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.
I can’t wait to make all the traditional dishes but I think I will have to add this great Broccoli-Wild Rice casserole as well!
Everything! 🙂
Can’t wait to make and eat my Chocolate Pecan Pie
that broccoli casserole looks awesome going to try it
Corn meal biscuits!
I can’t wait to make pecan pie
Hands down it will be good old southern cornbread dressing with gravy. This year I am trying jalapeño cranberry sauce
Think the broccoli and wild rice casserole will be a do for Sunday church luncheon. Always looking for something a little different
pecan squares they love them
I want to make stuffing with apples this year. I had it at a friends’ house, and it was delicious! I had never thought to put apples in my stuffing before.
Toasted Coconut & Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole. It’s a family favorite that’s spread to become a favorite in more and more families every year every time I serve it.
I try to serve a new vegetable recipe at each holiday dinner. I won’t have to search for a recipe this Year.
I know have an Evernote file just for Pioneer Woman recipes and I cut and paste them in it constantly!! Can’t wait to try this too!
Perfect side for Thanksgiving!
I can’t wait to make and eat your stuffing recipe that I used last year…fantastic!
Homemade Sweet Potatoe Casserole, it’s my dessert 🙂
I can’t wait to make pies, pies, and more pies! Pumpkin Pecan, Apple, and Peanut Butter (from Ree’s recipe on Food Network).
Turkey and stuffing. But the greens beans are my fave! ooo. and pie.
I can’t have Thanksgiving without cranberry-orange relish.
Gonna try the broccoli rice casserole.
Due to crazy work schedules, my husband & I don’t get to meet up with any family this year. So we’re going to have our own Thanksgiving meal by ourselves. And just to be fun we’re going to try to make the whole thing Vegan. 🙂
I am excited to try all of the recipes that I have been finding, but I would say the one I am looking forward to the Most is the Pumpkin Pie. I LOVE Pumpkin Pie. 😀
Thanks for doing a giveaway! Your site looks awesome. 🙂
Ree’s pecan pie!
Turkey, my mashed potatoes & gravy, pumpkin & pecan pie!!
I love turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce!!!! …….and I always have to make my cornbread dressing with lots of sage for my daughters…..they say it’s not really Thanksgiving without Mom’s dressing, so of course I love making it!
Can’t wait to make grandma’s yummy sausage stuffing this year:)
Cannot wait to try this, it looks fabulous!
Pumpkin pie with Ree’s perfect pie crust and loads of whipped cream!
I will be making the stuffing for thanksgiving but will make the rice and brocolli casserole the next day to have with leftover turkey.
BROCCOLI casserole, and must try those pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
I love sweet potato casserole. I have it every year!!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Stuffing, stuffing and more stuffing!!
Turkey, dressing & gravy & cranberry sauce with pecan pie are my favorite foods for Thanksgiving, but I eat what ever our host cooks when we are invited to another home.
My dad’s turkey stuffing, nobody makes it like him!
Looking forward to soft, warm dinner rolls and stuffing. It’s all about the carbs baby!!
Turkey,baby!!
I can’t WAIT to make dressing and turkey, and gravy…and mashed potatoes…and rolls…I guess I ‘m excited for all of it!
This broccoli wild rice casserole looks really good! I like to try a new side dish every year, and if it has wild rice all the better!
My favorite: the stuffing! And a good piece of pumpkin pie!
Sweet potaoes with marshmallows melted on top!
I LOVE making and eating creamed pearl onions for Thanksgiving!
This looks delish and if Ree created this dish it has got to be gooood!!! Putting this on my new dish menu for Thanksgiving–I always add one new recipe at Thanksgiving, just to add a different flavor to our traditional meal!
Definitely the brussels sprouts.
Giblet stuffing & giblet gravy and salads – love, love, love! Pumpkin Pie Squares are delicious too! Yummmmm!
Black-bottom Cupcakes!! My nieces (and now their kids!) always ask for them, and I have to confess I LOVE them too. Okay, and that Hashbrown Casserole, and Ham, and … this year, gotta try the Broccoli-Wild Rice Casserole, yum!
Cornbread stuffing and turkey!
I am making this broccoli/rice casserole for thanksgiving! it will be perfect eith my turkey and other sides! thanks!
Pumpkin cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving morning!
My favorite side dish for both Thanksgiving and Christmas is my Sweet Potato Soufflé. It is always requested and always gone!!
Will be making my homemade noodles by hand again this year. Some years I cut thin , sometimes wide. Lots of chicken broth for great flavor.
I would love to try her homemade pie crust for my pumpkin pie. I have never tried to make one. Also, my family is requesting Ree’s cinnamon rolls. I love Pioneer Woman!! What an inspiration!!
It’s a tie between sweet potato casserole and pecan pie! Hmmmm is thanksgiving here yet?