HOME COOKING: Restaurant Recipes for Your Kitchen

HOME COOKING: Chic-fil-A's Best Recipes You Can Do At Home  by Brian Alan Burhoe

Credited with introducing the original boneless breast of chicken sandwich and pioneering in-mall fast food, Chick-fil-A is one of the largest privately-owned restaurant chains in America.

Chic-fil-A has a variety of chicken products such as nuggets, chicken salads and chicken sandwiches.

Chic-Fil-A is known for their famous chicken sandwich, but also has great wraps, salads, soups and much more. Chic-Fil-A has a great breakfast menu and is the only place you get biscuits and sausage gravy at a drive-through window in your pajamas in the morning. The chain has over 1,300 locations in 37 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. It is distinct among fast-food chains in that its stores are closed on Sundays...

The company's TV ads have featured cows parachuting onto a football field during a college football game, complete with "EAT MOR CHIKIN" banners, and attacking the hamburger vendor.

With the country facing challenging economic times, Chick-fil-A continues to grow, with plans to add 65 new stand-alone locations across the nation this year, creating more than 4,200 new jobs as well as providing a positive business impact in local communities. The menu at the newest restaurants include several enhancements rolled out chain-wide in 2008.

These include a new Chick-fil-A Chargrilled and Fruit Salad with Harvest Nut Granola topping, Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips that are 50 percent larger and are complemented by a new proprietary dipping sauce called Chick-fil-A Sauce, a Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich served on a new premium Wheatberry bread with green leaf lettuce, and Cool Wrap selections that come in a new multi-grain flatbread.

And you can make their most popular items at home:

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--Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich--

3 cups peanut oil

1 egg

1 cup Milk

1 cup flour

2 1/2 Tb. powdered sugar

1/2 ts. pepper

2 teas. salt2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved

4 plain hamburger buns

2 Tb. melted butter

8 dill pickle slices

Heat the peanut oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat to about 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and stir in the milk.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pepper, and salt.Dip each piece of chicken in milk until it is fully moistened.

Roll the moistened chicken in the flour mixture until completelycoated. Drop all four chicken pieces into the hot oil and close thepressure cooker.

When steam starts shooting through the pressurerelease, set the times for 3 1/2 minutes. Important: Do NOT close the steam release!

While the chicken is cooking, spread a coating of melted butteron the face of each bun.

When the chicken is done, remove it fromthe oil and drain or blot on paper towels.

Place two pickles oneach bottom bun; add a chicken breast, then the top bun. To makea deluxe chicken sandwich, simply add two tomato slices and aleaf of lettuce.

Mayonnaise or mustard also goes well on this sandwich.

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--Chick-Fil-A Coleslaw--

6 cups shredded cabbage

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 - 1/2 cup milk

Mix & Chill 15 minutes.

Meanwhile combine:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. celery seed

2-3 drops hot sauce

3 Tbsp. dry minced onion

1/4 - 1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix well with cabbage.

Chill.

Allow flavors to blend forseveral hours before serving.

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--Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets--

2 Cups Chicken Breast (Boneless, Skinless, Cubed)

1 Cup Flour

1-1/2 Cups Cracker Meal

1/4 teaspoon Paprika

2 Cups Water

2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes

2-1/4 teaspoons McCormick Season-all

Place cool water in bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon season-all and dissolve bouillon cubes in mixture.

Place cubed chicken in water, mix, cover and place in refrigerator for 12 hours ornext day.

When ready to cook nuggets, mix flour, cracker meal, 2 teaspoons season-all and paprika in bowl.

Heat oil for deepfrying. Drain chicken.

Coat nuggets in flour, cracker mixtureand fry until golden.

Chicken will be flavorful and juicy.

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--Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salad--

2 Cups Cooked Chicken Breast

1/3 Cup Finely Diced Celery

1 hard boiled egg, minced

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

1/3 Cup Sweet Pickle Relish

2/3 - 1 Cup Mayonnaise

Texas Toast or Thick Cut Sandwich Bread

Boil chicken until completely cooked.

