11 Things You Didn't Know About 'Pioneer Woman' Ree Drummond

Ree Drummond, née Ann Marie Smith, was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in January 1969. She always dreamed of moving away from the country and of living a big city life in Chicago, but life had other plans for her. She met and fell in love with a cowboy, her "Marlboro Man" Ladd Drummond, and moved out to a cattle ranch, just 40 miles away from her hometown. As a wife and mother, Ree started a blog, The Pioneer Woman, to share her unconventional life to her friends and family; one thing led to another, and now she's one of the most beloved moms in food.

But everyone knows that. What don't you know about Ree Drummond?

Before She Was a Food Network Star Herself, She Appeared With Another

Her first appearance on the Food Network was in 2010. She faced off against Bobby Flay for an episode of Throwdown! during a Thanksgiving-themed episode. She beat Flay.

It Took Her Husband Ladd Months to Give Her a Call

Ree and Ladd's love story got off to a shaky start. After meeting in a bar in Oklahoma, the culinary super-couple hit it off right away. But it took four months for Ladd to give Ree a call back, and she very nearly moved to Chicago before he had the chance. But the rest, as they say, is history...

Her First Big Blog Post? Steak.

Before she was launched to superstardom, Ree's The Pioneer Woman blog was intended for friends and family as she transitioned into her unexpected ranch life. It wasn't until she posted a step-by-step guide to cooking a steak that her food blog really took off.

She Always Keeps a Jar of Nutella in Her Pantry…

Ree Drummond is known for keeping a well-stocked pantry, but one of her staples may surprise you! When we interviewed her, she revealed she always keeps Nutella hidden well in her pantry (away from her hungry teenage sons).

…And Keeps Hot Peppers in the Fridge

Whenever Ree needs an extra dose of fire in her cooking, she doesn't need to look far. She always keeps her fridge stocked with multiple jars of spicy hot peppers.

She Has Another Blog

After the success of her The Pioneer Woman blog, Ree started up another website: TastyKitchen.com. The site was built for her readers and other foodies to share their own recipes with ease.

She Hates Bananas…

In an interview with Food Network, Ree admitted that you will never find her cooking banana bread, banana pudding, or banana splits.

…But She Loves Coffee

On the other hand, she loves coffee-flavored desserts. Tiramisù is a particular weakness of hers.

She Has a Hotel in Oklahoma

Ree and Ladd Drummond opened The Pioneer Woman Boarding House in April 2018 close to her retail store in Pawhuska, Okahoma. The rooms are full of charm and each has a different theme. But that's not the only reason we're obsessed with this place!

She Studied Gerontology in College

While attending the University of Southern California, Ree first started a degree in journalism. But she switched things up midway through her college career to gerontology, the scientific study of old age.

She Has Quite the Net Worth

Despite her down-home cooking and personality, Drummond and her family are worth quite a pretty penny. Her husband Ladd's family owns 433,000 acres of land, making them the 23rd largest land owner in the United States. Their combined net worth is estimated to be roughly $50 million. However, AOL reports Ree's own wealth to be closer to $8 million. And Ree isn't the only Food Network star with some surprising fact about her life...

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