Your "Copycat" Recipe From a WellKnown Restaurant

Parent Cafe
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<p>Some of favorite threads on CC are the food/recipe threads. :)</p>

<p>Last night D2 and I decided to try and recreate one of her favorite restaurant meals - the Four Cheese Pasta from The Cheesecake Factory. Success! It turned out WONDERFUL!</p>

<p>Made me think it might be fun to see what famous recipes/meal items you have tried to recreate with success (or maybe it would be fun to hear about the “misses” too!).</p>

<p>Name the food item, the recipe and if it’s handy and you are willing to share, how you made it!</p>

<p>Here’s our version of The Cheesecake Factory “Four Cheese Pasta”:</p>

<p>First, some members of the family NEED meat, so I made some homemade meatballs:
1 lb ground chuck
1 egg
About 15 Ritz crackers crushed
Salt and Pepper
Snipped fresh oregano
2-3 T parmesan cheese
Lightly fry in a little oil, flipping once.</p>

<p>Add 1 jar favorite marinara (we use the Kirkland and it’s very good) and a couple snipped basil leaves. Simmer for an hour.</p>

<p>Four Cheese Mixture - mix:
1 container ricotta
1/2 c. shredded four cheese blend (fontina, asiago,mozzerella…???)
1/2 c. shredded mozzerella
1/4 c. fresh parmesan
Salt and pepper
Snipped parsley and basil to taste.</p>

<p>Cook 1 box penne pasta until al dente (about 8 mins). Drain and place back in pot. Add 1-1 1/2 c. hot marinara. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Spread out in greased (Pam spray) 9 x13 pan. Top with remaining cheese mixture and distribute evenly over the pan.</p>

<p>Bake at 400-425 for 10 mins or just until melted. Serve with meatballs/extra marinara on the side. </p>

<p>Not hugely complicated, but it was DELICIOUS and the family was in heaven!!! </p>

<p>Do you have a recipe to share???</p>

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<p>bumping from page 2…cause I know that I don’t often click off of page one… :)</p>

<p>No one has replicated a favorite restaurant dish??? </p>

<p>I often see replicated recipes online, but have tried a few and they really didn’t pan out…so looking for that REALLY true to replication recipe!!!</p>

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<p>abasket, sorry, we did not notice your thread - we are all too concentrated on improving our looks after 50. You are right, your posts rarely fall off the 1st page. :D</p>

<p>I think I already posted this, but it is worth re-posting. Nordstrom Cafe Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad (can be made with shrimp, too) is my favorite and has not too many calories per serving (350, if you go easy on the dressing):</p>

<p>Lime & Cilantro Chicken Salad
chipotle-lime vinaigrette</p>

<p>1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons pureed chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (couldn’t find it here, used a teaspoon of chili powder)
2 tablespoons honey
¾ cup canola oil
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, stems and leaves</p>

<p>3 ears corn, shucked and grilled or boiled
1 ¼ pounds boneless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked and julienned
1 ½ cups diced plum tomatoes
1 pound mixed baby greens (I used romaine)
2 cups grated Jack cheese (couldn’t find it here, used cheddar and mozzarella mix)
½ cup roasted red bell pepper
freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
lime wedges for serving</p>

<p>In a blender, combine the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, chili, and honey. Process until smooth, slowly add the oil. Add the cilantro and pulse to combine. Set aside.</p>

<p>Cut the corn kernels from the cobs, add the kernels to a large bowl. Add the chicken, tomatoes, greens, cheese, and bell pepper to the corn. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the salad to chilled serving bowls and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. Serve immediately.</p>

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<p>Sorry you aren’t getting more responses, abasket. My favorite restaurant dishes are all complex or otherwise daunting things that I can’t/won’t pull of at home–that’s why I order them when I go out! For instance, tonite I’ll be going out for lobster. Don’t own a big enough pot to cook lobster. not do I want to to participate in the process of plunging live critters into boiling water. Last week I ordered ravioli stuffed with a short rib mixture served in a pink sauce. Absolutely scrumptious, but when I think how hard it would be to do at home–hours of cooking the short ribs, making and stuffing pasta, then making the sauce, I won’t even consider doing it myself.</p>

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<p>No apologies needed! Haha I didn’t mean MY threads don’t get off the first page, I just meant that I myself rarely search for posts to read past the first page.</p>

<p>Bunsen, that salad sounds just like what I’d like to eat tonight - great summer salad.</p>

<p>MommaJ, lobster sounds heavenly. I swear I want to take a trip to the east coast just to eat seafood everyday! </p>

<p>Our restaurant trips are not too frequent and never too “out there” just because we don’t have the budget for that and honestly, except for ME , my family doesn’t hae the palate for “better” dishes. However, feel free to take me along with you. :)</p>

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<p>A basket - I have a couple Applebee’s Asian dressing recipe and couple others but not with me-will post later.</p>

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<p>Stolen from Jaleo’s in DC, a wonderful tapas restaurant - my MIL’s favorite…</p>

<p>Pappas Arrugas (sp?) - the waiter told us it had 5 ingredients, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and sherry vinegar. We also add a little salt. Put everything into the food processor and puree. Dip teeny tiny potatoes in it (you can get them at Trader Joe’s).</p>

<p>I’ve made it many times and never measured. The biggest mistake you can make is to add too much sherry vinegar. It’s tempting to do so just to get it to blend easier. Here is a very, very rough estimate…</p>

<p>1 bunch cilantro
3 - 4 cloves garlic
1 - 1.5 tablespoons cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil</p>

<p>I promise I’ll make it again soon and measure this time!</p>

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<p>Zuppa Tuscana from Olive Garden</p>

