The power of Pioneer

To truly appreciate the goodness of the Pioneer Woman’s life changing power you have to have a little insight to my dear friend and blogger Jennie Jean. I went to highschool with her, a year younger than her. We didn’t talk. She was a jock and was a not jock . I was just me. Fate brought us together years later as she bought her first home from her pastor who happened to be my neighbor. She added me on myspace to talk and I wasn’t sure because im weird about high school people. When they moved in I was really pleased to find she was so friendly and open and we became fast friends. My daughter Laci was a year younger than her son and a year older than her daughter so they were great for each other. Soon our lives became intertwined and we joked that we lived on a commune sharing dinner duties going to one house one night then the other the next. I soon realized by the deluge of Chinese and pizza delivery cars – Jenn doesn’t cook much. Now we lived in a college town with a pizza joint per person so everyone orders in. It was after several dinner invites that were followed by calls of “ I didn’t thaw anything out “ or “im not cooking , what do you want from Giuseepes” that I realized this chick really didn’t like to cook. I didn’t mind because they ordered in from places I liked but my husband didn’t so it was a treat for me. My all time favorite instance of this went like this. “Hey Mandy are you still coming over for dinner? “ “yeah what time” “Oh about 6, I didn’t thaw anything out. Can you bring over one of those Stouffers your mother in law always stocks your freezer with?” “So you want me to come over for dinner and BRING dinner with me” “yeah do you mind” “ no of course not” Laughter ensues. She brings so much joy. She’s hilarious and of course I didn’t mind bringing our own dinner to her house. I miss those days! In honor of her lack of cooking we found a vinyl wall saying for her second and current house that says something along the lines of “the best thing I make for dinner is reservations” It doesn’t really hold true though. January 2010 Jenn found Pioneer Woman and embarked on a new journey – using her oven. I was amazed at this transformation and decided to try it out and found a newfound love of cooking myself. I’m so thankful for her to pointing the way! Jenn’s transformation to kitchen goddess has had a few bumpy roads. I remember one time when we had gotten together at her house for a real housewives marathon and she was boiling chicken for some recipe of the day on PW. Not wanting to miss a botox filled moment she sat at her couch picking the chicken off the bone. Now I had misgivings about this immediately, not because of my innate fear of chicken carcasses but because also residing in the Porter household is a morbidly obese Golden Lab named Elpahaba who will eat off your plate even as you hold. This dog has nerve. And no table manners. Jenn had gotten up to do something in the kitchen so being untrusting of my furry nemesis (that dog and I have a history) I moved over to guard the chicken. This “big boned” (as jenn defends her girth) pup actually immediately took a swipe at the chicken I yelled No but she kept trying the next thing I know she dives right in! Im screaming at her and pushing at her with my big pregnant feet, unsure of how much force I’m allowed to use without making Jenn mad. Finally she goes away , with a good ¼ of the chicken gone. I take it out to Jenn who says “well did she get this side?” no I say. “well I’ll just use it then”. I wasn’t eating dinner there that night so I didn’t protest. At least it wasn’t take out. I love you Jenn.