The Pioneer Woman (2011–…): Season 2, Episode 10 - Triple Act - full transcript

I'm Ree Drummond,

and all my recipes
have to be approved

by cowboys, hungry kids, and me.

Here's what's happening
on the ranch.

I'm making a scrumptious lineup
of low-carb party bites.

There are irresistible
sausage-stuffed mushrooms

and marvelous make-ahead
zucchini roll ups.

There's a totally
knock-your-socks-off

low-carb cheese duo,

bakes Brie á la Ree,
and jalapeño cheese crisps,

then stunning salmon
and cucumber bites,



and the simplest
Spanish marinated olives

you've ever seen.

It's cocktail hour, and there's
barely a carb in sight.

Welcome to my frontier.

Low-carb recipes are
all the rage right now,

so I thought it'd be fun
to whip up

some low-carb party appetizers
that you're going to love

whether you eat low-carb or not.

I've got cheesy ones,
meaty ones, hot ones, cold ones.

I promise you they are
all delicious,

so let's turn back the clock

to when this
cooking marathon began

with sausage-stuffed
mushrooms.

I've eaten stuffed mushrooms
basically my whole life.



They've always been
my favorite appetizer.

These particular stuffed
mushrooms are very low carb,

th're not lackingbeen
min indulgence at all.

They are so tasty.

It's nice to have
a treat like this

that's been a lifelong favorite
that you still can eat

without feeling too guilty.

I just browned some pork sausage
in an iron skillet,

and I'm going to add
some finely diced onion.

You want to
really finely dice it

because you only have
a little bit of space

inside the mushroom caps,

and you want everything
to be able to fit.

I'm also going to add a bunch
of minced garlic.

Now I pulled the stems out
of the mushroom caps --

Those are what I'm going
to stuff --

and I chopped up
the stems really fine,

and I'll sprinkle
those in too.

This is going to serve
as part of the filling

for the stuffed mushrooms.

Now, I've got some
fresh rosemary and fresh sage,

two flavors I really think
go well with sausage,

and I'll chop it up
real fine.

Okay, that's finely minced.

So I'll put the herbs
into the mixture.

It already smells so good
in this kitchen.

One of my favorite
categories of recipes

is appetizers
and party bites,

so I'm so excited
to put together

this menu of low-carb treats.

I'm just going to cook
this mixture for 3 minutes,

and then I'll do a couple
more things to the filling.

So when the garlic and herbs
have softened,

I'll add 1/3 cup
of dry white wine

to glaze the pan
and let the liquid evaporate.

Then season the stems
with salt and pepper.

Give everything a good stir,

and tip the mixture
onto a plate to cool.

The sausage and mushroom
mixture is cooling,

so I'm going to whip up
the rest of the filling

for the stuffed mushrooms.

I've got a block of
very soft cream cheese,

and I'll add an egg yolk that
just helps bring it together.

I'm also going to sprinkle
in some sharp cheddar.

Of course, anything goes
when it comes to the cheese

that you use
for stuffed mushrooms.

Monterey jack is delicious.

Mozzarella
is really tasty.

A little bit of salt and pepper.

I'm going to stick to
the current plan and stir

this whole thing together.

Okay, now I'm going to grab
this plate of deliciousness.

It should be totally cooled.

A lot of stuffed-mushroom
recipes

actually use breadcrumbs
in the filling,

but you won't even
miss those in this.

It is so rich
and delicious.

Okay.
That is all combined.

What a yummy-looking mixture.

All right.
Now it's time to stuff them.

I'm going to put the mushrooms
into a 350-degree oven

for 20 minutes, and then
I'll put them on a platter.

How tasty do these look?

My goodness.

Everything that's wonderful
about life right there.

They just need
one final finish --

some chopped chives over
the mushrooms on the platter.

It just makes it look
a little more festive.

Well, I definitely did not
save the best for last.

There is nothing about these
I don't absolutely love.