Remove from water and cool meat.You can save the chicken broth, seal and refrigerate no more than a week.After chicken is cool, cut into tiny pieces.

Place in a mixing bowl withall other ingredients and mix well. Butter one side of sandwich bread andgrill. Place salad in between grilled bread slices and serve.

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If you want to cook all of the Best Restaurant meals at home, using their own Chef's Recipes, check out the incredible site of Ron Douglas, Author of "America's Most Wanted Recipes" for his FREE SECRET RESTAURANT RECIPES NEWSLETTER

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Chefs Site

HOME COOKING:  Olive Garden's Best Recipes You Can Do At Home  by Brian Alan Burhoe 

Olive Garden is a casual dining American restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American food.

The ambiance of Olive Garden restaurants seeks to replicate an old-world Italian style, utilizing foliage in their décor, stucco walls, and background music consisting of Italian themes.

And -- The food is great!

Olive Garden's Culinary Institute of Tuscany, located in the heart of Tuscany, Italy in a restored 11th century village, is where Olive Garden's chefs learn the secrets of great foods in Italy - like how to combine fresh ingredients - to create authentic Italian foods that you'll enjoy sharing with your family and friends. You can cook your favorites at home -- it's easy and only a fraction of the cost!

Go ahead!

Astound your family and friends with your culinary abilities!

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--Olive Garden Lasagna--

Alfredo Sauce:

1/2 lb. sweet or salted butter

12 oz. heavy cream

Fresh ground white pepper

1 1/2 cups fresh Parmesan, grated

Ricotta Cheese Mix:

1 pint Ricotta cheese

2 oz. Romano, grated

3 oz. Mozzarella, shredded

2 tbls. green onions, sliced

2 teas. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 teas. salt

1/8 teas. black pepper

1/4 teas. dried basil

1/4 teas. dried oregano

1 1/4 cups Alfredo sauce, cooled

Vegetable Mix:

4 cups broccoli florets

2 cups carrots, sliced 1/4"

4 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/4"

2 cups red bell peppers, diced

1 cup green bell pepper, diced 1 cup yellow onion, diced

2 cups zucchini, sliced

Lasagna noodles

18 slices Mozzarella cheese, 1/2 oz. each

Lay out enough dry lasagna strips in a 9x13 pan to ensure you have enough to make 3 full layers, with very little overlap on each layer. Remove the dry strips and cook according to package instructions until barely "al dente" and drain.

ALFREDO SAUCE: Heat water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler. Add butter, cream and pepper to the top pot and heat until butter is completely melted, then stir in Parmesan until melted and blended.

Remove top pot and set aside to cool. Divide the Olive Garden Lasagna 307 sauce into 2 equal portions. Refrigerate 1 portion for use later.

RICOTTA CHEESE MIX: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and blend thoroughly with a rubber spatula. Set aside at room temp.

VEGETABLES: Combine all veggies and mix well.

ASSEMBLY: Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with vegetable spray. Lay out cooked lasagna strips (about 4) to cover entire bottom. Spread 1-1/4 c of the Ricotta mix evenly over the strips. Top with 8 c of veggie mix and spread out evenly. Lay out 9 of the mozzarella slices to cover the veggie layer. Repeat this layering. Top the second layer of mozzarella slices with lasagna strips and spread them evenly with 1-1/4 c ricotta cheese mix to finish.

COOKING: Spray a sheet of foil with vegetable spray and cover the baking dish tightly with the foil, sprayed side down. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for about an hour or until the internal temp is 165F. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes, covered, before cutting and serving. Immediately prior to serving, heat the reserved portion of Alfredo Sauce and ladle the hot sauce over each slice of lasagna as it is served.

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--Olive Garden Pasta Frittata--

12 Ounce spaghetti, cooked, cut into 2" pieces

3 Ounce green onions, sliced

3 Ounce thick bacon, cooked and chopped

vegetable spray or margarine

3 tblsp Fontina, shredded, heaping

Parmesan, grated

3 3/4 cup

FRITTATA BATTER: 6 Medium eggs

2 1/2 cups Half and half

5 Teaspoon cornstarch

1 dash nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350F.

