Ree Drummond, seated; Jenny Broughton, Andrea Baca, Allison and Susan Wallace, Nela Mrchkovska, Amy Wallace, standing pose for pictures at Full Circle Book Store. (Photo by David Faytinger).

Ree Drummond, author of “The Pioneer Woman Cooks” cookbook and “The Pioneer Woman” blog was in Oklahoma City recently for a book signing party for her new book, “Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.”

The event was at Full Circle Book Store  and Beth and Jim Tolbert were hosts.

Hundreds of fans were in line with her books in hand for Pioneer Woman to autograph. Some people brought gifts for her. The beloved author/blogger answered a few questions from the audience.

She will be in Ponca City and Norman for upcoming events and will be back in Oklahoma City March 2^nd for the Pi Beta Phi alumni “Gathering of the Angels” luncheon as guest speaker.

Cookies by Bridget Edwards…using “flood icing.” (Photos by Helen Ford Wallace).

Ever heard of “Flooding Your Cookies?”

The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, graciously invited readers and bloggers to the Drummond Ranch, in northern Oklahoma, to learn tips on that and other ways of cookie decorating. These decorating lessons were taught by expert cookie decorator Bridget Edwards from The Woodlands, Texas.

Ree’s Saturday event at the Lodge at The Ranch had all of her lucky guests  (4 PW blog readers  and their 4 guests chosen at random from 40,000 entrants, some local people and friends from throughout the state)  decorating beautiful holiday cookies. Plus, Ree made all the cookies from expert Bridget’s own vanilla-almond sugar cookie recipe. There were stars, candy canes, ornaments, gingerbread men, bells, Christmas tree cookies, all decorated in beautiful colors, flooding icing (thinner icing for better spreading) , and sprinkles.

Everyone gathered around the center island in the kitchen where stools were set up. Cookies and disposal icing bags and plain decorating tips were provided, as well as aprons. What a treat! The creative side of the all of these women prevailed. The cookies they produced were outstanding. After Bridget showed them how, they went to work. Bridget also showed the group how to print edible photos on the printer and attach them to cookies for personalization. She used Pioneer Woman’s (http://thepioneerwoman.com ) own pictures from The Ranch to demonstrate.

During the entire session, everyone, including Pioneer Woman,  took photographs ( for their blogs and facebook pages), twittered about their cookie decorating experiences on their cell phones, and one guest had her computer out and was blogging. It was multi-tasking at its finest!

After cookie decorating, the tables were cleared, wine and cheese and crackers were produced (before the next sweet course) and the women went to work learning how to make chocolate, chocolate truffles and toffee. Tiffany Poe and Lia Lewis were instructors  lessons in candy making.

With cookies and candy bagged and tagged, the group was ready for dinner. I forgot to mention that Ree served a marvelous seafood salad for lunch with the best just-right recipe for dressing.  It was excellent.  I will include that recipe if/when I receive it along with the candy recipes.  For now, I will direct you to Bridget’s post on sugar cookies.  You will love them! http://www.bakeat350.blogspot.com

Bridget Edwards, Ree Drummond, Jennifer Wilson are ready for cookie decorating.

Bridget stirs as Ree photographs.

Tiffany Poe and Bridget Edwards set up for the hands-on cookie decorating session.

Everyone gets into icing making.

Listening and learning.

Decorating their cookies.

Here is one of the cookies printed with printed edible icing.

Beautiful cookies!

Sprinkles!

More beautiful cookies!

An excellent cookie!

Beautiful cookies!

Among the guests were Molly Crosby, Tulsa; Bridget Edwards, The Woodlands, Tx.; Kathryn Stafford, Yorktown, Va., and Cristy Janssen, Colo. Springs, Colo.

Meg, Alex,  Connell,  Langley and Paige were among the cookie decorators.

Connell, (http://www.thesenatorswife.net/) Lillie-Beth (http://blog.newsok.com/get-appy/), Bridget (http://www.bakeat350.blogspot.com) , Amy (http://www.livinglocurto.com/) and  Julie from (http://www.anotherchanceranch.net) take a break from cookie decorating.