Now, I've got another low-carb
party bite to share with you --

zucchini roll ups.

They're pretty darn good, too.

I'm grilling strips of zucchini,
and I'm going to roll them up

to make the most
delightful canapés,

and I really like these because
you can make them several hours

before your party,

and they're still
every bit as delicious

when the guests show up.

The zucchini is sliced
very, very thin,

and that's probably
the trickiest part

of this appetizer.

The rest is a total cinch.

I just grabbed one
of the cooler slices,

and I have a container
of herbed cream cheese,

just store bought already
with the herbs in it,

or you can mix up your own,

and I'm just putting
a couple of little drops

on either end
of the strip of zucchini.

You want to make sure
the softened cream cheese

is super, super soft.

Softer than soft.

These zucchini strips
will tear really easily

if it's too chilled.

Okay, once you get
the cream cheese on,

just grab a pretty,
little basil leaf

and lay it on the cream cheese
anywhere you want

because it's all going to wind
up in the same roll up,

and then tightly roll it.

You cannot believe how much
flavor is packed

into this little treat.

Now I'm just going to build
the rest.

They look fantastic.

I just want to decorated them

with a little bit
of a basil garnish.

I'm just giving it a rough chop.

What a combination!

I want to get some of the basil
on the zucchini roll ups

and some of it
on the plate.

It just makes it look pretty.

How delicious do these look?

Never mind.

That was a rhetorical question.

Up next, a cheese double
with baked Brie á la Ree

and jalapeño cheese crisps,

then the simplest smoked salmon
and cucumber bites,

and over-the-top
Spanish marinated olives.

Low-carb is the way to go.

Very cheesy delights
are next in my lineup

of low-carb party food.

I'm making baked Brie á la Ree.

Talk about cheesy.

I love baked Brie,
and this is a really simple

but very delicious version.

The first thing I'm going to do
is cut the rind off

the top of a wheel of Brie.

Now whether or not the rind
comes off

is sort of controversial
in some circles.

I actually like
the rind of Brie,

and if it's just for me,
I usually leave it on,

but if I'm making it for guests,
I'll take off the top layer

just in case anybody
has an objection to it.

So I'm going to put this
in a tiny, tiny skillet.

I mean, it doesn't get any cuter
than that.

You can make the same recipe
with a big wheel of Brie

just depending on how many
guests you're going to have.

I'm going to cover this
with foil...

...and I'm going to pop it
into a 325-degree oven

for 25 minutes.

While the Brie is baking,

I am going to make
a delicious topping,

and it has all the things
I love.

A couple of tablespoons
of butter --

make that 3 tablespoons.

As I said, I'm taking
the low-carb approach,

not the low-fat approach.

I'll swirl it around the pan,

and then I have a bunch
of sliced onions.

This is a caramelized
onion topping.

The combo of Brie
and caramelized onions

is the stuff of dreams,
I have to say.

I'm going to turn the heat up
high just to get this going.

I'll sprinkle in
some salt and pepper.

Give them one more stir.

And while they start to cook,

I'm going to get
some herbs ready.

I have some fresh thyme.

Whenever I think of parties
with appetizers,

thyme is one of those herbs
that's always around.

I use thyme a lot
around the holidays,

and that's probably why.

So the thyme goes in.

Ooh, that smells so good.

And then the second herb,
rosemary.

When everything else
has shriveled up around

September and October,
the rosemary is going strong.

It lasts tough
the Oklahoma winter,

which is really
saying something.

And besides,
it's so darn delicious.

So, the rosemary goes in.

And then I'll give this a stir.

Now I'll turn the heat down
just a little bit,

and I'll cook these
until their totally caramelized.

Would you take a look
at these onions?

Look at how dark
and delicious they are.

Ooh!

Now I'm going to get the Brie
out of the oven.

I hope I don't have any trouble

lifting this
enormous iron skillet.

It's so little and cute.

I'm going to take a look.
Peel back the foil.

Ohh.

