Reading Katie Lee’s memoir made me want to cook — this is the list I took to Target afterward: seven things that help you turn her philosophy into an actual dinner.
1. Katie’s Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce – 24oz – $9.99
If you’ve ever stared at a pot of spaghetti wondering what to do with it, this is the answer. Katie Lee’s arrabbiata brings genuine chili heat and a mascarpone-smoothed finish — the kind of Italian pantry move that used to require more effort than a Tuesday deserves. Heat it on the stovetop and you’re five minutes from dinner.
Taste: Spicy upfront, then creamy and smooth on the back end, with a tomato base that has real depth rather than the flat sweetness of a lot of jarred sauces. The heat is assertive but not scorching — it hangs around through the whole bowl in a way that feels intentional.
Make It Better: Toss it with a handful of arugula and freshly grated Parmigiano just before plating — the peppery greens cut the richness and the cheese pulls it all together.
Parting Thoughts: Spice-lovers will reach for this weekly; if you prefer mild, the marinara from her line is the safer starting point.
2. Katie’s Pepperoni Frozen Pizza – 13.61oz – $13.49
Friday dinner sorted with zero effort — this traditional-crust pizza from Katie Lee’s Target line layers stracciatella, fontina, and a wildflower honey drizzle over cup-and-char pepperoni. It’s a chef-driven combination you’d expect to pay restaurant prices for, not $13.49 from the freezer aisle.
Taste: The sweet-savory honey drizzle is the move — it plays off the salty richness of the pepperoni and the creaminess of the cheese blend in a way that surprises you the first time. The traditional crust bakes up properly crisp in the oven, with enough structure to hold everything without going soggy in the middle.
Make It Better: Push it a few extra minutes past the suggested time if you want more char on the edges — that caramelization on the crust is where the good stuff lives.
Parting Thoughts: Better than most frozen pizza has any right to be; this one earns a permanent spot in the rotation.
3. BergHOFF Neo 5Qt. Cast Iron Oval Covered Dutch Oven, Red – $159.99
Cast iron does something no other pot quite replicates — holds heat long and evenly while a sauce or braise does its slow work underneath the lid. This oval 5-quart version has an enamel exterior so you skip the seasoning ritual entirely, and it’s compatible with all induction cooktops. At $159.99 it’s a real purchase, but one built to last decades.
Standout Features: Enameled cast iron in a 5-quart oval, weighing 15.1 pounds and oven-safe to 400°F, with compatibility across all induction cooktops. The enamel exterior simplifies maintenance — no seasoning required, and cleanup is more forgiving than bare iron. Comes with a fitted cast iron lid as a two-piece set, backed by a 1-year limited warranty.
Best For: Anyone building out a serious home kitchen who wants one heavy pot that moves from stovetop to oven without switching vessels. Well-suited to long-simmered tomato sauces, braised meats, and oven-baked bread — the kind of versatile workhorse that earns its cabinet space.
Parting Thoughts: The price is real, but this is the kind of pot you buy once and stop thinking about for the next twenty years.
4. Pizza Baking Stone – Made By Design™ – $14.00
A baking stone changes what your oven can actually do — the sustained, even heat it holds is what separates a genuinely crisp crust from a pale, soft one. This Made By Design option runs at around $14.00, making it one of the easier home kitchen upgrades you’ll find on the shelf.
Standout Features: A stone baking surface that absorbs and radiates heat directly to the dough, drawing out moisture for a crispier bottom crust. Works for frozen pizzas and homemade dough alike — preheat it in the oven before sliding the pizza on for best results.
Best For: Pizza nights at any skill level, whether you’re baking one of Katie Lee’s frozen pies or working a homemade dough. The preheating step is the one thing that matters most — don’t skip it.
Parting Thoughts: Around $14 for a noticeably better crust is one of the smarter kitchen trades you’ll make all year.
5. Barilla Spaghetti Pasta – 16oz – $1.89
At $1.89, this 16-ounce box is the ingredient that ties everything else on this list together. Non-GMO verified and Kosher, it’s the weeknight foundation that makes a good sauce actually land — pasta that does its job without getting in the way of whatever you’ve built on top.
Taste: Cooks up properly al dente with a clean, wheaty flavor that doesn’t compete with whatever sauce you’re using. The long noodles hold their shape well and don’t go mushy if you pull them a touch early to finish in the pan with the sauce.
Make It Better: Salt the pasta water aggressively before it goes in — that’s where the flavor base starts, and a bold sauce like the arrabbiata rewards a well-seasoned noodle underneath it.
Parting Thoughts: Reliable, affordable, and exactly what you want under a bold Italian sauce — buy two boxes while you’re at it.
6. Graza Refill Sizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 725mL – $15.99
Spanish extra virgin olive oil with a smoke point between 410 and 425 degrees — this Graza refill is the right bottle for the high-heat sautéing at the base of most Italian sauces. At $15.99 for 725mL, it’s a well-priced way to cook with heat-tolerant EVOO rather than something that breaks down in a hot pan.
Taste: Robust and grassy in the way good Spanish EVOO tends to be — assertive enough to do real work in a hot pan without burning off flat. Ready to use straight from the bottle with no prep needed.
Make It Better: Start the sauce with a generous pour in a cold pan, add your garlic, and let them warm up together — you’ll draw more flavor from both than you would going in hot.
Parting Thoughts: If you’re cooking Italian at home with any regularity, good EVOO isn’t optional — and this one earns its shelf space.
7. Signature Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese – 7oz – Good & Gather™ – $8.99
My rule: always keep a wedge of real Parmigiano in the fridge. This 7-ounce wedge sourced from Italy is the actual thing — not a blend, not pre-shredded — and the difference over a hot bowl of pasta is immediate and obvious once you’ve made the switch.
Taste: Deeply nutty, sharp, and faintly crystalline in the way a properly aged hard cheese should be. Grate it fresh over hot pasta and it melts in slowly, rounding out the acidity of a tomato sauce in a way pre-grated simply cannot manage.
Make It Better: Grate it directly over the finished dish at the table — the warmth of the pasta draws out the aroma and the cheese integrates into the sauce rather than sitting on top.
Parting Thoughts: Eight ninety-nine for a genuine Italian Parmigiano wedge is an honest price; keep it refrigerated and reach for it all week long.
