Author Visit: 12/18 Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman Cooks 1-3PM EST

[kam617]

I'd love one of the t-shirts you gave away at the book signings, but I was unable to make it when you came to Atlanta.  Any chance they could go up for sale?

[mmdubois08]

What is your weakness? (food, chocolate, MM...etc.) And we are all aware of your use of humor (atleast I think you are halarious!), but are you ever a hard critic of yourself or do you just brush thing off?

Megan

[Ree_Drummond]

Jfox3977

I would love to know approximately what type of schedule you keep for a day or week.  Do you have set times that you try and sit down at the computer to write or edit photos etc?  or are you an on the fly when you fit it in girl?

For the most part, I don't follow a schedule at all. If I did, I'd fall short! It's best not to have a checklist every day; that way, whatever you accomplish is a bonus!

If I have time to cook something for the website, I'll whip it out. Then I might not get to the photos until late that day. Then I won't actually write the post until late that night. In between all of that, I'll do math with the oldest daughter and spelling with my baby. I might throw in a load of laundry. Then I'll write a Confessions post, depending on what's swimming around in my head at that moment. I prefer the stream-of-consciousness approach to life, and I think that's why I love blogging so much.

It also helps not to be very Type-A. I'm kinda like Type L or M.

[KellySAHM]

How are you managing homeschool with all the kids this time of year?  I am sure the "field trips" they got to take with you were a great supplement!  It was great seeing you in Dallas!

[PrairieKerri]

Ree - I met you at the Dallas signing.  I was with the Waco girls....the one with my little boy, whom I talked out of actually bringing his rope to rope with your boys.  We stood in line for 4 hours at the signing and all the while, everytime I looked over your direction you had a smile as big as Texas across your face.  So, my question is, do you ever get frustrated, tired, overwhelmed?  If not, what's your secret?  (Maybe you could right a book on that, too!)  

Thanks again for all your awesome recipes and taking the time to share them with us! 

Blessings,
Kerri

[lizardbeth55]

Ohhh yes, you must must must (did I mention must?) sell your shirts.

[Ree_Drummond]

Rylies_Mama

My question is about your Cinnamon Rolls.  My twin sis and I are making them together next week and giving them to friends and neighbors but I want to save a batch for Christmas morning.  This is my daughter's first Christmas and we have a ton of family coming over.  Do I freeze the Cinnamon Rolls on Tuesday or do I put them in the fridge until Friday?

I would probably freeze them as soon as they've cooled down. Wrap really well with plastic wrap, then with foil. Then just pull 'em out early in the morning and let them thaw before warming (covered with foil---remove plastic wrap first) in the oven.

I'm making cinnamon rolls all weekend! And Monday. And Tuesday. And Wednesday.

Then I'm having a bonfire of my skinny jeans. I didn't need those suckers anyway.

[Ree_Drummond]

Tracy3906

And your Pinto Beans and Cornbread. I've tried this several times but I have 2 problems: I can't find the 'Pinto Bean Seasoning' anywhere and my beans always come out dry and hard. What could I be doing wrong?

Okay, first: you don't need that silly seasoning! Just add salt, pepper, a little chili powder. Really, salt and pepper are more than enough.

Second: dry and hard? It sounds like there's not enough liquid in there? Do you start with the beans amply covered in water, and do you add more water if it gets too low during the cooking process?

[lizardbeth55]

Hi Ree!  I'm a new fan of yours but I love the book and your blog.

My question is are any of your punks (I prefer the term gremlin for my own ) picky eaters?  If so, how do you deal?

[Ree_Drummond]

To KimberlyWilt

I'm new to home schooling my precious kiddo and was wondering what curricula you use?  And how do you work out your schedule and work station for the kids?

Before this year I had settled into a whole bunch of a la carte homeschooling programs and materials: this math program, that Latin program, this spelling, that history.

But this year I started using Sonlight, because it's easy to do with multiple children and they can all, say, be on the same era of history at the same time (we're on Ancients right now), so there can be a lot of overlapping instruction and learning by osmosis. Also, Sonlight keeps it all organized into a weekly "schedule" (not time schedule; more like weekly assignments) so while I was on my book trip and traveling a lot, Marlboro Man could easily dig in and keep the ball rolling.

Sonlight is an expensive initial investment---about $600, give or take, per kid! But the stuff lasts a long time and can be used for years.

[JoAnne_in_CT]

Hi Ree!

It was so great to meet you in NYC!  I felt like a nervous groupie!  Forgot everything I wanted to ask you...  that said, did you get any shopping done in the City?

