Alfredo Sauce

From : https://therecipecritic.com/the-best-homemade-alfredo-sauce-ever/

Favorite Copycat Recipes

My Favorite Copy Cat Recipes

COLESLAW 
Chick-fil-A Restaurant Copycat Recipe

Makes 4 cups

Dressing:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 tablespoon ground black pepper

Slaw:
1 small head cabbage, finely shredded
1 small carrot, finely shredded

Whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
Toss cabbage and carrot together in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

CHICKEN NUGGETS
Chick-Fil-A Copycat Recipe

Serves 4

dill pickle juice
3 cup peanut oil
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon salt
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small bite size chunks
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Pour some pickle juice into a bowl/ziploc freezer bag.  Cut up your chicken breasts into small chunks and put them in the pickle juice and into the fridge to marinate for about an hour.

After an hour/when you are ready to make the chicken nuggets, mix the egg and milk into a bowl.  Remove chicken from pickle juice and place into the milk/egg mixture to sit a bit. While the chicken is sitting, in a separate bowl, mix together the Flour, Powdered Sugar, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Pepper and Salt. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture. (If you want to double coat the chicken you will need to increase the flour mixture amounts and repeat these two steps…I did a single coat and they were fabulous!)

Heat the oil to 375 degrees. You can use a deep fryer or I simply heat in a frying pan on the stove top.  I heated mine over medium high heat (a 5 out of 8 on my stove dial) and then sprinkled flour in it to see when it bubbled which means the oil is hot enough.  The coating makes the oil pretty messy and I just prefer to use a frying pan and discard the oil afterwards. Gently drop your chicken pieces in the heated oil and cook until golden brown, which for my smaller nugget size pieces were about 3 minutes per side more or less.

THAI CHICKEN PASTA
Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipe

Peanut Sauce
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 teaspoons chili paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup hot water
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Pasta
1/2 a pound thin spaghetti, fully cooked and drained
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, fully cooked and sliced diagonally
2 carrots, julienne cut
1 small can water chestnuts, drained
handful chopped peanuts, for garnish
bunch cilantro, chopped

To make the sauce, put all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until well combined. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

Blanch the carrots in boiling water for about 3 minutes, pulling them out while they’re still bright and crisp. Place in a large bowl with the cooked pasta, sliced chicken, water chestnuts, and cilantro. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to coat; top with more cilantro and chopped peanuts.

Notes: Looks like they also added some bean sprouts on top as a garnish.

BLUEBERRY COLD SNAP COCKTAIL
Bonefish Grill Recipe                                                                    

1.5 oz Your Favorite Vodka                                                                                                                    .50 oz Art in the Age Organic Rhubarb Liqueur                             
10 each Blueberries                                                                        
1.25 oz Fresh Sour Mix                                                                  
2-3 dashes Lavender Bitters                                                                               

Combine the blueberries and the sour mix in a pint glass and muddle well. Add your favorite vodka, rhubarb liqueur and 2- 3 dashes of the lavender bitters. Shake and strain into a glass over ice. Or if you are a fan of Martinis, shake and strain into a chilled martini glass! Garnish with a fresh lavender flower for an aromatic touch.

SPICY JACK CHEESE WEDGES
O'Charley's Copycat Recipe

Serves 6


1 (7 oz.) package pepper jack cheese
1/3 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 egg


Cut cheese into 1/2-in. slices; cut each slice in half diagonally. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and red pepper flakes if desired. In another bowl, beat egg. Dip cheese triangles into egg, then in crumb mixture.
Place on a greased baking sheet. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until browned and cheese begins to melt.

Pepper Marinara Sauce:


2 (28-oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, seeded, cut in 1/2-inch dice


In a mixing bowl, crush the whole tomatoes with your fingers to form a course puree. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper flakes, sugar, basil, and parsley Stir in and reserve.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onions begin to soften. Add the garlic and saute for cook for two minutes (do not brown the garlic). Add the tomato mixture, and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell peppers, and simmer until the peppers are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Notes:  This makes a big batch of about 3 1/2 quarts which is more than needed for this recipe so you will have leftovers to use with pasta or freeze for later use.