<p>Ingredients</p>

<p>**** 1 Lb. Italian sausage ( I like hot)
**** 2 large Russet baking potatoes, sliced in half, and then in 1/4" slices.
**** 1 large onion chopped
**** 1/2 can oscar meyer bacon bits (or crumbled fresh cooked bacon)
**** 2 cloves garlic, minced
**** 2 cups kale or swiss chard, chopped
**** 2 cans chicken broth (24 oz)
**** 1 quart water
**** 1 cup heavy whipping cream
**** 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes</p>

<p>Directions</p>

<p>*<em>1. Brown sausage and crumble. Drain and set aside.
*</em>2. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, garlic in pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.
*<em>3. Add sausage and bacon
*</em>4. Salt and pepper to taste
*<em>5. Simmer for another 10 minutes
*</em>6. Turn to low heat
*<em>7. Add Kale, cream and red pepper flakes
*</em>8. Heat through and serve
**9. Serve with crusty bread</p>

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<p>Here is a recipe for KFC coleslaw I got off the internet, and I use it all the time. It is dependably good.</p>

<p>8 cups finely diced cabbage (about 1 head)
1/4 cup finely diced carrot
2 tbsp finely diced onion</p>

<pre><code>1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
</code></pre>

<p>Combine the dressing ingredients and beat until smooth. Spoon the slaw into the liquid until you have the right mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.</p>

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<p>I had a great Mother’s Day meal at a local restaurant. They had sweet potato (or was it butternut squash?) filled raviolis, each was topped by a seared scallop. The whole plate was napped with browned butter with sauted fresh (not dried sage leaves). There was lobster tail on the side, but it was really the combination of brown butter, sweetish squash and scallops and musty sage that was so yummy. I’ve done it at home with just mashed sweet potato instead of raviolis.</p>

<p>To make it -say for four:</p>

<p>Cook two sweet potatos or one butternut squash in boiling water till soft. Mash with some butter or cream. Set aside. Put a table spoon of butter in a very hot cast iron or other heavy pan and quickly sear scallops (3 each) on each side. Set aside. Lower heat a bit and brown butter adding sage leaves about half way through. Assemble the dish by place a pile of potato topped with scallops and pour brown butter over the top. If you use ravioli instead, but some butter under the ravioli too.</p>

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<p>Mimi’s Cafe French Onion Soup:</p>

<p>FRENCH ONION SOUP</p>

<p>1 0z Butter (2 Tablespoons)
2 Lb Yellow Onions (I use sweet), halved and sliced 1/2" wide
4 Cans (14 oz) Beef Broth & 1 can Beef Consomm</p>

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<p>I have a recipe that pretty closely copies the amazing cheddar cheese biscuits you get at Red Lobster. Just add garlic powder if you want those…but they are incredible just the way they are:</p>

<p>2 sticks of very soft (almost melted) butter
1 cup of sour cream
2 cups of self-rising flour
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese</p>

<p>Add ingredients in order, hand-stirring after each one, in a big bowl. Spoon into small muffin pan (1.5″ muffins), three-fourths full. Use Teflon-coated pan or spray pan with floured no-stick spray beforehand. Bake at 400 degrees 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops are brown.</p>

<p>Make four times as many as you have guests coming. They’re that good!</p>

<p>makes around 48 mini muffins…</p>

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<p>churchmusicmom, I was just going to post my Red Lobster Biscuit recipe! I still will, since it’s different from yours. I’ve never been to Red Lobster, so I can’t say if these are true to theirs, but they are DELISH.</p>

<p>2 cups Bisquick
2/3 C. Milk
1/2 C. Shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese</p>

<p>1/4 C. Butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Parsley flakes (or fresh chopped parsley)</p>

<p>stir together Bisquick, milk, and cheeses until soft dough forms. Beat for 30 seconds.
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 min at 450.</p>

<p>Melt butter and mix with garlic powder & parsley, brush over warm biscuits before removing from baking sheet.</p>

<p>YUMMMM…mmm. I may have to make these soon</p>

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<p>** AppleBees Oriental Chicken Salad **</p>

<p>1 cup fried crispy Chow Mein Noodles
1 head lettuce (leaves shredded or torn)
2 cooked chicken breasts , meat shredded with your fingers
1 cucumber sliced
handful snow peas sliced on the diagonal
11 ounce can mandarin oranges drained </p>

<p>For the dressing (My in-laws like the Applebee’s dressing so much they asked for small container to take home from Applebees and they charged them $25 ! They are so nice, they didn’t refuse it, as I would have) ! So I figure copying this recipe is revenge. </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Makes scant 1 cup — (use 1/2 for salad store the rest in refrigerator)
6 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar </p>

<p>To make the salad dressing whisk together the honey, mayonnaise and mustard until very smooth. Then whisk in the oil and vinegar.</p>

<p>Assemble the Chinese Chicken Salad, with lettuce, chicken, cucumber, snow peas, mandarin organes.
Drizzle with dressing —spinkle with chow mein noodles.</p>

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<p>Wow I want to Make the biscuits and the Applebee salad together! Not much of an Applebees fan but I have had the salad and it’s yummy!</p>

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<p>^agree, it’s what I order when I do go, which isn’t that often. My In Laws go often and it’s what they order all the time, without any dressing to go :)</p>

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<p>Oh my. Cole slaw with a pile of sugar, soup made with heavy cream, butter blasted biscuits–it all sounds great, but I’m thinking the thread should be renamed “Cardiac Recipe from a Well Known Restaurant”!</p>

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<p>OK, I want to make everything above!! Great idea for a thread!</p>

<p>I have never been an Applebee’s fan either, but I went (under protest) recently and LOVED their Grilled Jalapeno Lime Shrimp- it’s on their Weight Watchers menu. I keep meaning to try to recreate but haven’t done so yet. If anyone else has a recipe for it, I would really, really appreciate it. So good!</p>