The finished dish was flavorful and delicious. Justine Lee

Like many people who loyally watch cooking shows, I've been a longtime fan of The Pioneer Woman, but I'd never made one of Ree Drummond's recipes myself.

Then, while looking for a creative, easy way to cook some Trader Joe's ravioli , I stumbled upon her 20-minute cacio e pepe recipe .

The dish looked simple — it just called for five ingredients beyond ravioli, most of them staples like salt and butter — but Drummond promised the peppery sauce would taste "magical."

As a fan of easy weeknight dinners and flavorful sauces, I knew this was my chance to put her famous, cozy charm to the test.

Here's what happened when I tried the recipe on my own.

The ingredient list is short and sweet.

I chose two different types of ravioli.…