Your Best Copy Cat RECIPE!!!

Parent Cafe
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<p>This new format needs a new RECIPE thread - gotta love my CC recipe threads to read!!!</p>

<p>Another post on another thread gave me this idea - someone mentioned how their kids love the Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits - and I thought about how I have a recipe that really is similar to the restaurant recipe.</p>

<p>That’s what makes it a “copycat” recipe. A recipe that seems to TRULY mimic a purchased restaurant or store product, but that you can make on your own at home. Key word - “TRULY” - let’s only post recipes that you can vouch for being GOOD AS or CLOSE TO GOOD AS the original!</p>

<p>So I’ll start with my biscuit recipe - we think it’s quite good. I will admit I haven’t been in Red Lobster for a few years, but based on the biscuits of a few years ago, we’ve had luck with this one:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.food.com/recipe/red-lobster-cheddar-bay-biscuits-89684”>http://www.food.com/recipe/red-lobster-cheddar-bay-biscuits-89684&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>It is KEY to use the COLD water! </p>

<p>Anxious to see what copycats you guys have to share!</p>

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<p>2 tablespoons butter</p>

<p>2 pounds yellow onions, halved and sliced</p>

<p>4 cans beef broth (14 oz.)</p>

<p>1 can beef consommé, undiluted</p>

<p>1/4 cup Romano Cheese, grated</p>

<p>salt and ground pepper, to taste</p>

<p>Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot and sauté onions over medium low heat until they soften and turn golden brown. Keep stirring so they don’t burn. Add beef stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk grated cheese into soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.</p>

<p>Pour into ovenproof soup crocks. Top with toasted, sliced French bread and grated cheese (Gruyere, Mozzarella, Swiss or Parmesan). Broil until cheese melts and remove from oven. </p>

<p>Yield: Serves 6-8.</p>

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<p>Somemom, what popular item is this recipe copycatting??? I assume it’s a french onion soup, but who is it copycatting???</p>

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<p>This is the best espinaca dip on the planet. I’ve also seen recipes calling for cream, but make it with milk myself. I did NOT originate this recipe, and can attest that Land O’ Lakes cheese does make a difference. The original is at Shorty’s Mexican Roadhouse in NH. I miss it so much…</p>

<p>Ingredients
½ cup onion, finely diced
½ cup tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
2½ pounds cheese, hot pepper (Land O’Lakes preferred)
2 ounces (¼ cup) frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
1½ cup milk
Directions</p>

<p>Peel and finely dice the onion. Wash. core and dice the tomatoes. Place the spinach in a mesh strainer. Press or squeeze to remove the liquid. Shred or cut the cheese into smaller pieces to make melting easier. Using a double boiler, heat the milk. Add the cheese and stir constantly as the cheese melts. When the cheese is completely melted, remove the mixture from the heat, Fold in the onions, tomatoes and the spinach. Stir to combine. Serve warm with pita chips, crackers or tortilla chips. Serve warm. </p>

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<p>Sseamom. Do you mean “spinach” dip?! It looks deliciously not good for you!!! </p>

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<p>Hmm, I cut and pasted from my saved note which shows it is from Mimi’s Cafe, a primarily west coast French style restaurant. Now if only I could find their bran muffin recipe, I have tried numerous copy cats and not found anything close yet</p>

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<p>Well, they call it espinaca con queso dip, and yes, it’s terrible for you, but we always practically lick the bowl when we get it. It’s one of only a few must-have foods when I go back there.</p>

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<p>My apologies to you for what I thought might be a bad spell correct of the word “spinach”!!!</p>

<p>And the dip sounds SOOOO good!!</p>

<p>More recipes??</p>

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<p>"Mimi’s Cafe, a primarily west coast French style restaurant. Now if only I could find their bran muffin recipe, "</p>

<p>I miss Mimi’s. Yes, their bran muffins are delish.</p>

<p>I also love their pain perdu. If I could make that, I’d be so happy. </p>

<p>I just googled and found this for Pain Perdu…I don’t know if it’s a good copy.</p>

<p>RECIPE:
Mimi’s Cafe Pain Perdu
Number of Servings: 3
Filling Ingredients
6 oz. low fat Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup Orange Marmalade
6 1-inch thick slices of brioche bread
French Toast Batter Ingredients
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk or cream
¼ cup Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
Zest of 1/4 Orange
Unsalted butter for griddle pan
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix the cream cheese and marmalade with a mixer or spoon until blended together.
Take 2 slices of bread per serving, and spread a thick layer of Cream Cheese mixture to the center of a slice of bread. Top with another slice of bread to sandwich the mixture.
Mix ingredients of batter together. Dip each “sandwich” into the batter and let them soak for 10 minutes.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat and add butter. Grill until golden on each side.
Transfer to a pan and place in oven, 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and custardy in the middle.</p>

