I hope you all had a nice weekend with your families! We had part of our crew (Todd, Paige, Stuart, Jamar) here at home, while another part of our crew (Alex, Mauricio, Bryce) couldn't make it. It was a little bit of a quiet, bittersweet day for us since we just said goodbye to Chuck two weeks ago. But we were happy to see the kids and have a few days of relaxed togetherness.
We decided to go ahead and gather at Chuck/Pa-Pa's house as we would have anyway, because first of all, he would have wanted that; and second of all, Thanksgiving was his favorite meal of all time. He looked forward to it every year, he hovered over all the cooking and asked how much longer, and he loved filling his plate with turkey, mushy stuffing (from the bird for him, always!), mashed potatoes, and steaming hot gravy.
It was so nice to cook at Chuck's. I could honestly feel his presence, almost as if he was sitting in his chair in the living room---and I kept the eating schedule right on target, because Pa-Pa was always happiest if the food was ready ten minutes early. 😂
Again, almost as if Chuck was there encouraging me, I churned out a top three batch of gravy! It was dark, delicious, giblety, and I still have a little left and am considering heating it up and pouring it over scrambled eggs this morning. Ha!
Ladd was on turkey carving duty. Here's a funny piece of trivia: Guess who taught Ladd how to carve turkey correctly? I'll give you a hint: His initials are B.F. and I beat him in a Thanksgiving Throwdown many years ago.
You are correct! It was Bobby Flay, and he actually "taught" Ladd how to carve the turkey by inadvertently poking fun at people who carve turkey incorrectly, which is how Ladd used to carve turkey. But Bobby showed him the light and it's been smooth sailing (smooth carving) ever since.
It was a little quiet being in Chuck's kitchen. But we used Nan's favorite platter and it actually felt very right to be there. It would have been sadder had we not been there.
We had a good day together! It was good to see the kids, and it was great knowing that Alex, Mauricio, and Bryce spent their day together. (Actually, they spent their evening together. They didn't eat until after 10 pm on Thursday! Haha, different strokes for different families.) Not pictured: Elliot, my nephew, who was napping after a big plate of turkey!
It was also great to see Stu, who won the prize for the craziest top, which is usually my department! But speaking of tops, I actually brought a nice top to change into after I did the cooking, but I never had a single second to step away from the kitchen. And who really cares what one wears on Thanksgiving, anyway? It's all about the gravy, baby.
Again, it was a bittersweet day. A little sad, a little quiet, but we still laughed and had a blast together.
And went back for seconds!
Ree Drummond is the founder of The Pioneer Woman and a lover of butter, basset hounds and life on the ranch! Ree started her blog in 2006, and now millions visit ThePioneerWoman.com every month for her trusted recipes and fun family stories. Here’s what she has been up to since it all began:
New York Times Bestselling Author
Ree has written two memoirs (Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, and Frontier Follies) plus nine bestselling cookbooks:
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl (2009)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier (2012)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays (2013)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime (2015)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! (2017)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier (2019)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Super Easy (2021)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready! (2023)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The Essential Recipes (2025)
Food Network Host
Since 2011, Ree has been sharing simple, family-friendly recipes—and the occasional kitchen prank!—on her award-winning show The Pioneer Woman, filmed right on Drummond Ranch. Ree is also a regular judge on Food Network competitions, including Christmas Cookie Challenge.
Founder, The Pioneer Woman Collection
Ree has been creating and selling kitchen and home products at Walmart since 2015 and she’s involved in designing every piece and pattern. The line now includes best-selling appliances (you have to see the floral blender!), plus hundreds of pieces of cookware, tableware, and more. Ree doesn’t like to play favorites but the Agatha print has a special place in her heart.
Restaurant and Hotel Owner
Together with her husband Ladd, Ree has opened several bustling businesses in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, including The Pioneer Woman Mercantile—a bakery, restaurant, and general store that draws visitors from across the country (many come for the biscuits alone!), P-Town Pizza, Charlie’s Ice Cream Shop, and The Boarding House, a charming hotel with eight different rooms decorated by Ree and Ladd.
Media Personality
Ree appears regularly on national TV shows like Today, Good Morning America and more—all while managing to keep flour off her shirt.
Wife, Mom and…Grandma!
Ree’s kids (daughters Alex and Paige and sons Bryce and Todd) are all grown up, and as of December 2024, Ree is the proud grandma of the cutest baby ever, Sofia Scott, born to Alex and her husband Mauricio. Ree still cooks for Ladd (and the kids when they’re home), and she also looks after a few mischievous ranch dogs.