Oh, gosh. It's just perfectly
soft -- just what I wanted.

Now, you guessed it --

This beautiful caramelized onion
goes right on top of the Brie.

I mean, you cannot believe
the flavor

when you dip into this
really soft Brie

and these gorgeous onions.

Okay, I want to get as much of
the onions in there as possible.

It's getting a little full...
in a good way.

Now I'm actually going to put
the skillet back

into the oven
for 10 minutes.

10 minutes is up.

I have high hopes for this Brie.

Oh.
Oh, oh, oh.

Look at that.

Now it's just about ready.

I just have a few more things
to add.

The baked Brie is actually
perfect as it is.

I'm about to make it
even more perfect

with some toasted pine nuts.

Ohh!

The little crunch and nutty
flavor that they'll add.

I just put pine nuts
in a dry skillet

and toasted it for about
5 minutes on medium heat.

I think that's a good amount.

I've got some fresh herbs,
some parsley

just to green things up,
and some oregano.

Now, in a normal world,
I would totally serve this

with crostini
or slices of French bread,

but that would not be
low carb,

so I'm serving it
with carrot sticks,

which is absolutely
scrumptious.

Okay, now on
to the next appetizer,

and it's still low carb
and very, very cheesy.

All is right with the world.

Jalapeño cheese crisps are
one of those situations

where less is
definitely more.

These are a super simple
appetizer,

really delicious,
and very crisp, hence the name.

I just pulled some
jalapeño slices out of the oven.

I sliced three jalapeños
super thin,

and I put it into a 400-degree
oven for 5 minutes.

The purpose of that
is to get out

as much moisture as possible.

Now for the cheese part,

I have a mixture
of Parmesan cheese,

manchego cheese,
and Pecorino Romano.

Similar cheeses,
different flavors,

and the mix of them
is absolutely amazing.

So, now I'm going to go in
with my tablespoon.

Now just wait and see how
these piles are transformed

after a little time
in the oven.

They'll bake at 400 degrees
for 12 minutes.

Then when they're golden
and crisp, they're done.

I'll cool them slightly then
put them on a cake stand.

There you go -- delightful
little jalapeño cheese crisps --

Absolutely impossible to resist.

Look, I'll show you.

Up next, scrumptious smoked
salmon and cucumber bites

and Spanish marinated olives,

hitting a high
with low-carb party food.

I always like having
a low-carb option

whenever I make party food,

and salmon cucumber bites
is just the thing.

It's really delicious,

super easy to make,
and gorgeous at that.

I just sliced up a cucumber,
and I made it kind of fancy

by peeling strips
before I sliced it,

so you get that
pretty little striped effect.

Now stick with me while I get
all of these on the cake stand.

Part of these salmon cucumber
bites is dill sour cream.

It's really easy to make.

1/2 cup of sour cream...

and a little bit of salt...

and the zest of a lemon.

It doesn't really get
any more low-carb

than cucumbers and salmon
with a little sour cream --

really, really a no-brainer.

And the saltiness of the salmon
just makes it taste

like you're eating
something wonderful,

which, of course, you are.

What I love about this little
party bite is how elegant it is.

There's just something
about them sitting on a platter.

It makes you feel like you are
definitely at a special party.

Okay, I'll grab the spoon and
just stir this up...

a little bit,
and then I have some fresh dill,

and I'll chop it into teeny,
tiny pieces.

I love fresh dill.

I didn't realize this
until I opened a restaurant,

but fresh dill is actually
a little bit controversial

in that not everybody loves it,
but I think in this sour cream

it just wakes it up
a little bit,

gives it an interesting flavor.

Sour cream can be a little bit
bland if you don't doctor it up.

Okay, that looks great.

Now, one of my weaknesses
in life happens to be

a toasted everything bagel with
cream cheese and smoked salmon.

Of course, I can't put anything
remotely related to a bagel

on this because that wouldn't
be low carb,

but I'm going to whip up
some everything-bagel seasoning

to sprinkle
over the top of the bites.

