Ep 12. Tuesday Night Lights

In this episode of The Pioneer Woman, titled "Tuesday Night Lights," Ree Drummond prepares some of her favorite meals as she gets ready for her son's big football game. The episode starts with Ree discussing the importance of football in her household, and how every Tuesday night, the team has a big practice that they all attend.

To fuel up for the practice, Ree prepares a delicious spread that includes her famous spaghetti and meatballs, cheesy garlic bread, and a refreshing fruit salad. She starts by making the meatballs from scratch, combining ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and spices. She forms the meatballs into balls and fries them until they are golden brown. She then adds them to a pot of simmering marinara sauce and lets them cook for a while to ensure they are fully cooked.

While the meatballs are cooking, Ree prepares the garlic bread by mixing melted butter, garlic powder, parsley, and Parmesan cheese together. She spreads the mixture over slices of French bread and toasts them in the oven until they are crispy and golden brown.

Next up, Ree whips up a refreshing fruit salad that includes strawberries, grapes, blueberries, and pineapple. She tosses the fruit together in a large bowl and adds a simple syrup made from boiling sugar and water together. She lets the fruit salad chill in the fridge while she finishes up the other dishes.

The final touch to the meal is a simple green salad. Ree tosses together mixed greens, sliced cucumbers, and sliced tomatoes with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

As the football practice winds down, Ree and her family sit down to enjoy their meal. They all agree that it is the perfect way to refuel after a long night of practice. Ree's son Bryce, who plays football, is especially grateful for the delicious meal, and Ree shares how proud she is of him and his commitment to the sport.

In the second half of the episode, Ree switches gears and prepares a hearty breakfast for her husband Ladd and his ranch hand buddies. She starts by making a batch of fluffy pancakes from scratch, using a mix of flour, sugar, baking powder, and buttermilk. She adds vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg for extra flavor and whips up the batter until it's smooth.

Ree also prepares a savory side dish of potato hash, using diced potatoes, onions, and bell peppers. She sautes the veggies together in a cast-iron skillet until they are golden brown and crispy.

To complete the breakfast feast, Ree fries up some bacon and eggs. She fries the bacon until it's crispy and uses the grease to cook the eggs sunny-side-up. She plates everything on a large platter and serves it family-style to Ladd and his ranch hand buddies. They all agree that it is the perfect way to start their day and fuel up for a long day of work on the ranch.

In this episode of The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond showcases how food can bring people together and fuel them up for big nights and busy days. Whether it's spaghetti and meatballs for a football practice or pancakes and bacon for a satisfying breakfast, Ree's recipes are guaranteed to satisfy everyone around the table.