams, my mom, my sisters and my cousins. We made enough cookies for everyone and then some for Christmas at church. Love those memories…
I get requests every year to make my brined turkey!! Ready for the holidays! This wild rice recipe looks wonderful, I’ll have to try it!
Having just now read the recipe above, wildrice with broccoli, it sounds delish, I’m going to add that to my Thanksgiving feast!
Would love to win one of your cookbooks. Always looking for new ideas.
Lemon Sour Cream Pie
I love stuffing right out of the turkey.
Sweet potato casserole.
Oops forgot to say sweet potatoes are my favorites for Thanksgiving.
Mashed poatatoes
cornbread sausage dressing
yummy cranberry stuffing and pumpkin pie
Green bean casserole….
Stuffing. I’ve never had homemade and I get to be in charge of it this year!
I love all her recipes and would love to win her new cookbook.
I’m actually inspired by Ree and am going to try her recipe for brine soaked turkey this year. I can’t wait!! And her stuffing recipe might be a winner too. Oh heck, I love it all!! 😉
Cornbread Dressing & gravy! Yum!
Left-over turkey casserole. I dare say I look forward to that more than the whole bird!
Stuffing and sweet potatoes!
Pumpkin pie!