Throwdown! with Bobby Flay

What happens when you combine a pinch of city, a dash of country and a scrumptious Thanksgiving Feast? You get Pioneer Woman. Meet Ree Drummond, former city slicker turned cowgirl. Do not be fooled by her sweet face — Ree makes a mean, hard to beat Thanksgiving feast with all the fixings. We’re sure city slicker Chef Flay has his work cut out for him in this exciting Thanksgiving Throwdown!
Airing Nov 17, 2010 at 9:00 PM ET/PT

Also note that this episode is an hour long, not your usual 30-minute Throwdown.

Throwdown! with Bobby Flay

What happens when you combine a pinch of city, a dash of country and a scrumptious Thanksgiving Feast? You get Pioneer Woman. Meet Ree Drummond, former city slicker turned cowgirl. Do not be fooled by her sweet face — Ree makes a mean, hard to beat Thanksgiving feast with all the fixings. We’re sure city slicker Chef Flay has his work cut out for him in this exciting Thanksgiving Throwdown!
Airing Nov 17, 2010 at 9:00 PM ET/PT

Also note that this episode is an hour long, not your usual 30-minute Throwdown.

I'm not familiar with Ree Drummond. Is she someone local?

She is a well-known blogger who lives on a cattle ranch in NE Oklahoma. She homeschools her four kids (because they are fairly far out) and her husband runs the ranch. She puts out some delicious recipes on her blog, along with some nifty photography and funny stories about ranch life. Every recipe of hers I have tried has been amazing.

Myself and a few others were fortunate enough to be at the taping of the show...WOW!! You need to watch this next Wednesday, Ree Drummond is a natural and handles herself very well in the company of Bobby Flay. Her recipes are amazing...simple is best!

I looked her up and went through her blog and I really like the recipes and her humor. I'll be following it now... thanks for the post

Thanks for the info! I'll definitely be tuning in...

I absolutely love her recipes. Each step has a photo and her comments crack me up....She doesn't make the average person feel like an idiot for not know what a specifc cooking term/ingredient is like some of the more famous chef recipes.

Tuck, is the show as contrived in person as it seems to be on TV? I'm not a big fan of Bobby Flay. He seems very arrogant.

Tuck, is the show as contrived in person as it seems to be on TV? I'm not a big fan of Bobby Flay. He seems very arrogant.

The show was a blast...we were totally surprised to se Bobby Flay show up in the kitchen. He isn't arrogant one bit; gave props to Ree many times as well as admitted faults in his dishes.

Nice to see the credit for them - and great examples for Oklahoma. The backstory isn't blog fiction - Ladd is as much a true cowboy as you'll ever meet and Ree is every bit as impressive as you might imagine - and her food is awesome.

The show was a blast...we were totally surprised to se Bobby Flay show up in the kitchen. He isn't arrogant one bit; gave props to Ree many times as well as admitted faults in his dishes.
Glad to hear that. I guess it's just my perception of him on TV then.

Tuck, is the show as contrived in person as it seems to be on TV? I'm not a big fan of Bobby Flay. He seems very arrogant.

I see the total opposite when I watch him. On Iron Chef and Throwdown he is always laughing and having fun and seems very humble. IMO.

From her namesake website


I'm the wife of a rugged cowboy. I'm the mother of four spirited children. I have horse poop on my porch. I'm Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman. You can read more about my adventures, my cooking, and my photography on my crazy website, ThePioneerWoman.com (http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/).

I like her already.

From her namesake website



I like her already.


I like her but her husband does come from money. If you know anything about Northern Oklahoma there are large cattle ranches and there have been for a long time. Ree married a Drummond. The Drummond's have a long history of wealth in this state. Just look at Oklahoma State university. Kerr/Drummond, one of the Student housing buildings.

Now having said that I do like Ree and she lives on a very large cattle ranch. I think she is refreshing and shows the world a part of Oklahoma with class!

I will look forward to the show!.

I like her but her husband does come from money.You seem to be saying that anyone who "comes from money" is automatically disqualified for serious consideration of his or her own accomplishments or lack thereof.

So what if she "comes from money?" It doesn't mean that she and her husband don't work hard for everything they have. She might have put money into the designing of the site and yes, she has nice things, but her recipes are not expensive to make and she seems very kind. I say good for her.

I have a tremendous amount of admiration for anyone who can make it ranching and/or farming or just hold on to land for more than a generation or two for that matter. Tough business.

I have a tremendous amount of admiration for anyone who can make it ranching and/or farming or just hold on to land for more than a generation or two for that matter. Tough business.

Ditto this, 100%.

I have a tremendous amount of admiration for anyone who can make it ranching and/or farming or just hold on to land for more than a generation or two for that matter. Tough business.

Very tough business. Farmers and Ranchers are the greatest of gamblers because so much is out of their control and they just have to hope and/or pray.

I've got a girlfriend who is a rancher up north of Ponca and I recall her telling me decades ago that if your equipment is paid for, you can make money. If you are in debt it is next to impossible to get ahead. And most have to borrow on a regular basis, I guess.

Glad to hear that. I guess it's just my perception of him on TV then.

Was Stephanie (Banyas, not March) there? I like me some Stephanie!

She beat Bobby! Her home is beautiful!

No surprise she won. Ree is a fabulous lady and cook.

No surprise she won. Ree is a fabulous lady and cook.

And having two Okies as judges with her having a more traditional menu didn't hurt. Okies aren't adventurous when it comes to holday meals. They like what is tried and true.

If you were aware of the Throwdwon Series on Food Network Flay looses more often than he wins. Your pint is what??? Not adventourous must by in your family but not many others including mine.

If you were aware of the Throwdwon Series on Food Network Flay looses more often than he wins. Your pint is what??? Not adventourous must by in your family but not many others including mine.