CORN DOGS and CHEESE on a STICK
Hot Dog on a Stick Copycat Recipe

6 cups pancake mix
2 cups yellow corn meal
2 whole eggs, slightly beaten
6 cups water
hot dogs
cheese, cut into 1/2-inch X 3 inch sticks
chopsticks
canola oil, For frying
spicy mustard, for serving

In a large bowl, combine pancake mix and cornmeal. Stir to combine. Add eggs and water, adding more water as needed for the batter to become slightly thick. Start out by adding 4 cups, then work your way up to 6 cups or more.

Heat canola oil over medium high heat. Drop in a bit of batter to see if it's ready: the batter should immediately start to sizzle but should not immediately brown/burn. Insert sticks into hot dogs so that they're 2/3 of the way through. Do the same with the cheese sticks.

Dip the hot dogs into the batter and allow excess to drip off for a couple of seconds. Carefully drop into the oil (stick and all) and use tongs or a spoon to make sure it doesn't hit the bottom of the pan and stick. Flip it here and there to ensure even browning, and remove it from the oil when the outside is deep golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with cheese, allowing it to get as golden as possible so that cheese will melt completely. Serve with spicy mustard.

STEAK OSCAR
Ruth Chris Steak House Copycat Recipe

Serves 1


1 (8 ounce) filet of beef, wrapped in bacon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 ounces butter, divided
1 (2 ounce) crab cakes
5 asparagus spears
1 cup mashed potatoes
3 ounces bearnaise sauce
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped

Season both sides of the fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill and cook 4 minutes on one side. Turn steak over and cook additional 4 minutes. In separate skillet, add 1 ounce of the butter and the crab cake and sear on one side. Turn over and sear the other side. Cook crab cake until hot all the way through. Keep warm.

In separate skillet, add remaining butter and cook the asparagus. Cook until cooked through and hot. Turn heat down to keep warm. Remove steak from grill and top with the crab cake. Pipe the mashed potatoes to the side of the fillet. Lay the asparagus against the fillet and potatoes. Pour the bearnaise sauce over the steak and crab cake.
Garnish with chopped parsley.

HOOTERS WING SAUCE

Buffalo Sauce
1⁄2 cup louisiana hot sauce or 1⁄2 cup Frank's red hot sauce
4 ounces unsalted butter
1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon garlic powder
oil, for deep frying

To Make The Sauce: Combine in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is mixed through.
Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Melting Pot Cheese Fondue Recipe

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 C. dry white wine

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 C. Swiss cheese, shredded

2 C. Gruyere cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Pinch nutmeg

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer the garlic, wine, and lemon juice. Reduce

the heat to medium-low, add the cheeses, and blend well until melted. Add mustard and

nutmeg. Keep warm over Sterno with a fondue pot.

Dip assorted breads, meats, and veggies in the cheese. We diced French bread, salami,

and fresh mushrooms to eat with our fondue.

Fisherman’s Wharf Pie

1/3 cup melted butter

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

3 eggs

1/3 cup whipping cream

½ teaspoon vanilla

9-inch pie shell, unbaked

Whipped cream and nutmeg for garnish

Cream butter and sugar together for 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add cream and vanilla. Beat ...a few minutes. Pour mixture in unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream and grated nutmeg.

"Big Bowl of Love" Mac & Cheese

Saw this recipe on OWN's new show "Big Bowl of Love!" It was amazing! The best mac & cheese I've EVER had!!! Don't burn the roux!

Ingredients

Million-Dollar Mac and Cheese

• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1/2 tsp. truffle salt or kosher salt (if you prefer)
• Cracked pepper , to taste
• Fresh nutmeg , to taste
• 3 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
• 4 ounces goat cheese , cut up
• 2 tsp. truffle oil , (optional)
• 8 ounces penne pasta , cooked
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , grated

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Spray a 4-quart casserole dish or pie plate with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and mix together to form a roux. Add half of the warm milk. Using a whisk to make sure you get the sides and bottom of the saucepan, mix well as you add the rest of the milk.

Using a wooden spoon, continuously stir the sauce until it begins to thicken and tiny bubbles form on the sides for about 5 to 6 minutes. Do not boil. Add salt, pepper, fresh nutmeg to taste, cheddar cheese and goat cheese into the sauce. Mix until completely melted and smooth. If desired, add the truffle oil and mix well. Cover and set aside.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Use 2 tablespoons of salt for 3 quarts of water. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain the macaroni.

