Ree Drummond’s Serving Hack Is a Must for Hosts (It Looks Gorgeous, Too!)

Ree Drummond knows a thing or two about cooking for and entertaining a big crowd. The namesake host of Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman is always whipping up something delicious for her family, friends, or farmhands — and doing so in a space that is beautifully curated with hints of vintage country charm. In fact, Drummond has quite the cult following thanks to her home decor line at Walmart. And one of her designs just stole the show in a recent Instagram recipe cook-through that Drummond shared — it may just change the way you serve up dinner from here on out.

In a video posted to her account earlier this month, Drummond shares her recipe for “the best pancakes in the Milky Way galaxy.” The footage will make your mouth water in more ways than one. Yes, the pancakes look utterly delicious — but a cake stand used as a staging set for Drummond’s plates ahead of serving is also just as drool-worthy.

What an ingenious idea for displaying and storing plates ahead of mealtimes! Plates stay off the counter so they won’t get splattered on as you serve, and they just look so pretty displayed on a gorgeous cake stand.

Drummond is using a cake stand from her Walmart collection to rest her plates on. It’s made from durable acacia wood and features a scalloped edge, which gives it a rustic, whimsical look. It’s perfect for giving a leg up to sweets, plates, and other kitchen accessories (it stands at just under 5 inches tall). 

Plus, the Pioneer Woman isn’t the only one who is using the cake stand for something other than cake. One reviewer shared, “Absolutely love this wood cake stand. High-quality, perfect color, and love the detail of the [scalloped] edge. Perfect complement to my decor! I use it on my counter to display a family heirloom tea set and a small lamp! Such a great find with great quality!”

This particular cake stand is so popular that it’s currently sold out — but it may return soon. If you’re looking for a near-identical look, another hosting icon has you covered: Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia storefront has a similar scalloped design.

Using a cake stand to keep plates on standby might just be the most brilliant organizational trick we’ve seen come out of Ree’s kitchen in a long time. It’ll make your counters feel more curated, make serving straight from a hot stovetop even easier, and let you bypass any sort of formal display cabinet. It’s a win, win, win!