It's all about school days and Sundays on the ranch. Ree's making incredible Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies for a field trip with her home-schooled kids. Sunday's menu is Perfect Pot Roast, Blackberry Cobbler and a family nap.
It's all about school days and Sundays on the ranch. Ree's making incredible Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies for a field trip with her home-schooled kids. Sunday's menu is Perfect Pot Roast, Blackberry Cobbler and a family nap.
Below are the recipes used in today’s episode:
Perfect Pot Roast:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/perfect-pot-roast-recipe-2118771
Blackberry Cobbler:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/blackberry-cobbler-recipe-1925731
Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/malted-milk-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe-2105990
On The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond shares her comforting home cooking from her kitchen on the ranch. With direct audio from her hit Food Network TV show, you can now enjoy Ree’s company as she cooks up meals for every occasion, from last-minute family suppers to elegant celebrations.
For even more recipes head to discovery+ and stream full episodes of The Pioneer Woman on discovery+. Head to discoveryplus.com/pioneerwoman to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms apply.
Find full episode transcript here: https://the-pioneer-woman.simplecast.com/episodes/frontier-family
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: I'm Ree Drummond. I'm a writer, blogger, photographer, mother. And I'm an accidental country girl. I live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. And I've got a lot of mouths to feed. My style of food is simple yet scrumptious. And all my recipes have to be approved by cowboys, hungry kids and me. Here's what's happening.
I'm making malted milk chocolate chip cookies to take on a field trip with the kids.
All right, time for cookies.
SPEAKER 1: Fantas-- terrific.
NARRATOR: Then it's Sunday. Small town church, grocery shopping and a meal of perfect pot roast and blackberry cobbler.
SPEAKER 2: I think, this meal is the best meat that I've ever tasted.
NARRATOR: After that, comes naps.
We take the day of rest concept literally. Welcome to my frontier.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Well, we're homeschoolers. And tomorrow I'm taking the kids on a field trip. So they're getting their schoolwork done while I make some chocolate chip cookies to take with us. I've never made a chocolate chip cookie. I didn't like, but I especially love these.
I've got some butter and sugar mixing in here. And I'm adding a couple of eggs. Now, I'll add in two teaspoons of vanilla and my secret ingredient malted milk powder. I'm going to add about a half a cup.
Did you ever used to mix malted milk powder in with milk and a little chocolate syrup and drink it and repeat that several times a day? You didn't? I did. Let that mix for a second. And I'll let that sit and get my dry ingredients, which brings me to a little kitchen feature side line.
I love these bins in my kitchen. I have one big bin for flour and one for sugar. So I don't have to open a lid or get anything out of a cabinet. I just reach in and take it where I need it.
It was a little bit perilous when I had toddlers running all over my house, because every now and then I'd scoop in to get some flour and there'd be like an action figure in there. But they're getting older now, so things are a little more smooth in my kitchen at least where my flour bins are concerned.
I sifted some flour. Now, sift in a little salt and baking soda. And then, I'll sift these together. The kids are being awfully quiet. Well, rather than be worried maybe I'll just stand here and savor the moment. Serenity.
OK, got those done. I'll just turn the mixer on stir. Just gradually dump this in. It already smells different than regular cookie dough. That malt scent is just so wonderful. If you're a cookie dough eater like I am, this is the good stuff.
Then I'll just add in a bag of chocolate chips. I like recipes that call for a whole bag of chocolate chips. It makes me feel a little excessive. Give it a quick stir. They're all mixed in. And that's it.
I make these cookies so often. This cookie spreads when it bakes. So you need to allow it room. These are going to go into a 375 degree oven for about 9 to 11 minutes until they're golden brown and chewy and delicious. I'm going to go check on my kids and see if they're getting their work done.
Let's see if you can do this one all by yourself, OK? Alex, what are you working on?
SPEAKER 3: Latin.
NARRATOR: Pronounce those.
SPEAKER 3: Metto, meteri, missy.
NARRATOR: Good job, Alex. High five. You guys are getting all your work done. You ready for Willow Rock tomorrow?
KIDS: Yeah.
NARRATOR: I am too.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The cookies are done. The tricky part is going to be keeping these away from my kids before our field trip tomorrow.
Who's ready to go Willow Rock?
KIDS: Yeah.
SPEAKER 2: Mom, look at the water buffalo.
SPEAKER 1: I love the baby buffalo.
NARRATOR: Oh, they're so cute. Do you know buffalo and bison are the same thing? Oh, an ostrich guy slip.
SPEAKER 1: Ostrich. Stop mama stop.
SPEAKER 2: They will bite you.
NARRATOR: Let's walk to the next room and see what we can find. Airplane. Did you know the Czech wagon had all of the supplies that they needed to eat and cook? It's amazing what they could do. And he cooked for lots of people. Look, Ocotillo.