I've probably watched more of that series than you have Mustang so I'm well aware of usually happens. Your family is in the minority if you like trying new adventurous menus for holidays. I assure you that isn't the norm, especially in Oklahoma. My point is that tradition rules for holidays and even if the two menus they prepared were of equal quality it's no surprise that the more traditional menu won. If it had been for a non holiday meal it could have gone the other way.

I've probably watched more of that series than you have Mustang so I'm well aware of usually happens. Your family is in the minority if you like trying new adventurous menus for holidays. I assure you that isn't the norm, especially in Oklahoma. My point is that tradition rules for holidays and even if the two menus they prepared were of equal quality it's no surprise that the more traditional menu won. If it had been for a non holiday meal it could have gone the other way.

And your point is what??? You are assuming you have more watching experience and you have no facts to base that upon. And who are you to determine what is the "norm" in OK. Gone the other way is your ASSUMPTION and not based upon any fact but only your opinion. Thanks for educating a born and bread OKIE. What is your lineage???

And your point is what??? You are assuming you have more watching experience and you have no facts to base that upon. And who are you to determine what is the "norm" in OK. Gone the other way is your ASSUMPTION and not based upon any fact but only your opinion. Thanks for educating a born and bread OKIE. What is your lineage???

You implied that I might not be familiar with the show and I'm a Food Network junkie so you can't educate me about Bobbie Flay. I'm a big admirer and have watched him for years. I watched Julia Child's "French Chef" series when it originated on PBS in the 60's. I'm also a born and bred (not bread) OKIE and probably a few years older than you, Mustang. I've been experiencing the "norm" all of my life and, while many families may have different traditions for the holidays, they still like to keep traditions and most don't experiment. Enormous family gatherings have always been the norm for me. My father had 7 brothers and sisters and my mother had 11. Family holidays meals were huge and always traditional. You may be different but you still aren't the "norm". Traditions in both celebrations and food are part of what makes a holiday special. (Homemade ice cream, watermelon, hot dogs, and hamburgers for Independence Day, anyone?) I'm absolutely not against trying new things just not so much at holidays when I want my comfort foods.

I saw the last half of the show and I'm gonna try and cook some stuffing that isn't a box of stove top this year. I gotta find a good cornbread recipe and i think I'm on my way. Oh yeah and was that Trisha Yearwood? She put on some uh, stuffing, I gotta say...

I have a tremendous amount of admiration for anyone who can make it ranching and/or farming or just hold on to land for more than a generation or two for that matter. Tough business.

I am more impressed with those who do it without getting subsidies .Drummond Land & Cattle ∗ Pawhuska, OK 74056($453,300 received from 1995 through 2009)
http://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fips=40113&progcode=total&regionname=OsageCounty,Oklahoma

Okay, so a really nice person who is prominent on the internet and has had numerous television appearances got to do a spot on the Food Network and we are talking about non-adventurous Oklahomans and subsidies? How about the fact that Oklahoma was represented well on this show and others?

I am more impressed with those who do it without getting subsidies .Drummond Land & Cattle ∗ Pawhuska, OK 74056($453,300 received from 1995 through 2009)
http://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fips=40113&progcode=total&regionname=OsageCounty,Oklahoma

The Drummonds are some of the largest landowners in the whole country, and that's after selling half the Drummond ranch to Ted Turner who has a huge buffalo herd in Osage County. Plus they have a couple of dozen Osage headrights. Money is not an issue and they aren't making it (all) from ranching.

The Drummonds are some of the largest landowners in the whole country, and that's after selling half the Drummond ranch to Ted Turner who has a huge buffalo herd in Osage County.

Would you mind posting where you found that stat. Not arguing that they own a lot of land, being from the NE corner of the state I am aware of the family, but saying they are one of the largest land owners in the nation seems a little hearsay to me. (Also, depends on your defination of large I guess)

Curious what people thought of Yearwood. She seemed a little underwhelmed about the food. Not sure she used a word stronger than "good". Just didn't seem overly excited to be there. Perhaps just a matter of editing.

The Drummonds are some of the largest landowners in the whole country, and that's after selling half the Drummond ranch to Ted Turner who has a huge buffalo herd in Osage County. Plus they have a couple of dozen Osage headrights. Money is not an issue and they aren't making it (all) from ranching.

Then they shouldn't have taken over 400k in taxpayer money. I guess it supplements the ranching. Kind of shameful these large landowners have their hand out, and kind of wasteful that the government gives it to them when there are others truly in need.

I'm glad she won, I've followed her website for a few years -- even went to her cookbook signing -- she toured all over USA and even had her kids and hunky MM with her at the OKC (Full Circle) book signing.
I love that they all work hard on the ranch, and she is devoted to her children and I love that part of their land is for a Wild Mustang refuge ... but Bobby Flay's brussel sprouts looked amazing!

I think her family came from money too before she married the cowboy.
Her dad is a surgeon I think. No matter -- sometimes wealthy people have great taste and good hearts too! :)

I made her stuffing and his pumpkin bread pudding with the sauces for Thanksgiving. The stuffing was good, but the dessert was outstanding - got rave reviews!

As for the show - she is much more charismatic online but it was fun to watch. As someone who is interested in marketing and public relations I find it fascinating what she has been able to parlay this "Pioneer Woman" character into.

Saw her on the Today show this morning. She was making cinnamon rolls that looked amazing. Just made me want to bake!

Saw her on the Today show this morning. She was making cinnamon rolls that looked amazing. Just made me want to bake!

They are to die for! I made them over the holidays and I am a little embarrassed to admit that my husband and I devoured a whole round pan (recipe makes about 8 round pans) in one sitting.