The incredible life of Food Network's 'Pioneer Woman' - who owns 433,000 acres and gets paid millions of dollars in government money

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

• Ree Drummond is a famous blogger and star of Food Network's "The Pioneer Woman."
• Drummond rose to fame blogging about life on her husband's ranch.
• The star's future plans are much bigger than cooking comfort food.

Ree Drummond is one of the biggest personalities in food media in 2017.

"The Pioneer Woman" is a People magazine cover star. She has a Food Network show, has published seven books, and founded a magazine. And, as of this week, her family is the 23rd largest landowner in the US.

It's been a winding path that brought "The Pioneer Woman" to fame - and it's not over yet. While Drummond made her name cooking up comfort food, her future plans are much bigger than a blog and Food Network TV show.

Here's how Ree Drummond became "The Pioneer Woman," and what she's doing next.