Elementary Chef

So my friend, Sarah, is dancing as she sees this post… Yes, indeed. A knock-off recipe for Macaroni Grill’s Shrimp and Artichoke dip! Not exactly an “easy” recipe, but it’s detailed enough to get through.

Macaroni Grill’s Shrimp Artichoke Dip

2 cups half-and-half
1 tablespoon clam juice (look for this with tomato juice in most stores)
2 teaspoons dry white wine
3 tablespoons butter
1 shallot — finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups rough chopped spinach
1 cup canned artichoke hearts — chopped
8 large shrimp — peeled, cleaned, chopped
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese — optional

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine half-and-half, clam juice and white wine. In a separate saucepan, melt butter. Add shallots and saute until translucent. Add flour to butter mixture, stirring until flour is absorbed. Cook, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes. Add heated half-and-half mixture all at once to the shallot mix, stirring constantly with a wire whip to remove any lumps. Add spinach, artichokes, shrimp, cayenne and black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the mixture does not scorch. Remove mixture from heat, and stir in cheese, if desired. Pour dip into bowl and
serve hot.

macaroni grill, artichokes, shrimp, dip

This copycat recipe is for Bennigan’s Chicken Salad. The Pineapple is an interesting twist!

Bennigan’s Chicken Salad

1 pounds chicken breast meat — cooked, skinned, boned and diced
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons pepper
1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 cup toasted almonds
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup crushed pineapple — well drained
alfalfa sprouts
whole fresh pineapple for serving — optional

Place chicken in large mixing bowl; add celery and mix. Add remaining ingredients and mix with rubber spatula. To serve in pineapple shell, cut whole pineapple in half lengthwise. Using a grapefruit knife, cut around the inside of the pineapple, leaving about 1/4″ from the edge. Scoop out remaining pineapple. Place a bed of sprouts in the shell; scoop salad mixture on top. Sprinkel with toasted almonds and serve chilled.

recipes, Bennigan’s

Here’s a great treat! A knock-off on an Outback staple!

Outback Steakhouse Queensland Chicken & Shrimp

1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 pint cream
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp cayenne (adjust to taste) — (1/8 to 1/4)
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup white wine
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 lb.linguine
4 chicken breasts
8 oz shrimp
1 Tbsp olive oil

Combine spices. Whisk cream and milk in pan with butter and 1/2 spice mixture. Thicken and reduce, and set aside. Cook linguine to the al dente stage (not fully soft.) Saute chicken breasts with wine and remaining spices until done. Remove and set aside. Saute shrimp in pan, adding wine if necessary. Serve each breast on a bed of linguine with shrimp. Cover with sauce.
Serves 4.

Outback, chicken, shrimp, Queensland

This is my daughter’s absolute favorite dish. I can’t verify that this is the REAL Olive Garden recipe — it didn’t come from them. But, it certainly is yummy and easy! Feel free to add cut up grilled chicken or frozen, but thawed shrimp! I would toss either of those in a little Italian dressing before I topped the fettuccini.

Olive Garden Fettuccini Alfredo

8 Oz cream cheese, cut in pieces
1/2 C milk
3/4 C Parmesan cheese, Grated
8 Oz fettuccine, cooked, drained
1/2 C butter (or margarine)

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

Olive Garden, recipes, fettuccini alfredo

This has turned into copycat week! I’ve always liked Chili’s Margarita Chicken, but had no idea it was this easy! You basically just use the margarita mix as your marinade! And check out http://www.tipsaroundthehouse.com for helpful tips on working with fresh garlic!

Chili’s Margarita Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C liquid margarita mix
1 t garlic powder or 1 chopped garlic clove
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Pour margarita mix over chicken breasts, and marinate for 2 hours in refrigerator.

When ready to prepare, drain and dust chicken breasts with black pepper. Grill 3-4 minutes on each side. You can also prepare the chicken over medium-high heat on the stove top in a lightly greased skillet. Braise the chicken breasts until done on each side. Place chicken breasts atop Black Beans.

Serve with a serving of your favorite Mexican rice and Pico de Gallo.
4 servings

Chili’s Margarita Chicken, recipes, Chili’s

Two copycat recipes in one week! I love Chili’s Baby Back Ribs! Hope this recipe will heat up some grills out there..!

