Ree Drummond - The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays: 140 Step-by-Step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations

To my mom and dad,
FOR A LIFETIME OF HOLIDAY MEMORIES . To my husband and children,
FOR THE NEW ONES WERE MAKING TOGETHER . CONTENTS
Theres nothing more delicious than a holiday . Oh, is it ever true. Whenever a holiday approaches, memories rush to the surface, plans take shape, anticipation builds. and hug everyone I see. and hug everyone I see.

And one more thing: It makes me want to cook! Ive said it before and Ill say it again: Holidays really are just one enormous excuse to eat. Oh, dont get me wrong: I cherish the true meaning behind each holiday and carry its significance in my heart. But cmon: What would Valentines Day be without chocolate? What would Easter Sunday be without ham? What if Thanksgiving passed by without a big, succulent turkey? And what would become of humankind if we couldnt celebrate Halloween by wolfing down a big ol popcorn ball ? I shudder to think. If youre like me and attach so many of your holiday memories to food, I think youll love this cookbook of mine. I share mouthwatering menus for all my favorite holidays throughout the year, from New Years Day to New Years Eve... and so many favorites in between.

Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas play a significant role, but I also include scrumptious spreads for more casual, food-centric occasions such as Fourth of July, Valentines Day, and (because Mexican food gives me reason to live) Cinco de Mayo. Fourth of July at our house is all about the four Fs: friends, fellowship, food... and fireworks! Fajitas for Cinco de Mayo. Yes, please! Glazed Easter ham. Glorious! Fathers Day cake. The key to any dads heart.

The book is organized by holiday, and I include plenty of cross references with each menu so you can borrow recipes from other holidays to construct your own unique spreads. I also give you ideas for stretching your holiday leftovers, with irresistible ways to use up your extra Easter ham and Thanksgiving turkey. In addition, because many of the recipes hold year-round appeal, a Recipes by Category index on page 378 will help you figure out which dishes to whip up on regular days throughout the year. So think of this as a holiday cookbook... that doubles as an everyday cookbook! Theres food, glorious food in these here pages, and you shant lack for things to make. Finally, to ensure that youll stay relaxed and giddy through each holiday, I came up with helpful do-ahead game plans for several of the major menus in the book.

This way, you can knock out a lot of the prep and cooking ahead of time and not have to cram everything into one crazy, hectic, Calgon-take-me-away day. When it comes to holidays, life is way too short to try to be a superhero; planning ahead is the secret to making sure your holiday love continues to burn bright. I hope you love this cookbook, my friends. I had so much fun putting it together. I hope it allows you to embrace the fun and meaning of every holiday in your house, so you can share even more love, good times, and great food with those around you. Thats really what holidays are all about.

Lots of Love, Ree The cattle and horses dont care if its a holiday; the ice on the ponds still has to be chopped! Ahh, New Years Day. Theres nothing like it. Its a fresh start! A clean slate! A do-over to end all do-overs! The day I start exercising more, become more organized, become less forgetful, keep my junk drawers cleaned out, scrub my baseboards more, keep my truck clean, write more letters, read more books, watch less reality TV, compost, do all the dishes before I go to bed at night, and fit into my skinny jeans once and for all! And then I wake up. Okay, okay. New Years Day does feel like a nice, fresh start and all. But I try not to put too much pressure on myself to suddenly transform into a whole new, physically active, more learned, organized, tidy, and engaged human who regularly throws her vegetable scraps into a bin outside in freezing temperatures just because its January 1.

Who needs that level of stress on New Years Day? Not I, thats who. So heres my trick, and feel absolutely free to borrow it: On New Years Day, I actually resolve to avoid stress in the new year! And that totally means I need to avoid all other New Years resolutions, because they are inherently stressful. So it all works out for me in the end! Next year, I should probably resolve to stop rationalizing. Id better go write myself a note so I dont forget. Just after I dont get off the treadmill that Im not on. what? I know, I know . . . last night was a rough one. last night was a rough one.