What is it about the Pioneer Woman that annoys me so much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here's the thing: as a businesswoman, I respect the hell out of Ree. She NEVER breaks character. People can write shit about her, leave crappy comments, and she never ever does that thing many bloggers do where they get defensive and then write posts that basically only respond to criticisms. She has about 10 topics she writes about and she ONLY writes about those topics but somehow, the site keeps chugging along year after year on stories of Charlie, the calves, her kids getting bigger, Ree's pants not fitting, and MM's butt. She never discusses her real life or anything of substance yet she's built an empire. So good for her!

That being said, she's a millionaire who poses as a folksy down home gal. She was rich before the site took off and is even richer now. (Again, I don't begrudge her that, and I think she's a great role model for her daughters in that she built something of her own even though her husband's family is loaded and she didn't need the money/work.) Her recipes are gross and almost all are cribbed from church cookbooks from the 80s. She is not a personality who translates well to tv so she comes off as stiff and awkward. She seems to have a strict script that she has to stick to no matter what because she can't deviate and go with the flow and riff and joke easily.

Her schtick is dated and corny, which is also why it's not going to appeal to many of us, but to the large chunk of the country who uses Pinterest for dinner ideas and thinks casseroles/Crock Pot meals using 4 cans of soup and cheese is a reasonable dinner, she's very appealing and relatable.

Her stuff at Walmart is absolutely hideous IMO, but it's a rip-off Anthropologie aesthetic at Walmart prices which is what her target audience can afford and access. So again, smart lady with the way she chooses to diversify her businesses.

Which recipes are casseroles or crock pot meals using canned soup?

Here's one:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/chicken-spaghetti-recipe.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you make a lot of assumptions about her?

I caught part of a Christmas show this afternoon. Part of it was Ham with a glaze, gingerbread cookies with royal icing and punch with sherbert and cranberry juice. Wow, really? My grandma has been making that for probably 50 years. I guess my assumption is that she offers nothing original.

That's just truth. None of her recipes are original. Even she admits that on air. What she doesn't admit is how many of them come from small town church and/or junior league cookbooks from the 50s.

She also has perfected the fake folksy delivery that would embarrass any real cook.

[Anonymous]

i love the chicken and dumplings recipe but agree she's not my cup of tea otherwise. my mom likes her which is how i've seen/heard of her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you make a lot of assumptions about her?

I caught part of a Christmas show this afternoon. Part of it was Ham with a glaze, gingerbread cookies with royal icing and punch with sherbert and cranberry juice. Wow, really? My grandma has been making that for probably 50 years. I guess my assumption is that she offers nothing original.

Nothing wrong with sharing those classic favorites! A new generation might not know about them.

I read the above post and thought 'nobody in my family every made any of that.' We never do punch of any sort, for example.

Actually am more intrigued to check out Pioneer Woman by this information that she relies on church cookbook recipes of past years. That sounds fun, like a bit of a sociological food adventure. I like the idea of church cookbooks because church women appeal to me as a functional, effective womens community. Feeding the masses together, sounds fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here's the thing: as a businesswoman, I respect the hell out of Ree. She NEVER breaks character. People can write shit about her, leave crappy comments, and she never ever does that thing many bloggers do where they get defensive and then write posts that basically only respond to criticisms. She has about 10 topics she writes about and she ONLY writes about those topics but somehow, the site keeps chugging along year after year on stories of Charlie, the calves, her kids getting bigger, Ree's pants not fitting, and MM's butt. She never discusses her real life or anything of substance yet she's built an empire. So good for her!

That being said, she's a millionaire who poses as a folksy down home gal. She was rich before the site took off and is even richer now. (Again, I don't begrudge her that, and I think she's a great role model for her daughters in that she built something of her own even though her husband's family is loaded and she didn't need the money/work.) Her recipes are gross and almost all are cribbed from church cookbooks from the 80s. She is not a personality who translates well to tv so she comes off as stiff and awkward. She seems to have a strict script that she has to stick to no matter what because she can't deviate and go with the flow and riff and joke easily.

Her schtick is dated and corny, which is also why it's not going to appeal to many of us, but to the large chunk of the country who uses Pinterest for dinner ideas and thinks casseroles/Crock Pot meals using 4 cans of soup and cheese is a reasonable dinner, she's very appealing and relatable.

