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.
Definately trying this!
This casserole sounds perfect for my family dinner tonight! I’ll give it a try. If it’s a hit tonight, it will be on my Christmas menu this year. Looks AMAZING!
I hope I win… I need some inspiring ideas for Christmas festivities :0)
My favorite is the stuffing, oh wait, the cranberries, but then again, green bean casserole. But the very best “side” is family around the table.
I am going to try the broccoli wild rice casserole on Thanksgiving after watching her make it on TV!
Sweet Potato Casserole! I top mine with a mixture of brown sugar, pecans, coconut and crushed cornflakes in tbsp. of butter. Then I put mini marshmallows on. Just make sure you don’t set the oven to broil & catch the oven on fire. (yes I did that!)
Homemade Stuffing and Homemade Apple Pie!!
I look forward to the Candied Sweet Potatoes every year. It was hard to choose my favorite though. This casserole sounds yummy, maybe I will bring this instead of the usual green bean casserole I make.
i cant wait to make cornbread dressing its my absolute fav thing to eat!!!!
Wild rice broccoli casserole….thinking I will need to make this a new tradition for our family!
Homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy MMmmmm!!
I am making the Citrus Butter Cookies to take for that little morning goodie to have with coffee…or in the afternoon with tea…so wonderful!!!
Always looking for new recipes. Cant wait to try this Broccoli and rice one!
Pumpkin pie!! And a dish we make called Cheddar Carrots – Yum…..we don’t make them all summer long, so I’m DYING to have some! 🙂
I don’t have many cookbooks. I can’t wait to try something from Ree’s book.
Going to try to make dressing!
I am going to attempt making a Pumpkin Pie. I even have trouble with frozen ones! Wish me luck!
Home made stuffing – YUM!
Oooh – I cook a turkey so I can have the leftovers for home-made turkey soup, based on my Mom’s no-fail recipe!! The whole extended family loves it – they love getting a container of it delivered to their home.
Just love stuffing!!! Can’t wait to make it.
My sister-in-law’s sweet potato casserole!
Can’t wait for some tasty dressing and homemade gravy!!Yummmmmmm!
while I love it all, I am always required to make mashed potatoes and gravy for my family. I love the make ahead variety.
Turkey and Dressing – nothing new – just good eating! Love your show and especially love seeing your family!
Trying turducken for the very first time this Thanksgiving…
I can’t wait to make stuffing. I just love the smell of the onions, celery and poultry seasoning simmering in butter. Yum!
Turkey and Dressing!
I want to try her brussel sprouts too! But for our thanksgiving table I always look forward to the pumpkin pie!
Italian Sausage Stuffing!!
I love cookbooks!
I can’t wait to make pecan pie.
I can’t wait to make my first turkey!
Cornbread dressing, Nad a green bean/lima casserole to die for!
I make the same broccoli casserole every year. It’s a family favorite.
I like the broccoli-wild rice casserole! Looks so good!
The broccoli & wild rice casserole looks scrumptious! Can’t wait to make it!
I will make Sweet Potato Casserole
brown sugar /pecan topping 🙂 🙂
apple pie with icecream warmed
Old Fashioned Stuffing.
Sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie!
making sweet potato casserole.
Mmmmmm going to make Ree’s mashed potatoes. They have been voted in as a new family holiday tradition for both Thanksgiving AND Easter!
I am so excited for pumpkin pie!!!!!
Actually, it’s Ree’s delicious Pecan Pie with Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce. It’s out of this world delicious!!
I cannot wait to taste my mom’s cornbread dressing. She is 85 years and still makes the dressing for the family meal. We make the other dishes but no as of yet as dared to make her dressing! It is the best. I hope when the time comes that I will need to make this for the family that I can come close to mom’s recipes. Happy Thanksgiving!
Pineapple Cheese casserole. Not a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but I made it once at a family birthday and my aunt suggested it be a new Thanksgiving staple. So now it is! 🙂
Green bean casserole is my favorite!
Green been casserole is my favorite thing to eat during the holidays!
Sweet Potatoe Casserole…with pecans, not marshmallows….love it!
I can not wait for the entire diner. My 14 year old grandson will be helping me cook.
I am always looking for a lower carb, lower sugar recipes, and I will be able to switch my regular Broccoli and rice recipe. thnx for being mindful for those of us who are trying to be healthy!!