Ann & I had a great day together and wandered around, had lunch & took lots of photos - thank you for being the reason we came in because we probably never would have had that fun time together!

Hope you liked your necklace & earrings & the CT made Chardonnay - I'm sure you needed it when you finally got home!

Thanks again for being such a bright spot in the lives of so many - you've gotten me through many a bad day.  Merry Christmas to you & your gorgeous family!

JoAnne in CT

[Ree_Drummond]

TheParkWife

Hmmm... a question, what are the punks getting for Christmas this year? What do the little ranch hands want?

Now, let's talk Pioneer Woman shirts, how can I get one or a few for my bloggy friends? We Arkansas folks did not get to partake of those sweet cotton wonders. The No shirt, No shoes, No service really hurts trade in Arkansas. Just think, you could help our economy by providing shirts, now if we can just get people to wear shoes.

Hi, Park Wife! I loved meeting you in November. Why does that suddenly seem like ten years ago?

I have no idea what the punks are getting for Christmas. I haven't bought one gift. Yes, I'm aware Christmas is in a week.

T-shirts...I have a small handful left. Email me!

[JessicaDC]

Am I allowed to ask two questions? I forgot the first question that I wanted to ask:  how is Lady?

Best,

Jessica

[Ree_Drummond]

Melisa_Lee

Who would you have play Marlboro Man if a movie was made of your life?

I never did answer that in Austin, did I?

I actually have the actor picked out...but he's Jewish and from New York. I don't happen to think that would be a problem, but you never know.

As I said, I firmly believe Elle Macpherson, circa 1993, should play me.

Or maybe Lindsay Lohan.

*Back to the drawing board.*

[Urban_Fussy_La…]

OK, confessions of a recipe thief!

I bought two of your cookbooks to give as Christmas gifts. I got them in PLENTY of time so that I could systematically go through one of them and re-type all of my favorite ones into my electronic recipe file. I have also pilfered shamelessly from your website!

I haven't cooked and/or baked this much in years since I discovered your blog. I am now pushing the limits on my slacks and looking a bit sloppy elsewhere ... oh, but what a way to go!

My question: How do you remain so gracious at your public appearances when the lines are endless and last for hours? The only day I can think of that comes close to that experience was my wedding day, when the smile was in place for hours on end. Truth be told, my face hurt. My feet hurt. And it started to show in the photographs later in the day. Do you ever regret the success of your book?

[Ree_Drummond]

JessicaDC

I was just wondering how long it took you to develop your fabulous photography skills? Is photography something that you took up when you started blogging, or was it an interest before the blog? The pictures on your blog are so beautiful -- they both inspire and intimidate me.

Oh, Jessica. You should NOT be intimidated by my photography skills! I literally bought myself a camera a week or two after I started my blog in 2006. I had no idea how to operate it, and it took me a long time to learn. If you look back at the photos on my blog that first year, there were some decent ones here and there but I was really very much a beginner...and it shows.

What I did was take photos constantly---every single day. And now 3 1/2 years later, I've improved a lot. But then I look at other people's photography---the true professionals---and I just shrivel with inferiority. It's all relative!

[em-jay]

Your answer to ParkWife about the t-shirts--does that apply to everyone?

[minihays]

Is there something you would be willing to trade for one of those t-shirts? Assuming I have something you would want! Pretty please?

Andi

http://andihays.net

[JenAwesome]

Hi Ree!

Its so cool to (almost) talk to you!

I love you blog, which I follow it regularly, and it got me to thinkin'...  Just how did your blog become so popular?  Was it through advertising, joining blog rings, or just by people stumbling upon it and getting hooked? Did you ever anticipate becoming  or want to be such a popular woman?  You're definitely a mentor to me in many ways, especially in blogging and photography.  Keep being you.  You're awesome.

Jen. in. Vermont.

PS.  I can't wait for Black Heels to Tractor Wheels in book form!

[Ree_Drummond]

MMDubois08

What is your weakness? (food, chocolate, MM...etc.) And we are all aware of your use of humor (atleast I think you are halarious!), but are you ever a hard critic of yourself or do you just brush thing off?

My weakness:

Any dessert with a coffee flavor or undertone (coffee ice cream, tiramisu, etc.)

Pasta (I can't not eat the whole thing)

Am I a hard critic of myself?

Hmmm. Yes and no. I live very much in the moment and don't do a lot of looking back or regretting. On a day-to-day basis, I'm very self-deprecating, because I feel like a disorganized freak most of the time. And I'm right: I am. But I'm happy. Sometimes confident. Almost always content. Even if I am a freak.