SPEAKER 2: Tillo.
[LAUGHS]
NARRATOR: We can't escape them.
All right, time for cookies.
SPEAKER 4: Are they yummy?
SPEAKER 1: Fantas-- terrific.
SPEAKER 2: I give it a 20 out of 10.
[LAUGHS]
NARRATOR: That's pretty good.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Up next, it's Sunday on the ranch. Church, grocery store and a leisurely lunch of perfect pot roast and delicious blackberry cobbler, Oh, and a family nap. They do call it the day of rest after all.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR APPROACHING]
Ladd and the kids are back at the house getting ready for church. And I'm going to run up to the lodge and throw a pot roast in the oven. We're going to have Sunday lunch up there today. Pot roast is the perfect Sunday lunch because you just put it in the oven before you leave for church. And then when you get home, it's ready.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I had to make a lot of really bad pot roast before I finally figured it out. But once I cracked the code, I learned to appreciate how beautiful a good pot roast is. I've been browning some onion halves in this pan.
[SIZZLES]
I love cooked onions. I love brown cooked onions. Now, I'm going to throw in some carrots. And this pan is really, really hot. And the point is to get a little color on these vegetables before we put them all in the pan together and cook the whole thing. I'm going to grab my meat.
Part of why I had to make friends with the pot roast is that I've always had a freezer full of roasts. Those are always the last things to go after the steaks and the hamburgers and the good stuff. And for the longest time, I just could not figure out how to make a good pot roast. Every time I made a pot roast, it was tough. And I thought erroneously that I was cooking the pot roast too long.
So it was sort of a vicious cycle. The next time I'd make one, I'd cook it a little less. And the next time I'd make it, I'd cook it a little less. But what I didn't know and what I would soon learn is that pot roast needs to be cooked for a long, long period of time over low heat in order to dissolve the tough connective tissues in the meat. These carrots are nice and brown. It only took a couple of minutes. That's what a hot pan will do for you.
Now, this is a chuck roast, which is my favorite cut of roast. Got salt and pepper on it. I'm just going to press it against the bottom of that pan. Just sear it. Get a nice golden brown on both sides.
I think, through the years pot roast has gotten a little bit of a bad rap, because it can seem a little bit uninspired at times. But honestly, a good pot roast is one of the best things you'll ever eat. I love having a freezer full of roasts now so I can see how many different ways I can prepare them. OK, so I'm just going to flip this over to the other side. It already smells delicious. And it hasn't even begun to cook yet. OK, this is nice and brown.
Now, I'm going to take the meat out just for a minute. And now, I'm going to grab some beef broth. Now, I know that some people always have a picture of homemade beef broth in their fridge at all times, probably, a ceramic pitcher at that. But I use the carton out of my pantry. I'm just keeping it real here. OK, that should be good. I've loosened up all those wonderful flavorful particles in the bottom of the pan.
And now, I'm just going to add the meat back into the pan, right into the liquid. And I'll just add the vegetables. And this would be delicious on its own, but I have found that a couple of sprigs of fresh herbs can completely transform a pot roast from delicious to life changing. I'm using rosemary and thyme. You don't need to chop them up. Just throw in the sprigs.
OK. Now, at this point, it gets really, really complicated. So pay attention. You take the lid and you put it on the pot. It's not really complicated. I was just kidding. Now, it goes into a 275 degree oven for three or four hours depending on the size of your roast. You don't need to fiddle with it. You don't need to stir it. You don't even need to check on it. Just let it go.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Good morning.
SPEAKER 5: Good morning. Life is well. Are you busy?
NARRATOR: Thank you. Yes, and busy.
[LAUGHS]
How are you?
SPEAKER 6: Good. I'm fine.
NARRATOR: Church women have prepared delicious treats for us all to enjoy. So it's kind of an appetizer for the pot roast we're going to have in a little bit.
[LAUGHS]
Well, I left the boys with Ladd. Every Sunday after church, I go to the store because I'm in town anyway. But I thought, I have too many groceries to get today to take my boys to the store with me. And it can get a little crazy when they go along. Plus, we got to get to the store because the Baptist church is the biggest church in town. And as soon as they get out of church, the store turns into a madhouse.
So every week, I play beat the Baptist church. I have lots of Baptist friends, nothing against the Baptist church. But there are a lot of people there. And they make the store really crowded. So come on, girls. We got to get.
[LAUGHS]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Up next, it's shopping, cooking, eating and napping, and a leisurely lunch of perfect pot roast and delicious blackberry cobbler.
Oh girls, would you all run-- get me a couple of boxes of blackberries? See if you can find some.
SPEAKER 7: Yeah, let's go.
NARRATOR: How are you guys?
SPEAKER 8: Good.
NARRATOR: I'm hungry for pot roast. Are you?
