Copycat recipes...any luck??
Recently I've gotten cravings for a few restaurant dishes that were so good that I remember them! They are from chains, and I mostly prefer independent restaurants, so I rarely frequent them, but a few meals stood out. After a quick online search, I found "copycat" recipes for them, which I will make this weekend...rainy days are great for cooking!! Do you have any experience with restaurant makeover recipes?? Share your stories, and I'll update in a day or so, with recipes, if successful!! (And are there really 11 different herbs and spices??) No, I'm not trying to duplicate KFC, but saw a lot of copycats for it!!
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22 Comments:
I have done the copycat version of a blue cheese chop salad at Outback. I haven't been there in about 5 years, and that salad is the only good thing on the menu. It came out perfectly the 1st time, but not as good the second time around. I would say for the first try, don't omit/change anything, even if you don't remember it being in the dish, or if you don't think it will add anything to it. That was my mistake I think!
mhurst826 at 11:10AM on 07/04/09
i have found some pretty decent recipes for a copy of of the chicken lettuce wraps from PF Changs.
andshewas at 11:24AM on 07/04/09
The recipe for the Big Mac "special sauce" that's on all the copycat sites is spot on.
kathyvegas at 11:29AM on 07/04/09
This one is for the Bang-Bang Shrimp from the Bonefish Grill. It's pretty darn close.
http://www.recipezaar.com/Bang-Bang-Shrimp-Copycat-from-Bonefish-Grill-187731
grampart at 11:35AM on 07/04/09
Cinnabon copycat recipe is on the money and most of the olive garden recipes seem to be good....especially the one for the breadsticks. Yum!
amiyrah18 at 11:37AM on 07/04/09
My son LOVES the Big Mac sauce! He puts it on burgers, on sandwiches, uses it as vegetable dip ....
yentamary at 12:06PM on 07/04/09
I've had good luck with the KFC coleslaw recipe and have made it many times.
bubbamom at 12:25PM on 07/04/09
i have a cookbook "the best of top secret recipes" by todd wilbur. everything i've tried is right on.
dearrie at 12:42PM on 07/04/09
The mandarin orange chicken salad dressing from Wendy's worked out quite well, but it was disturbing putting an entire cup of corn syrup in a recipe.
ag3208 at 12:53PM on 07/04/09
whoa-a whole cup of corn syrup? that would give me the oogies too!
if i could duplicate anything, i'd like to make chicken shack's broasted potatoes and fried chicken. they're based in detroit & literally everytime i drive across the michigan border, my mouth starts watering & won't stop 'til i've gotten my fill!
gastronomeg at 1:17PM on 07/04/09
I have a recipe for Slobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Totally forgot about it until right now. Might need to try those out next week...
mollykate678 at 2:07PM on 07/04/09
Todd WIlbur is the best. I have 3 of his books.
JerzeeTomato at 2:09PM on 07/04/09
I have a recipe for TGIFridays Jack Glaze and it is dead on! I make it a lot during the summer for steaks and wings. I have a few more copycat recipes that I haven't tried yet.
caramel at 4:37PM on 07/04/09
Oh I completely forgot about having Planet Hollywoods Cap-n-Crunch Chicken recipe. It is sooooo frickin good!! I guess I forgot about it being a copycat recipe because I've never actually tried Planet Hollywoods, so I can't say if tastes like theirs.
caramel at 4:49PM on 07/04/09
I have never tried any from online, but I sure keep a memory hold on the recipes from places I worked in the past, and I often get requests for some, especially soups.
@caramel--I loooove that glaze. I am sure it is in no way good for me and breaks every non-food rule I keep for myself, but if you felt the urge to share that one I would be soooo grateful!!
I ate those darn chicken strips with extra glaze at least 4 times a week about a decade ago, as we all would troop over to TGIF after work most nights to relax and get the free drinks from a bartender friend.
sadiepix at 6:47PM on 07/04/09
@sadiepix - no problem, hope you like it. let me know if you think it tastes like TGIF's.
Jack Glaze
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 and 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. Jack Daniels
2 tbsp. crushed pineapple
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Caramelize garlic in 2 tbsp. butter, set aside. Combine water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until mixture boils then reduce heat until it's just simmering. Add garlic and whisk to combine. Add lemon juice, Jack Daniels, crushed pineapple, and cayenne pepper, whisk again. Let simmer for 40 to 50 minutes or until thick and syrupy and liquid is reduced by half.
caramel at 12:03AM on 07/05/09
Oh thank you!!!
I had never tried to copy it at home but now I will! Not even any scary ingredients. (I was expecting corn syrup and powdered spices).
I will let you know how i like it once I get the chance to make it.
Thanks again!
sadiepix at 2:50AM on 07/05/09
Thanks for all the input. @bubbamom, KFC coleslaw is actually one of the two recipes I was curious about, could you post yours? The second recipe I am craving is The Pasta House Co.'s Flamingo Chicken. Anyone seen or tried that??
Karencooks at 10:40AM on 07/05/09
I love kopycat.com. To date, my favorite recipe from the site is Cinnabons. The recipe makes a huge batch of the closest thing to Cinnabons I've ever had. Use this recipe for a breakfast party unless you have a family the size of the Waltons.
therealchiffonade at 1:49PM on 07/05/09
Some how I signed myself up to this email that sends me copy cat recipes for all sorts of things which I saved. Things from Wendy's chilli recipe, to some stuff to Olive Garden, I get sent these things all the time. If you want me to send you some recipes that I have saved, let me know. I will forward them to you.
pjracz10 at 5:04PM on 07/05/09
@sadiepix - you're very welcome.
caramel at 10:23PM on 07/05/09
I just this weekend made the KFC coleslaw recipe and found it to be very similar...a bit sweet but tasty nonetheless.
sammie at 12:51PM on 07/06/09