From a rediscovered collection of autobiographical accounts written by hundreds of Kansas pioneer women in the early twentieth century, Joanna Stratton has created a collection hailed by Newsweek as “uncommonly interesting” and “a remarkable distillation of primary sources.” Never before has there been such a detailed record of women’s courage, such a living portrait of the women who civilized the American frontier. Here are their stories: wilderness mothers, schoolmarms, Indian squaws, immigrants, homesteaders, and circuit riders. Their personal recollections of prairie fires, locust plagues, cowboy shootouts, Indian raids, and blizzards on the plains vividly reveal the drama, danger and excitement of the pioneer experience. These were women of relentless determination, whose tenacity helped them to conquer loneliness and privation. Their work was the work of survival, it demanded as much from them as from their men—and at last that partnership has been recognized. “These voices are haunting” (The New York Times Book Review), and they reveal the special heroism and industriousness of pioneer women as never before.

Paula Deen meets Erma Bombeck in The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Ree Drummond’s spirited, homespun cookbook. Drummond colorfully traces her transition from city life to ranch wife through recipes, photos, and pithy commentary based on her popular, award-winning blog, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, and whips up delicious, satisfying meals for cowboys and cowgirls alike made from simple, widely available ingredients. The Pioneer Woman Cooks—and with these “Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl,” she pleases the palate and tickles the funny bone at the same time.

Describes the lives of women of various backgrounds as they traveled west, established homes, worked inside and outside the home, and helped to develop settled society

The enhanced e-book edition of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier gives you behind-the-scenes access to Ree at home on her ranch. In it you'll find videos of Ree cooking a bunch of her favorite recipes, six recipes not found in the book, and Ree's list of her favorite movies and songs to cook to. I'm Pioneer Woman. And I love to cook. Once upon a time, I fell in love with a cowboy. A strapping, rugged, chaps-wearing cowboy. Then I married him, moved to his ranch, had his babies . . . and wound up loving it. Except the manure. Living in the country for more than fifteen years has taught me a handful of eternal truths: every new day is a blessing, every drop of rain is a gift . . . and nothing tastes more delicious than food you cook yourself. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier is a mouthwatering collection of the simple-but-scrumptious recipes that rotate through my kitchen on a regular basis, including Cowgirl Quiche, Sloppy Joes, Italian Meatball Soup, White Chicken Enchiladas, and a spicy Carnitas Pizza that'll win you over for life. There are also some elegant offerings for more special occasions at your house: Osso Buco, Honey-Plum-Soy Chicken, and Rib-Eye Steak with an irresistible Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce. And the decadent assortment of desserts, including Blackberry Chip Ice Cream, Apple Dumplings, and Coffee Cream Cake, will make your heart go pitter-pat in the most wonderful way. In addition to detailed step-by-step photographs, all the recipes in this book have one other important quality in common: They're guaranteed to make your kids, sweetheart, dinner guests, in-laws, friends, cousins, or resident cowboys smile, sigh, and beg for seconds. (And hug you and kiss you and be devoted to you for life.) I hope you enjoy, devour, and love this book. I sure did love making it for you.

New York Times bestseller A down-to-earth, hilarious collection of stories and musings on marriage, motherhood, and country life from the #1 New York Times bestselling author and star of the Food Network show The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. Once upon a time, I lost my marbles and married a sexy, Wrangler-wearing cowboy named Ladd. That single decision would wind up setting the stage for years of rural adventures (and misadventures), and while I can't imagine my life being any different, raising a family in the “idyllic” countryside has not been without a few bumps in the road. (Or were those cow patties? It's hard to tell the difference sometimes.) I'm excited to share this crazy collection of true stories from my full-of-energy, hard-to-tame, wonderfully wild (and very weird) frontier family. From the unique challenges of being married to a rancher to the blood, sweat, mud, and tears of raising country kids, I'll pull back the curtain and let you in on some of the sh*t and shenanigans that have really gone on here on Drummond Ranch over the past two-plus decades. You'll learn about marital spats, run-ins with wildlife, ER visits, my parenting neuroses, triumphs, tribulations, love, loss . . . and how manure has somehow managed to weave its way through all of it. To keep things up to the minute, you'll also hear about more recent family developments that have tested my sanity and pushed me to the brink. (And pleasantly surprised me, too.) This book is both a love letter and a laugh letter, and I hope you get a big kick out of it all: the good, the bad, and the dirty. Mostly, I hope it demonstrates how much I adore this family of mine . . . even if I sometimes have to use rubber snakes to show it.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author and Food Network favorite The Pioneer Woman cooks up exciting new favorites from her life on the ranch in this glorious full-color cookbook that showcases home cooking at its most delicious (and most fun!). Welcome to Ree’s new frontier! So much has happened on Drummond Ranch over the last couple of years: The kids are growing up, another left for college, Ree’s schedule is crazier than ever…and through it all, her cooking has evolved. While she and her family still love all the hearty comfort foods they’re accustomed to, Ree’s been cooking up some incredible new dishes that reflect the flavors, colors, and texture she’s craving these days. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier features 112 brand new step-by-step recipes that bring fresh, exciting elements into your everyday meals. From super-scrumptious breakfasts, to satisfying soups and sandwiches, to deliciously doable suppers and sides—and, of course, a collection of irresistible sweets you’ll want to make immediately!—these pages will deliver a big list of fabulous new dishes for you to add to your repertoire. A wife of a cowboy, mother of growing kids, and a businesswoman with a packed work schedule, Ree knows exactly what it means to juggle life’s numerous demands simultaneously. The recipes in this book use everything from a skillet to a Dutch oven to an Instant Pot, so you’ll have a mix of options to suit your own timeframe. And to reflect her own occasional adventures in carb cutting, Ree shares dozens of luscious lower-carb options for those days you want to eat a little lighter without sacrificing flavor. In The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier you can explore an amazing and eclectic mix of traditional and new, including: • Portobello Bun Burgers (revolutionary) • Instant Pot Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal (tastes just like fall!) • Lasagna Soup (so family friendly) • Fried Tomato Sandwich (with pesto mayo and whole basil leaves) • Parmesan Crisps (an irresistible low-carb snack) • Zucchini Caprese Sliders (a pretty and tasty low-carb delight) • Blueberry Ricotta Crostini (gorgeous party food!) • Teriyaki Shrimp and Pineapple Parcels (the new way to stir fry) • Mean Green Mac and Cheese (mac & cheese + veggies = score!) • Ranch Pork Chop Supper (kids will love to make it) • Cauliflower Fried Rice (a guilt-free version of your favorite takeout dish) • Ice Cream Bonbons (smaller bites, to satisfy quick cravings) • 11-Carton Cake (uses a carton of yogurt, then the carton measures everything else!) • Caramel Apple Quesadillas (beyond belief) Filled with endless variations, ingredient discussions, and equipment suggestions sprinkled among sensational recipes that offer a mix of refined and down-home, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier offers a whole new world of “scrumptious” for you to explore!