SPEAKER 7: Yeah.
NARRATOR: Have a good day.
SPEAKER 8: Have a nice day.
NARRATOR: Bye bye.
SPEAKER 8: Bye.
[PUSHCART ROLLING]
[CAR DOOR SHUTS]
NARRATOR: All right, time to go get the pot roast on the table.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Well, we're back from church. And I'm going to stick a blackberry cobbler in the oven. Blackberry cobbler goes perfect with pot roast. It's just a good, wholesome, comfort food filled meal. And blackberry cobbler is one of my favorites.
I always laugh when I say I'm going to make cobbler, because everyone has their own interpretation of cobbler. Some people think of cobbler as fruit in a dish and a pie crust over the top. That's one version. Some people think of cobbler as fruit on the bottom and a biscuit topping, which I think is the technical version of cobbler. But I like a cobbler that's a little bit more cakey and puffy. And I think it's the real thing. The others are just imposters.
So in a bowl, I've got a cup of self-rising flour, a cup of sugar and then a cup of whole milk. Kappa, kappa, kappa, that's easy to remember. And then, 1/2 a stick of melted butter. And that's it. And that right there is why I love this cobbler so much.
If you make a cobbler with a pie crust, you have to cut the shortening into the flour and go through all those steps. If you do it with the biscuit topping, you have to make the biscuit dough. Roll it out. Cut it. This is about a 30 second batter to throw together. And the sooner I can get cobbler in my mouth, the happier I am.
So the batter just into a buttered baking dish. Generously buttered of course, we wouldn't want the cobbler sticking to the pan. And then, I just rinsed some blackberries. No need to dry them. And then, I just sprinkle the blackberries over the batter. And this batter is going to poof and bake around the blackberries and it turns into something not of this world.
And at the end, I just sprinkle on a 1/4 cup or so of sugar. And that gives the crust that nice little crispness and sweetness, of course. And I like to serve this cobbler with freshly whipped cream or ice cream or both.
Now, this needs to bake for about an hour on 350 degrees. And that's one step closer to the meal being done, which means one step closer to my nap. And that is why I love Sundays.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Next up, we're hanging up our hats and spurs and having a relaxing Sunday on the ranch.
Pot roast. Are you hungry?
SPEAKER 1: Yeah.
NARRATOR: Did somebody say cobbler?
SPEAKER 9: Oh, Yes.
NARRATOR: Bring a pillow.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
For recipes from this episode, go to foodnetwork.com/pioneerwoman.
I'm in my comfy clothes finally. Pot roast is ready. And I'm starving. And I'm ready for my nap.
[LAUGHS]
How's that for a list of demands?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Oh, smells so good. I always come home from church, go straight to my bedroom, throw on my jeans, settle in for the day. This looks delicious. This is what pot roast is all about. You try to take it out in one piece, but it falls apart. But that's when you know you've got it right.
Now, you can shred this with two forks. You can slice it with a sharp knife. It really doesn't matter what method you use because it all falls apart anyway. You can pretty much just breathe on it. You'll get the same result. Either way you go you're a winner. All right, I'm going to return the meat to the cooking liquid just to keep it warm.
Now, I like to serve my pot roast with mashed potatoes. That may seem a little radical. A lot of people put their potatoes in the pot roast and bake them for the whole time. But I'm not in love with the texture of potatoes that have been in a pot roast. Or maybe I'm just in love with my creamy mashed potatoes.
It could have something to do with the fact that I load my mashed potatoes with butter, cream cheese, heavy cream. I've got them in the oven right now. All right, I'm going to get the kids to set the table.
Hey, kids.
SPEAKER 9: All right, let's go. You ready? I'm hungry. Are you hungry Paige?
NARRATOR: Mashed potatoes, pot roast. Hey, Toddy. Thanks for helping mama set the table.
SPEAKER 1: You're welcome.
NARRATOR: Are you hungry?
SPEAKER 1: Yeah.
NARRATOR: I'm hungry.
SPEAKER 1: Is that roast beef I see?
NARRATOR: Yep. Daddy, this didn't look so good. I'd skip it and go straight to the nap portion of my Sunday. As it is though, I'm going to load up.
SPEAKER 1: I think, it's great mama.
NARRATOR: I'm so glad you like it Todd. You can't beat a good pot roast.
SPEAKER 2: I think, this meal is the best meal that I've ever tasted.
NARRATOR: You say that every time I make pot roast Bryce. Did somebody say cobbler?
SPEAKER 9: Oh, yes.
NARRATOR: I know that's your favorite daddy. We haven't spoken much during this meal. I think, we were all hungry or tired or both.
SPEAKER 9: [INAUDIBLE] get done so I can get on that cobbler.
NARRATOR: I have dibs on that couch.
[MUSIC PLAYING]