Sometimes there is that one special dish, or dessert, at a favorite restaurant that you really love. Instead of going out and spending way too much money on it, you can just make it at home! There are a few websites that I have found that copycat the recipe pretty closely. While they are not the exact recipe, they sure are close.
An example of what you can find is from one of my favorite restaurants, Olive Garden. I love their chicken marsala. So yummy! Well, I have found the recipe for this that I can make at home for about 1/4 of the cost. I cannot tell you how exciting it was to find this recipe.
Olive Garden Chicken Marsala:
Chicken half breasts - boneless, skinless
1/4 C. cake flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Oregano
4 Tbsp. Oil
4 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 C. Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C. Marsala
Combine flour, salt, pepper, and oregano and blend well. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet until bubbling lightly. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess. Cook the chicken on medium heat for about 2 minutes on the first side, until lightly brown. As you turn the beasts to the second side to cook, add the mushrooms around the chicken pieces. Cook about 2 more minutes, until lightly browned on the second side. Stir the mushrooms. When the second side is lightly browned, add the wine around the pieces, cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes.
It's so easy to do and saves so much money! I even make it with roasted potatoes on the side. I can not tell you how good it is. Do you love their salad dressing as much as I do? Well, now you can make it at home.
Olive Garden Salad Dressing:
1/2 C. Mayonnaise
1/3 C. White Vinegar
1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. Romano Cheese
1/4 tsp. Garlic Salt - or one clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little to tart for your own personal tastes please add a little extra sugar.
Both of these recipes are from http://www.copykat.com/, my personal favorite. Another website I have used is http://www.recipesecrets.net/.
Who says that you can't have your cake and eat it too? You can still have those wonderful restaurant dishes, and save money at the same time! Of course there is no guarantee they'll have every recipe, but try typing in your favorites and see what you come up with.
For more frugal tips, head over to Crystal's blog at Biblicalwomanhood.
8 comments:
I love to do this too Teresa! Thanks for reminding me about the websites. I have some recipes I printed out 2 years ago that I use on a frequent basis, but since we've gotten internet back, I've totally forgotten to go back to look for new recipes. What fun. I'm definitely going to look for some favorites before doing my next grocery list. Thank you!
I love copycat recipes!! Thank you!
I am so glad you did this. I love Applebees and hate the $$. I was told there are sites but could never find them.
Thank you.
This goes great with the new recipe book I just bought - Top Secret Restarunt Recipes 2. We're making Buffalo Wild Wilgs tonight :) It's so much cheaper then going out.
I worked at Olive Garden for a while and they had a promotion where they handed out copies of some of the recipes. So if people are wondering, some of the ones floating around out there ARE the actual recipes.
The zuppa toscana was always my favorite.
These are YUMMY!! Thank you for sharing these recipes! I love trying to recreate restaurant recipes in my home! :)
His,
Mrs. U
I looove restaurant copycat recipes! I've made some of my own recently. They're so much cheaper than at the restaurant, and you can often make healthier versions.
Recently, I blogged about Outback Steakhouse's "Alice Springs chicken."
What a hit!
Thank you for this! I love Olive Garden and I love cooking so I often try to do things at home when I can't afford to eat out. I will have to check out copykat recipes.
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