The family gathers around as Ree finishes some book signing on her “The Pioneer Woman Cooks” Cookbook.

Charlie, the Drummond’s Basset Hound,  waits patiently, outside,  for his cookie.

QUESTION: Help!  Football season is coming up again and my best friend and I (and our families) root for opposing teams that usually play each other during the year. Sometimes we go to the game together or watch it on television.

What are some mannerly ways to approach this? I always seem to get mad when the other team scores and only love my team, but after the game is over, I usually feel bad that I was not as good of a sports fan as I should have been.  Tell me how to be a better football fan.

CALLIE’S ANSWER: It is always fun and games! Remember that it is just a game, whether the other person is being a sore winner/loser let them be. Let them look bad! Don’t be the annoying football fan!

Scream, yell, and have fun! GO SOONERS!!

LILLIE-BETH’S ANSWER: It’s really fun to watch a football game when you passionately care about the outcome. Things get intense at our house when a certain team plays, and we love being totally into each play, the players and the final score. That intensity is a good thing when it means you’re loyal to your team and want good things to happen; it’s quite the opposite when you’re wishing bad things to happen to the opposing side.

Is that what happens when you’re with your friend? Do you talk trash about your friend’s team and celebrate opposing players’ missteps, bad plays or worse, like injuries? If so, tone it down and show some respect.

Recognize that those rooting for the other side care as much about their team as you care about yours. Start by finding ways to compliment the other team on a good play (after all, in every game, both sides make good and bad plays).

Be graceful and considerate whether your team wins or loses. Find common ground in the good food, camaraderie and the atmosphere. Enjoy your friendship.

Sometimes it’s a fine line between cheering for your team’s success and gloating over the opponent’s failure. Don’t talk trash when you’re in mixed company that includes fans for both teams. If you have to, leave the snide comments for when you’re alone with fans who are hoping for the same team to win that you are.

HELEN’S ANSWER: My University of Oklahoma football team is the very best! In the past I have shown zero tolerance for other teams (even if they are better than my team), but I do realize there are others out there who love their teams too. Too bad. I try to be around people of like minds when watching the game in person or on television because I am obnoxious.

But with that being said and since this question has been raised by one of our readers, I will devote this football season to better manners during games and to being a better sports fan. I will refrain from booing the other team, will never say bad things about Texas and will engage others (of the opposite team) watching with me in polite conversation.

Maybe our reader can join me in striving for better sports manners.

The Pioneer Woman

GUEST’S ANSWER: Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman. This dilemma could not be more relevant in my own household, because my husband and I attended different Pac-10 schools. When our two teams play together, things are tense; on one hand, I know how much he loves his alma mater and wants to win. On the other hand, I want my team to pummel and dominate his team (and it usually does. Sorry, Honey!)

What I’ve found through much trial and error (and strife and therapy) is that if I both lay off the trash-talking and remain willing to throw my husband the occasional “that was a good play” when his team does well, it goes a long way toward saving our marriage from football rivalry-related disaster…at least for one more season.”

Callie Gordon, a college junior,  was a 2009 debutante and has been in many new social situations recently. Lillie-Beth Brinkman is a former  debutante and currently the assistant features editor for The Oklahoman. Helen Wallace has written a social column for The Oklahoman for many years and has been on various local Ball committees. Guest Ree Drummond is The Pioneer Woman, author of a world famous blog of that name. She has also written a cookbook called The Pioneer Woman Cooks and authored a book called Black Heels to Tractor Wheels to be released in February. thepioneerwoman.com

This group does not always agree (via age differences), but they ALL see the need for proper behavior.

Ask a specific etiquette question and you will get three answers…Then you decide for yourself how you would handle the situation. The answers have information for every age range….Callie is 20-ish; Lillie-Beth is 40-something, and Helen is 60-plus.

Please email us with your questions and  follow us on Facebook, Twitter and daily blogs. We will try to answer your etiquette questions  weekly on the Parties Extra! blog. Sometimes we will ask other people for their opinions.

Look for us!

helen.wallace@cox.net…lbrinkman@opubco.com… calliezok3@aol.com