Chili’s Grilled Baby Back Ribs

Sauce:
1 1/2 C water
1 C apple cider vinegar
1/2 C tomato paste
1 T yellow mustard
2/3 C dark brown sugar — packed
1 t liquid hickory smoke
1 1/2 T salt
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t paprika

4 racks baby back ribs

Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce (everything except the ribs!) in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for 45 to 60 minutes or until sauce is thick. When you’re ready to make the ribs, preheat your oven or grill to 275 degrees. Brush sauce over the entire surface of each rack of ribs. Wrap each rack tightly in aluminum foil and arrange the packets on a baking sheet with the seam of the foil facing up. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or
until the meat on the ribs has pulled back from the cut ends of the bones by about 1/2 inch. When the ribs are just about done, preheat your barbecue grill to medium heat (or if you’re using the grill to cook the ribs, crank it up to 350-400!) Remove the ribs from the foil (careful not to burn yourself - the liquid inside will be hot!) and grill them on the barbecue for 4 to 8 minutes per side or until the surface of the ribs is beginning to char. Brush sauce on both sides of the ribs a few minutes before you remove them from the grill. Just be sure not to brush on the sauce too soon or it could burn. Serve the ribs with extra sauce on the
side and lots of napkins.

Chili’s Baby Back Ribs, recipes

Here’s an EXCELLENT restaurant copycat recipe! Happy cooking!

Applebee’s Santa Fe Stuffed Chicken

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 oz. Monterey jack cheese, half sliced and half cubed
1/2 C butter — melted
1 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground black pepper
1 T butter
1 T flour
1 C milk
1 small red bell pepper
1 small green bell pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Cut 4 oz. of the cheese into 8 slices, and reserve the rest for the cheese sauce. Place 1 chicken breast between two sheets of wax paper. Working from the center to the edges pound with a meat mallet (or a hammer) until flat and rectangular shaped. Repeat with remaining breasts. Wrap the flattened chicken breasts around cheese. Secure with wooden picks.

Combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, cumin and pepper. Roll the secured chicken pieces in the melted butter and then in the bread crumb mixture. Place chicken breasts in the pre-sprayed baking dish. Drizzle the remaining butter over the breasts. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Make a roux by heating butter and flour in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 cup milk. Bring to a simmer. Add cheese and lower the heat, stirring constantly so cheese does not burn. Add milk as needed to thin out the cheese sauce. Dice bell peppers. When chicken is done, pour some cheese sauce over top and sprinkle with diced peppers.

Applebee’s Santa Fe Stuffed Chicken, Applebee’s, recipes

This is a great summertime alternative for us coffee drinkers! And WAY cheaper than buying daily Frappuccinos at Starbucks!

Mocha Frappuccino
1 pot (4 cups) fresh coffee
1 cup milk
1/2 blenderful Ice
2 - 10 T sugar or sweetener (to taste)
1/2 cup Chocolate Syrup (Powdered mix won’t do)

Chill coffee in refrigerator until lukewarm (if it gets cold, coffee might become bitter). Combine milk, coffee, syrup, and sugar in blender. Blend until slightly foamy (only about 2 seconds, usually). Add ice and blend until ice is broken up.

You can use vanilla or chocolate ice cream instead or in addition to ice for a creamier result.

Frappuccino, Mocha Frappuccino, Starbucks

Since the Olive Garden Chicken Crostina recipe has been such a big hit, I’ve decided to start a new series, where I try to give you a simplified copy of your favorite restaurant dishes! This week goes out to my friend Sarah — Chicken Bryan. This can be your weekend challenge recipe! Grab the ingredients, and wow your friends and family! Serve with salad, bread, a bottle of pinot grigio (or your favorite white wine), and you’re set for dinner IN!

“Chicken Bryan”

2 T olive oil
1 T finely chopped onion
1 T chopped garlic
1/2 C white wine
1/3 C lemon juice
1 stick butter
1 jar sundried tomatoes
Basil
Salt
Black pepper
6 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. goat cheese crumbles

Heat 2 T olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic & onion and saute until soft. Add wine and lemon juice to skillet and simmer until mixture thickens. Add stick of butter, allow to melt.

Add sundried tomatoes, 1 T basil (dried or 2 T fresh), 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t pepper and remove and allow to heat for about 1 minute. Turn heat to low to keep warm.

Grill chicken as you learned yesterday, taking care not to char. Remove chicken breasts to individual plates and cover first with goat cheese crumbles. Smother with sundried tomato sauce.

Carrabba’s, Chicken Bryan, Italian recipes, Italian cooking, restaurant recipes