Some family recipes get passed down on little index cards. In the Drummond family, there’s also the slight advantage of Mom having documented half their childhood dinners on television. 😂
Alex and Paige grew up eating Ree’s cooking, so now that they have kitchens of their own, plenty of those familiar recipes have followed them there. Paige has reached for her mom’s pot roast when the weather turns cold; Alex still makes the chicken legs Ree served when the kids were growing up. But the Drummond girls aren’t simply recreating Mom’s greatest hits! They’ve got TikTok pasta to try, slow-cooker dinners they’ve invented themselves, and very strong opinions about what belongs on the table during taco night.
Their husbands have found their places in the kitchen, too! David gets to enjoy the results of Paige’s latest cooking experiment, while Mauricio was long the resident burger-and-carne-asada guy in his and Alex’s house. (Though his Alpha-Gal diagnosis has meant some creative menu changes lately!) And on nights when absolutely nobody feels like doing much? Well, pigs in a blanket on a paper plate, of course!
Here are the easy dinners Alex and Paige actually make at home—Ree’s own classics, family favorites, and a few wonderfully low-effort creations included.
Alex’s Chicken Sausage Mac and Cheese
This is Alex’s “go-to comfort dinner,” otherwise known as what happens when hot dogs and mac and cheese grow up just a *tiny* bit. She stirs sliced chicken sausage into boxed white cheddar mac, calls the whole thing “healthier” (with a question mark), and has one request: “Don’t judge.” Sofia, of course, is fully on board. Try Alex's protein-packed mac and cheese.
Paige’s One-Pot Sausage and Leek Pasta
Paige found this pasta on TikTok, tried it for dinner, and promptly gave it a “10/10.” Good enough for us! Sausage and leeks get cozy with cream, Parmesan, peas, and pasta, and somehow the whole thing happens in one pot. Her final review was even more enthusiastic: “Soooo good.” Try Paige's TikTok pasta recipe.
Alex’s Green Chicken Enchiladas
This one is an Alex original, although she’d probably use that term loosely. “I kinda made it up but here’s the recipe,” she said before walking through the enchiladas she now makes on repeat. Rotisserie chicken keeps things easy, and Alex has started making bigger pans so Mauricio can take leftovers to work the next day. Her finishing touch is Mexican crema, which she describes as basically a thinner sour cream, only “just better.” Try Alex’s green enchiladas.
Alex’s Hamburger Soup
This is one of those recipes that doesn’t mind if you wander off script a little. Ree has always loved hamburger soup because you can add whatever vegetables you have around, and Alex took full advantage with potatoes, carrots, peppers, green beans, and tomatoes with green chiles. She and Mauricio “love spice,” so naturally those stayed. A pile of shredded cheese went on top because some traditions need no explanation. Try Alex’s spin on Ree’s hamburger soup.
Alex and Mauricio’s Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries
Alex and Mauricio figured out their burger-night jobs early on. He handled the burgers; she handled the fries. Alex’s sweet potato version goes into the air fryer with olive oil, seasoned salt, and pepper and comes out about 15 minutes later—which explains why she called them a staple in their house. “They’re healthy and easy!” Try Alex's sweet potato fries.
Paige’s Perfect Pot Roast
The first real cold snap in Dallas sent Paige straight to one of Ree’s classics. She made her mom’s Perfect Pot Roast with mashed potatoes, and the meat came out “literally falling apart”—exactly what you want after letting a roast cook away all afternoon. Ree saw the results and declared, “My work here is done.” 😂 Try Paige's take on Ree’s pot roast.
Alex’s Two-Ingredient Salsa Chicken
No hidden ingredient list here! Alex’s salsa chicken is literally chicken breasts plus a can of salsa in the slow cooker. Shred it a few hours later and spoon it over rice, tuck it into tortillas, or do whatever speaks to your soul. Alex calls it one of her favorite “SUPER easy” things to make. Try Alex’s salsa chicken.
Alex’s Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup
Alex has a rule: Once the temperature dips below 70 degrees, “there WILL be soup in the crockpot.” 😂 Her go-to slow cooker tortilla soup has chicken, beans, corn, Rotel, enchilada sauce, and plenty of toppings at the end—Fritos included, thank goodness. She’s made versions of it across multiple years, and Mauricio gave it his official “SO YUMMY” approval. Try Alex’s slow cooker tortilla soup.
Alex and Mauricio’s Carne Asada With Roasted Veggies
Back in their newlywed days, Alex and Mauricio had dinner responsibilities nicely sorted out. “He always makes the meats and I always do the sides,” Alex explained. On this particular night, that meant carne asada from Mauricio and a big pan of roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, onion, and garlic from Alex—a side they were making “like every week.” She finished hers with a spicy Trader Joe’s condiment she very technically called a “yummy sauce thing.” 😂 Try Alex and Mauricio's carne asada.
Paige’s Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
The minute Dallas got a proper snow day, Paige knew what dinner needed to be. She made grilled cheese on thick sourdough with tomato soup and called it “My fav meal for this weather!” Amen to that. Try Paige's grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Alex’s Turkey Tacos
Taco night was not about to disappear just because Mauricio had to give up beef! Alex swapped in ground turkey, cooked it with onions, jalapeños, and pinto beans, and served the whole thing with rice and cheese. Sofia happily ate it too, which surprised Alex enough to start wondering whether the internet rumor about jalapeños getting less spicy might actually be true. 😂 Try Alex's turkey taco dinner.
Alex’s Oven-Baked Chicken Legs
This one came straight from Alex’s childhood. “My mom used to make these all the time growing up,” she said of her easy oven-baked chicken legs, which she coats in butter or olive oil, lemon juice, and whatever seasonings she’s feeling before they go into the oven. She now calls chicken legs the “most underrated meat option”: easy, tender, and cheap. Ree would be proud! Try Alex’s oven-baked chicken legs.
Alex’s Tortellini Soup
During her second pregnancy, Alex admitted she could count on one hand how many times she’d cooked at home since about six weeks in. Then a chilly day came along and apparently soup was persuasive enough to get her back to the stove. Her favorite version has Italian sausage, tortellini, a little cream, and several handfuls of kale—which she adds because it “makes me feel better seeing some green in there.” Try Alex's tortellini soup.
Mauricio’s Smash Burgers
Mauricio had never made smash burgers before this particular dinner, but nobody would have guessed it from the production happening on the griddle. He scattered down plenty of onions, put the beef right on top, and then came his favorite instruction: “You come in and smash ’em!” Alex’s verdict after the first attempt was “so unbelievably yummy.” Try Mauricio’s smash burger method.
Alex and Mauricio’s Pigs in a Blanket
And finally, proof that being Ree Drummond’s daughter doesn’t mean dinner must always involve a Dutch oven. “Mauricio and I have been making pigs in a blanket for dinner lately 😅,” Alex confessed while eating them off a paper plate and watching football. Then came the only question that really matters: “Why are they so good??” George also wanted a sample of their extremely sophisticated dinner obsession. Try Alex and Mauricio’s pigs in a blanket.