FRITTATA BATTER: Beat eggs, half and half, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg thoroughly until all ingredients are completely blended. Blend the 2" spaghetti pieces, green onion rings and bacon pieces in a bowl until evenly mixed.

Coat a 1-1/2 qt round baking dish, including walls, with spray or margarine. Empty the spaghetti mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly. Add the frittata batter to cover the filling mix.

Bake in a 350~ oven for about 25 minutes until center is set. When center is set, cover the frittata evenly with the Fontina and bake until cheese is golden. Turn off the heat and open oven door. Let the frittata set in the open oven for 15 minutes for the batter to set more firmly and make removing from the dish easy. Before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan and cut into 4 wedges.

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--Olive Garden Shrimp Primavera--

SAUCE:

6 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 tbsp. garlic, fresh, minced

1 oz. package Knorr Newburg Sauce Mix (or similar)

32 oz. crushed tomatoes, canned

1-1/2 tbsp. lemon juice, fresh

1/4 tsp. (or to taste) red pepper, crushed

1/2 tsp. basil, dry

1/4 tsp. marjoram, dry

1/2 tsp. black pepper

VEGETABLES:

1/2 lb. mushrooms, halved (or quartered if large)

1 cup green bell peppers, cut into 1" squares

1 cup red bell peppers, cut into 1" squares

1/2 cup yellow onion, cut into 1" squares

2 Tbsp. butter for sauting

PASTA:

1 lb. fresh Olive Garden Linguine (or quality dry pasta)

SHRIMP:

1 lb. medium to large fully cooked shrimp, thawed and drained Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook one minute. Add remaining spice and tomato ingredients, stir well and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt 2 tbsp. butter. Saute vegetables about 3 minutes until crisp - tender. Add to the sauce and simmer 5 minutes more.

Cook pasta according to directions. When pasta is almost done, stir shrimp into sauce to heat through. Do not boil. Spoon Primavera over hot linguine. Pass Parmesan cheese.

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--Olive Garden Capellini Pomodoro--

3 cloves Garlic, mince

2 pounds Plum tomatoes; seeded, diced

1 ounce Fresh basil leaves, minced

1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil

3 ounces Parmesan cheese

12 ounces Dry angel hair pasta, cooked

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

Heat olive oil and add garlic; cook until it turns white. Add tomatoes and pepper and heat through, stirring constantly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Tomatoes should not lose their shape.

Remove from heat. Transfer hot, cooked pasta to large bowl. Toss pasta gently with tomato mixture, basil and half of Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately and pass remaining Parmesan.

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--Olive Garden Fettucine Alfredo--

8 ounces Cream cheese -- cut in bits

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated

1/2 cup Butter or margarine

1/2 cup Milk

8 ounces Fettuccine; cook -- drain

In large saucepan combine cream cheese, Parmesan, butter and milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Toss pasta lightly with sauce, coating well. Leftovers freeze well.

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--Olive Garden House Dressing--

8 ounces Paul Newman's Vinegar and Oil Dressing

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 teaspoon Dried basil 1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano

3 packages Sweet and Low -- or 1 tablespoon Sugar

Put ingredients into the bottle of dressing and shake well. Refrigerate 24 hours before using.

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--Olive Garden Tiramisu Dessert--

1 Sponge cake, (10 to 12 inch about 3" tall)

3 ounces Strong black coffee, or instant espresso

3 ounces Brandy or rum

1-1/2 pounds Cream cheese or mascarpone, room temperature

1-1/2 cups Superfine/powdered sugar

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Cut across middle of sponge cake forming two layers, each about 1 1/2 inches high.

Blend coffee and brandy. Sprinkle enough of mixture over bottom half of cake to flavor it strongly. Don't moisten cake too much or it may collapse on serving.

Beat room-temperature cheese and 1 cup sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and cheese is light and spreadable. Test for sweetness during beating, adding more sugar if needed.

Spread cut surface of bottom layer with half of the cheese mixture. Replace second layer and top this with remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle top liberally with sifted cocoa.

Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.

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Buon appetito!