Her stuff at Walmart is absolutely hideous IMO, but it's a rip-off Anthropologie aesthetic at Walmart prices which is what her target audience can afford and access. So again, smart lady with the way she chooses to diversify her businesses.

Which recipes are casseroles or crock pot meals using canned soup?

Honey almost all of her recipes require a canned soup. She had one recipe that was literally called 8 Can Soup and it was 8 cans of soup, canned chili and canned veggies. And cheese. Her apple dumplings use Mountain Dew for the sauce. I'm not saying she doesn't have some recipes that use fresh stuff but it's her thing. Her "best lasagna ever" uses Kraft Parmesan in a green can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm actually from the countryside and I can't stand her. The food she makes is loaded with calories but suspiciously absent of flavor. Her writing is really "oh gosh, lil' ol' me?!" twee.

I hate that she pretends to be "country" when she's just a shrewd marketer who is hustling her lifestyle hard core. It's really distasteful and hypocritical to me.

God forbid a non-urban woman be a shrewd, hardworking businesswoman. Blows out DCUM paradigms right out of the water.

Yes, somehow it's ok when In a Garten leaves her job at OMB and moves to the Hamptons to do the same. I love her recipes, but "Barefoot Contessa" indeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm actually from the countryside and I can't stand her. The food she makes is loaded with calories but suspiciously absent of flavor. Her writing is really "oh gosh, lil' ol' me?!" twee.

I hate that she pretends to be "country" when she's just a shrewd marketer who is hustling her lifestyle hard core. It's really distasteful and hypocritical to me.

God forbid a non-urban woman be a shrewd, hardworking businesswoman. Blows out DCUM paradigms right out of the water.

Yes, somehow it's ok when In a Garten leaves her job at OMB and moves to the Hamptons to do the same. I love her recipes, but "Barefoot Contessa" indeed.

But Ina Garten isn't pretending to be a folksy down-home gal. She lives in a Hamptons mansion, and we know that because she films her shows there.

I have no problem with shrewd, hardworking businesswomen, even a "non-urban" one, whatever that means. But the "gee golly" stuff wears thin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm actually from the countryside and I can't stand her. The food she makes is loaded with calories but suspiciously absent of flavor. Her writing is really "oh gosh, lil' ol' me?!" twee.

I hate that she pretends to be "country" when she's just a shrewd marketer who is hustling her lifestyle hard core. It's really distasteful and hypocritical to me.

God forbid a non-urban woman be a shrewd, hardworking businesswoman. Blows out DCUM paradigms right out of the water.

Yes, somehow it's ok when In a Garten leaves her job at OMB and moves to the Hamptons to do the same. I love her recipes, but "Barefoot Contessa" indeed.

I adore Ina. I applaud anyone who can follow their passion to create something great. Ina's cooking comes from a love of good food.

Too many of the PW "recipes" are just made from crap ingredients. Take this pistachio cake, for example, store bought cake mix + Hersey's chocolate syrup + jello = mmmmmm!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/pistachio-cake/

She is more like Semi-homemade Sandra Lee than a down-home "country" cook. Just own who you are!

[Anonymous]

I'm making her Burgundy Mushrooms right now to pair with Martha's Mini Beef Wellingtons, roasted rosemary potatoes, haricots vert and cranberry relish for Christmas. My house smells heavenly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's her voice or her 70s potluck food or what comes off as a total lack of personality, but man, does she annoy me.

I miss the days when I felt like I learned something from watching cooking shows. Give me Ina or Bobby Flay or Tom Colicchio or pretty much ANYONE any day over her.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm actually from the countryside and I can't stand her. The food she makes is loaded with calories but suspiciously absent of flavor. Her writing is really "oh gosh, lil' ol' me?!" twee.

I hate that she pretends to be "country" when she's just a shrewd marketer who is hustling her lifestyle hard core. It's really distasteful and hypocritical to me.

God forbid a non-urban woman be a shrewd, hardworking businesswoman. Blows out DCUM paradigms right out of the water.

Yes, somehow it's ok when In a Garten leaves her job at OMB and moves to the Hamptons to do the same. I love her recipes, but "Barefoot Contessa" indeed.

But Ina Garten isn't pretending to be a folksy down-home gal. She lives in a Hamptons mansion, and we know that because she films her shows there.

I have no problem with shrewd, hardworking businesswomen, even a "non-urban" one, whatever that means. But the "gee golly" stuff wears thin.

