Ep 9. Ask Me Anything: Thanksgiving

In season 20 episode 9 of The Pioneer Woman, titled "Ask Me Anything: Thanksgiving," viewers get a chance to peek behind the scenes and witness how Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman, prepares her Thanksgiving feast. Ree opens up the floor to viewers, answering a variety of Thanksgiving-related questions from fans. Throughout the episode, she shares her tips and tricks for making a perfect Thanksgiving dinner, including how to get the turkey perfectly crispy, how to make fluffy mashed potatoes, and how to prepare a delicious pumpkin pie.

One of the highlights of the episode is Ree's turkey recipe. She explains how she uses a mixture of butter, garlic, and herbs to make a flavorful compound butter that goes under the turkey's skin. This helps to keep the meat moist while cooking and adds delicious flavors to the finished dish. She also shares her tips for cooking the turkey, such as how to calculate cooking time based on the size of the bird and how to baste it throughout the cooking process.

In addition to the turkey, Ree also discusses how to make classic Thanksgiving side dishes. She demonstrates her recipe for mashed potatoes, which involves boiling the potatoes until they're tender, then adding butter, cream, and seasonings to achieve a creamy texture. She also makes a green bean casserole from scratch, using fresh green beans and a homemade mushroom sauce. And no Thanksgiving meal would be complete without stuffing; Ree shares how she makes a simple, yet delicious, recipe using bread, celery, onions, and herbs.

For dessert, Ree shows viewers how to make a classic pumpkin pie. She talks about the importance of using fresh or canned pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, which can have added sugars and other ingredients. She then walks through the steps for making the pie filling, pouring it into a homemade pie crust, and baking it to perfection.

Throughout the episode, Ree also shares stories about her family's Thanksgiving traditions. She discusses how her brother-in-law is responsible for making the gravy every year, how her daughter Alex always makes a beautiful fruit salad, and how her husband Ladd is in charge of carving the turkey. These anecdotes add a personal touch to the episode and show how important family and traditions are to Ree.

Overall, "Ask Me Anything: Thanksgiving" is a great episode for anyone who wants to learn more about Thanksgiving cooking and get some expert advice from The Pioneer Woman herself. Ree's tips and recipes are easy to follow and will help anyone create a delicious Thanksgiving feast.