Place the cooked macaroni in a large bowl and pour the cheese mixture over it mixing well. Spoon into casserole dish or a deep-dish pie plate. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and broil until the top is crusty and golden, approximately 6 to 8 minutes, depending on your broiler. Watch it carefully and be careful not to burn it. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Inactive prep time: 0 minutes
Cook time: 6 to 8 minutes

Stuffed Shells

Our family can go through pounds of pasta weekly if we don't watch ourselves! Stuffed shells are easy and one of our favorites. I don't have exact measurements- the best I can tell you is to get the filling to a nice pliable consistency and you should be good. We do them a few different ways:

Cheesy Italian Sausage Stuffing
1 lb of ground Italian sausage - browned
Mozzarella - large bag
Ricotta - large container
Shredded Parmesan - small bag
Seasoning - salt, pepper, fresh basil, garlic powder, etc.

Start with the bowl of browned meat. Ad the cheeses to it until you have a good pliable consistency. Make sure to hold back at least a cup of the mozzarella

Spinach & Cheese Stuffing
Same as above except leave out the pork and ad a bag of sauteed spinach

Sauces
Sometimes I get adventurous and make a homemade sauce but usually I just use a good quality prepared red sauce. Homemade Alfredo is AMAZING on the Spinach & Cheese shells.

Preparing
Boil the shells with salt and a hefty dose of olive oil. Stir often so they don't stick together or to the bottom of the pan. Plan on losing several shells to tearing/sticking etc. Let the shells cool until they are comfortable to work with in your hands. Stuff each shell with filling but not so much that the shell is completely open at the bottom. You don't want all your stuffing coming out when it cooks.

Spread some sauce over the bottom of your casserole. Place shells (opening side down) along the bottom of the dish. Pack them tight. Pour sauce over all shells. Top with as much mozzarella as you want and bake at 350 until cheese is melted OR cover the dish with foil and freeze for another day. You can also freeze excess filling in Ziploc bags for the next time.

2 Easy Macaroni Comfort Foods!

Susan introduced me to these amazingly simple yet very yummy recipes. I was sick as a dog and on the mend when I decided I was ready to eat something and she made me "feel better pasta". I thought it would be gross- especially in my condition - but it was amazing! And, gentle on the stomach! Now, it's a staple when we're under the weather or just looking for a quick bite to eat. This recipe has also come in handy whenever I fix a dinner I know the kids won't like. I can throw this together and they slurp it up!

Feel Better Pasta (pasta, tomato juice & butter)

-Boil a few cups of macaroni or whatever type pasta you have in your pantry
-After you drain it, fill your bowl with however much you want to eat
- While it's still hot stir in 2-3 tablespoons of butter until it's melted
- Dump in one small can of tomato juice and stir it up

* you can add salt & pepper to taste
*if you used refrigerated tomato juice you may need to microwave it to warm it up

TRY IT BEFORE YOU KNOCK IT !!!!

Hamburger Mac (pasta, ground beef, butter & onion)

-Boil 1 lb macaroni or whatever type pasta you have in your pantry. Drain it and put it back in the pot. Stir in 1/2 stick of butter.
- Brown 1 lb of ground beef with salt & pepper and other savory type seasonings (garlic salt etc) you may like. Don't break down the beef too much. Leave it in small to medium size chunks. Drain it and add it to the pasta.
- Chop an onion and saute' it in half a stick- one stick of butter. Add mixture to pasta.
-Stir it all up and serve it with some garlic bread. Dinner- DONE!

We always make a big batch of it and have left overs for a few days. Sometimes for left overs we'll add some spaghetti sauce to it and top it with cheese before we microwave it- fabulosa!!

Thanks Suz- for bringing so many yummy things into my life :)

Shrimp Scampi

This was a huge hit with guests and the family! Mom was drinking the sauce out of the bowl with a spoon. Even better the next day!

5 garlic cloves
1 stick butter
4 green onions
1 lemon
3 Tbs Olive Oil
Shredded Parm
Half pack cream cheese- cubed
1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
Fresh Parsley
Linguini or other pasta

Melt butter in a large pan. Saute garlic and green onion. Add Shrimp. Saute a few minutes and ad the juice from the lemon. Saute a few more minutes and cubes of cream cheese. Saute till melted. Ad up to 3 tbs of olive oil to make the sauce a good consistancy. When Shrimp are cooked ( 5-6 minutes of total saute') sprinkle shredded parm across the top and toss one more time in the pan. Serve shrimp with a scoop of the sauce over your favorite pasta and add more cheese on top and some fresh parsley if desired.