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<p>somemom…</p>

<p>Did you see/try this one?</p>

<p>Mimi’s Honey Bran Muffin (Copycat)
If you have been to Mimi’s Cafe, you should know about the Honey Bran Muffin that they give you when you order soup or salad. I love this muffin, with it’s sticky gooey outer layer, and moist inside. <em>Now, if you don’t have powdered milk, just use 1/4 c milk and 1/4 c water</em>. The muffins become more gooey the longer they sit. I think this muffin is as close as I’m going to get to the original Mimi’s Cafe Honey Bran Muffin in Hawaii.</p>

<p>Mimi’s Honey Bran Muffin (Copycat)</p>

<p>Dry Ingredients:
1 c flour
1 c wheat bran (I bought mine in the bulk bins)
4 tsp dry milk* (see note above)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt</p>

<p>Wet ingredients:
1/3 c dark brown sugar
1/4 c honey
2 tbs molasses
1/4 c oil
1 egg
1/3 c raisins (you could use prunes as well)
1/2 c water *(see note)
1 tsp orange zest</p>

<p>Glaze:
3 tbs sugar
3 tbs dark brown sugar
3 tbs butter, softened
2 tbs corn syrup
2 tsp water</p>

<p>Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl. Divide glaze mixture among 12 muffin tins, making sure to coat the sides and bottoms, set aside. In a blender or food processor puree raisins and water together. Add puree to the rest of the wet ingredients, and combine well. Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix until combined. Divide batter evenly between the 12 muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tops of muffins are just set set. (Do not over bake!) Immediately invert muffins onto wax paper or foil, and let cool. </p>

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<p>I’ll have to check my notes, MO2CK, I know that the three times I tried it, using internet copycat recipes, they all tasted too bitterly of molasses. They were tasty muffins, but nowhere near Mimi’s. When I travel near a Mimi’s, I always bring back a box of bran muffins for the family.</p>

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<p>Mimi’s sounds like a gold mine of good food! </p>

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<p>It’s like the Olive Garden of French food, quite decent, consistent and some things that are wonderful. My family has gone there since the 70s and it is still just as good.</p>

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<p>I keep reading this thread as “Best Cat Recipe.”</p>

<p>Carry on. =)</p>

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<p>ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE</p>

<p>Two of my favorite recipes; took me a while to track them down but they’ve been reliably delicious:</p>

<p>DUTCH BABY: </p>

<p>2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (we use King Arthur)
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon butter, softened
Pinch nutmeg
Lemon wedges
Powdered sugar (optional)
Fresh berries (optional)</p>

<ol>
<li> Preheat oven to 425 F</li>
<li> Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, tilting to coat bottom and sides of pan.</li>
<li>Whisk together milk, flour, sugar, eggs, softened butter, and nutmeg in bowl. Pour into skillet. Cook 1 minute.</li>
<li>Place pan in over and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until puffed and golden. Squeeze lemon over top and sprinkle with powdered sugar and fresh berries. Cut pancake and pan and serve with a spatula. Serve immediately. Serves 4.</li>
</ol>

<p>-Be sure to use an ovenproof skillet and remember the handle will be very hot! Let the eggs sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before making the pancakes.
-I like to serve with whipped butter, squeezed lemon, and powdered sugar.</p>

<p>49er FLAPJACKS:</p>

<p>1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract</p>

<p>Blend the sugar, salt, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla in a blender for 3 seconds. Add the flour and blend until well combined, 5-10 seconds more. If any flour remains on the sides, scrape down and blend again for a few seconds until combined.</p>

<p>Pour batter into a covered container and refrigerate one hour or overnight. (I usually make the night before and just leave the blender in the fridge overnight; give quick blend in the morning before making the pancakes.)</p>

<p>When ready to cook the flapjacks, preheat a 10" non-stick skillet or crepe pan on medium low heat until a drop of water “dances” across the surface. Brush the surface of the pan with melted butter and pour 1/2 cup of batter into the pan. Swirl pan to cover the bottom evenly with batter. Cook until the edges begin to brown. Flip over the flapjack and cook until the other side browns evenly. (We usually keep two pans going and keep the finished flapjacks on a warm covered plate until they’re all done.)</p>

<p>Serve with pure maple syrup and slices of lemon.</p>

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<p>I thought of this thread when I saw this on Food Network: <a href=“http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/photos/copy-that-secret-restaurant-recipes.html?ic1=obinsite”>http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/photos/copy-that-secret-restaurant-recipes.html?ic1=obinsite&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Wow, that’s a goldmine! We need to each take a shot at making one and report back!!! :)</p>

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<p>Just came across this copycat recipe this morning - can’t vouch for it yet, but if it’s good, my son will be in heaven - this is one of his favorite to do junk food snacks!!!<br>
Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzels
<a href=“Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzels - Easy Pretzel Snack for Parties”>http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/honey-mustard-and-onion-pretzels/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Since when are bran muffins French?</p>

<p>I wish someone would give me the copycat recipe for the chicken salad that the defunct Elsie’s in Harvard Square used to serve. My best guess is that they had some cream as well as mayo in it, it wasn’t unusual except in its deliciousness.</p>