I thought I would be HAPPY....

Today I finished my Sheila and Ree Project with a heavy heart, and a full belly. I thought I would be relieved when this was over, when the last recipe had been finished, the last heart written, last crumb eaten, last dished washed, and pan scrubbed. I thought I would be happy to be done. Instead I am a tad bit sad. It's been good, awesome, even spectacular at times. But such is life...ALL good things must come to an end....and so too it is with this challenge, of cooking through P-dubs cookbook. Who knows maybe I will do it again with another cookbook (if Ree's does another cookbook that is).

I did indeed stay in my jean size...although I could probably stand to go up a size. Cupcake, muffin top, inner tube, P-dub 5.....my sister took a picture, (of my belly) but we decided it was in every ones best interest that I DID NOT put that up for all the world to see.

So I accomplished the challenge of the pants...AND I made it through every single recipe in The Pioneer Women Cooks. Although, I must have paged through a hundred times thinking, "I had to have forgotten one", and someone is going to call me out on it....I will be known as the fraud blogger!

As you can see this book as been well loved!

I invited my sweet "seestor" Carla and her husband Skidder over, my dad also made his way into the mix....he heard there was going to be homemade pizza and he came screeching over to my house.

Skidder is looking smug because he knows I made my Killer Coffee Ice Cream dessert, he's anticipating....

Ree Drummond can take simple ingredients and make them into the most amazing, spectacular food you have ever eaten. I found this time and time again as I made my way through her book.

I purposefully left the pizzas for last. Because who doesn't love a pizza party and I wanted to end on a good note with my children....although Potato Leek Pizza probably isn't most children's choice for a slice of pie.

Is that not a thing of beauty..........

I guess selfishly I was holding that carrot out there for myself. I couldn't wait to try these pizza's. Ree's pizza crust is perfection! I will NEVER make another.....It is foolproof.

Because this fool made it!

I put the ingredients together in the wrong order....now, how can one do that, you ask, when there are only 4 ingredients??! Yeh, well I got distracted.....

Look at that perfect-a-mondo crust!....On this Tomato-Basil Pizza.

We had a blast...Skidder continues to refer to The Pioneer Woman as Prairie Dog...sorry Ree, the name calling is all in love...my boys have not called you P-devil in at least 4 recipes and this day your name was not drug through the mud once! I think they could all sense my underlying sadness...like a good friend was moving away.

Skidder suggested I give away MY copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks.....

BLASPHEMER!

Be gone with you!



She wrote.."Love your cupcakes! Sheila" in my book. How could I give such a treasure away. Did she really love the cupcakes that I baked for her, and drove for 3 hours to bring her, and then stood in line for 5 hours to give her. Only God knows what those cupcakes looked like by the time she opened the box...if she did. Really pretty scary when I think about it....receiving food from a stranger like myself.

So, I thought I would be happy when this project, I got myself into, was done...but I'm not. It was fun! I gained more than a few pounds....

I gained...new friends, a sense of accomplishment, I broadened my childrens palate, had lots of fun get togethers. AND the best part is I get to give something away at the end of it all. I love, love LOVE that!

So now here it is.....sniff, sniff, snort, sooobbb....the last chance to COMMENT to win The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Never ever in the history of Strawberry Cake will this happen again . It's over after tonight, done, this is it baby...and if you don't comment quick I am gonna start singing and we all know how horrific that can be.

Please COMMENT below to win a SIGNED copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks, let me know what your favorite post was in this wacky journey of mine, and you will be entered to win!

LUVya!