It starts with some onion flakes
and garlic flakes,

some toasted sesame seeds --

absolutely delicious.

Poppy seeds.

I love the dark color.

I always like seeing them
on everything bagels.

And then some sea salt,
really flaky.

I'm not even measuring it,

just throwing in a little bit
of everything.

Black pepper is the last thing.

And I'll stir it up.

I think this is going to be
just the right amount

for the number of bites I made.

Now, let me show you
how to build these.

I'll grab a cucumber slice

and get a little dollop
of the sour cream.

This would be
a delicious bite in itself.

I'll grab a little sprig of dill
and lay it on top

of the sour cream,
and then comes the salmon.

I just have
regular smoked salmon,

and I cut little bitty strips,
and I'll fold each strip over

and make that beautiful
cucumber salmon bite.

I can't forget
the everything-bagel seasoning.

I'll just lightly
sprinkle it over.

Pretty as a picture.

Now I'll get the rest done.

Now, that is one simple
appetizer with two big payoffs.

They're beautiful,
and they're low carb.

Who could possible say
no to that?

Not me, that's who.

Up next,
the final low-carb nibble --

Spanish marinated olives

with mozzarella, manchego,
and chorizo

ending things
on a really high note.

The last of
the low-carb appetizers

takes a bunch
of store-bought ingredients,

mixes them together
to elevate it

into something really special.

I'm making Spanish
marinated olives.

Olives are basically my favorite
party bite in the world,

and marinating them with a bunch
of delicious ingredients

really makes them amazing.

I'm making a really simple
marinade first.

It's just olive oil
with sherry vinegar

and a whole bunch
of sliced garlic.

I love that you can now
buy garlic cloves

that are peeled in a bag
in the produce section.

I've never used so much garlic
in my life.

It just makes it so easy.

Okay, that is
all whisked together.

Now I've just got to throw
a bunch of stuff in a bowl,

starting with the olives.

Bright green, Castelvetrano
olives -- my personal weakness.

I love them.

Kalamata olives.

You can use absolutely
any olives you want.

Plain old ripe olives
in a can --

This makes them
absolutely delicious.

I've actually got
some Moroccan olives.

They kind of look
like little prunes,

but they have
the most amazing flavor.

And then I'm going to add
some cheese to the mix.

Manchego cheese since these are
Spanish marinated olives.

And deviating from the Spanish
theme a little bit,

little mozzarella pearls.

I think the combo of cheese
and olives

is something
that exists in heaven.

I'm adding some orange peel.

Next come a couple
of bay leaves,

and then I'm adding
three sprigs of rosemary.

I'm not even going
to chop it up.

Just throw them in there.

And then this beautifully simple
marinade goes over everything.

Absolute magic happens
when these sit in the fridge.

It's just a beautiful combo.

Okay. I'm going to cover this
with plastic wrap.

How simple is this appetizer,
by the way?

Now it just needs to marinate
in the fridge for 8 hours,

and then I'll have
one more thing to add.

Okay.

This bowl of olives and cheese

could not look
any more delicious.

That marinade was basically
absorbed by everything,

so just imagine how good
that is going to taste.

Now, I said I have
one more thing to add.

I have some chorizo sausage,
and I cut it into little pieces,

and I'll stir it in.

I didn't want to put the sausage
in while it was marinating

because the acid
in the vinegar

might have sort of messed
it up a little bit.

These olives are fragrant
and flavorful and fabulous.

Now I'm going to get it
into a little bowl to serve.

I definitely want to take some
of the good stuff with me --

the orange peel
and rosemary.

It just makes the whole thing
look wonderful.

A little bit more.

Spanish marinated olives,
I love you.

And that, my friends,
wraps up this low-carb marathon

in a very tasty way.

So, next time
you're having a party,

whether it's around the holidays
or any other time of year,

try ditching the carbs
and give these a go.

I promise you won't even
miss them.