Ina is also pretending - to be a semi-rural, regular woman who loves to cook using fresh ingredients. However, she lives in a mili-million dollar ocean-front mansion in one of the wealthiest areas of the country. I understand your criticism of PW, but Ina is also playing a role.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm actually from the countryside and I can't stand her. The food she makes is loaded with calories but suspiciously absent of flavor. Her writing is really "oh gosh, lil' ol' me?!" twee.

I hate that she pretends to be "country" when she's just a shrewd marketer who is hustling her lifestyle hard core. It's really distasteful and hypocritical to me.

God forbid a non-urban woman be a shrewd, hardworking businesswoman. Blows out DCUM paradigms right out of the water.

Yes, somehow it's ok when In a Garten leaves her job at OMB and moves to the Hamptons to do the same. I love her recipes, but "Barefoot Contessa" indeed.

But Ina Garten isn't pretending to be a folksy down-home gal. She lives in a Hamptons mansion, and we know that because she films her shows there.

I have no problem with shrewd, hardworking businesswomen, even a "non-urban" one, whatever that means. But the "gee golly" stuff wears thin.

Ina is also pretending - to be a semi-rural, regular woman who loves to cook using fresh ingredients. However, she lives in a mili-million dollar ocean-front mansion in one of the wealthiest areas of the country. I understand your criticism of PW, but Ina is also playing a role.

I don't think she's pretending at all. She says in her books and her shows that she lives in the Hamptons. You also see her multi-million dollar house in both her books and her shows. She's playing a role, but she's honest about it. PW isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm actually from the countryside and I can't stand her. The food she makes is loaded with calories but suspiciously absent of flavor. Her writing is really "oh gosh, lil' ol' me?!" twee.

I hate that she pretends to be "country" when she's just a shrewd marketer who is hustling her lifestyle hard core. It's really distasteful and hypocritical to me.

God forbid a non-urban woman be a shrewd, hardworking businesswoman. Blows out DCUM paradigms right out of the water.

Yes, somehow it's ok when In a Garten leaves her job at OMB and moves to the Hamptons to do the same. I love her recipes, but "Barefoot Contessa" indeed.

But Ina Garten isn't pretending to be a folksy down-home gal. She lives in a Hamptons mansion, and we know that because she films her shows there.

I have no problem with shrewd, hardworking businesswomen, even a "non-urban" one, whatever that means. But the "gee golly" stuff wears thin.

Ina is also pretending - to be a semi-rural, regular woman who loves to cook using fresh ingredients. However, she lives in a mili-million dollar ocean-front mansion in one of the wealthiest areas of the country. I understand your criticism of PW, but Ina is also playing a role.

I don't necessarily agree with this. Ina is wealthy, but she owns it. She is not hiding that she lives in the Hamptons. She may not come out and say the Hamptons is a VERY wealthy area with VERY expensive real estate, but most people know that. She oftens talk about the restaurants she goes to or the places she shops. Her decorator and florist friends often do elaborate flowers or table settings for her meals with friends on the show. If you see her drive to the market or somewhere on the show, she's not cruising around in a Toyota or a Ford.

[Anonymous]

The show that annoys me is The Kitchen. They're all competing with each other. It's like watching the third hour of the Today Show.

[Anonymous]

I used to adore PW like 7-8 years ago but as time passed, I think it might be the smug factor, but I'm not totally sure. Her voice is now like nails on a chalkboard to me. When those WalMart commercials come on, I mute the tv or change the channel. I have a couple of her cookbooks (that sweet potato casserole of hers is heaven) and even met her at a book signing. She was very sweet and stayed until everyone in line was able to get an autograph, but like OP, there's just something about her that rubs me the wrong way. What gets me is that we all know there is a team that keeps her running, helps manage her website, and helps with homeschooling the kids, but she acts like it's all her. I think that is what aggravates me most because she acts like she is a super woman and I feel it's an unrealistic representation to some mothers who may aspire to be like her.

I know this is a trivial one, but her face is very shiny and it drives me bonkers. I know she does her own makeup for the show, but can someone show the woman how to use those oil blotting tissues or find some good on-camera makeup for her? And the eyeliner, it's killing me.

I think the comparison of Ree to Ina is a good one. Ina is the new Martha Stewart, smug, wealthy, coastal, but she doesn't pretend she is not any of those things. Ree is a marketing genius and has created this PW persona that never breaks character, but like others have said, it doesn't translate well to tv and the folksy bit doesn't come off as natural.