More Cheese, Please: 12 Super Cheesy Recipes from 'The Pioneer Woman'
From classic macaroni and cheese and a meaty lasagna to a chile-studded queso dip, learn how to make Ree’s cheesiest recipes.
Every bit as perfect as its name leads you to believe, Ree’s stick-to-your-ribs potato side dish comes together with just a handful of ingredients and features a thick layer of sharp cheddar for rich, hearty results.
To make sure her cheese sauce turns out thick and creamy, Ree creates a roux out of flour and butter before whisking in the milk, then gives the mixture a chance to firm up a bit as it cooks. Just before baking the casserole, she tops the macaroni with a layer of cheddar for next-level decadence.
Ree mixes the just-cooked spaghetti and chicken with a hefty dose of cheddar to form a rich, cheesy sauce for her casserole, then tops it with a blanket of even more cheese before baking for a gooey topping.
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Mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan make up the cheesy trifecta in Ree’s big-batch baked pasta. She combines the cheeses and mixes them with the pasta and her beefy tomato sauce to create a hearty supper. For even more melty indulgence, Ree adds layers of mozzarella among the pasta and sauce while building the casserole to create gooey texture in every bite.
Think of this as the ultimate go-to appetizer: It’s ready to eat in only 30 quick minutes, and it’s at once a comforting favorite your guests will crave and a new twist on classic chips and dip. For subtle smoky flavor, Ree adds a few chipotle peppers in adobo to the buttery cheese sauce spiked with green chiles.
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Five everyday ingredients: That’s all it takes to make Ree’s 25-minute breadsticks. She dresses up a loaf of French bread with garlic-laced butter and plenty of fresh mozzarella, which promises the richness you know and love.
Basic Pepperoni and Four Cheese Pizza
Start with Ree’s go-to recipe for classic pizza dough, then choose for tonight whichever one of her bold pizzas you’re craving. Her pepperoni-topped pie comes together with gooey fresh mozzarella, while the four-cheese variety is topped with a bright salad featuring colorful grape tomatoes, tangy balsamic and fragrant basil — as well as four kinds of creamy cheeses, of course.
A complete, all-in-one meal, Ree’s buttery fried chicken breasts top her homemade tomato sauce and are finished with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. She serves the chicken alongside pasta to round out the dinner.
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The secret to Ree’s comfort lasagna? Cottage cheese, which she combines with Parmesan to create a creamy mixture to layer among the pasta and sauce. According to Ree, “Even if you don’t like cottage cheese by itself, it’s delicious in this lasagna.” Ree also notes that this lasagna can be prepped and frozen before it’s baked, so keep it in your back pocket for when you’ll need a make-ahead meal.
When it comes to the cheese in Ree’s easy-to-make warming soup, the specific kind is up to you; pick your favorite among a few of Ree’s suggestions, like mild or sharp cheddar or Jack cheese. Thanks to the cheese and a duo of whole milk and half-and-half, there’s no shortage of comforting creaminess in this big-batch recipe.
Just as the name suggests, this go-to recipe can be on the table in only 15 speedy minutes. Ree opts for a duo of cheddar and Jack cheeses, plus some processed cheese, like Velveeta, which adds an unmistakable gooey texture to the cheese sauce.
Rib-Eye Steak with Onion Blue Cheese Sauce
Ideal for entertaining and special-occasion meals alike, Ree’s tender, juicy steaks get a creamy, tangy bite from her Worcestershire-spiked blue cheese sauce, which she makes especially decadent with a few glugs of heavy cream. This surprisingly easy dish is so transformative that Ree says of it, “Take a bite. And the world at long last will make sense.”
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