Ree Drummond just announced her ninth cookbook, The Essential Recipes: 125 Greatest Hits New Twists, and Perfected Classics, and inside is a shocking change to the Chicken Spaghetti casserole recipe her readers have loved since she first posted it on her blog nearly two decades ago.
Chicken Spaghetti is the only casserole Ree’s husband Ladd will eat, she has said, so changing it up was a big gamble. Instead of using canned cream of mushroom soup (the classic way her mom has made the dish for 50-plus years!) Ree now uses her own homemade version of the soup, plus a big glug of sherry and a mix of cheeses for a richer flavor. “I would never use the word ‘better’ to describe it, but I will say that it is spectacular and very worth the extra effort, even just once before you go back to the original.” Ree says of the newly revamped version.
Ree’s beloved Best Lasagna Ever also gets a surprising new homemade twist in the new book. While this one has long been a go-to dinner in the Drummond house, the book version calls for you to swap the original cottage cheese layer for a rich, homemade ricotta, which adds depth and creaminess to the dish, as well as adding a splash of red wine and some flavorful Italian sausage instead of breakfast sausage.
For breakfast lovers, Ree has updated her old Perfect Pancake recipe, too: She now combines regular milk and tangy homemade buttermilk (yes, the buttermilk recipe is included!), and (here’s the key) she lets the batter rest before cooking the pancakes for optimal fluffiness and the best-ever texture. Plus her Broccoli Cheese Soup—son Bryce’s top pick—now includes creamy, nutty Havarti cheese, fresh garlic, and heavier-handed seasoning for big flavor.
Be sure to grab a copy of Ree’s new book when it comes out so you can try these new tricks and changes (plus so many more) for yourself!
Pre-order from Barnes and Noble
