Category: Copycat Recipes

Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper (Copycat Recipe)

Sure, you can grab a box of Hamburger Helper from the store and make up a batch of stick-to-your-ribs pasta and burger. It’s the perfect one-dish meal. Or you could make this copycat recipe of Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper and do what I did: add more cheese! Ok, no, you don’t have to add more cheese. But you could. Ah, the joys of cooking at home, especially when it’s cold out and you need something to warm you up. This dish fits the bill perfectly.

Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper (Copycat Recipe)

It’s Easy. And Changeable.

It really can’t get much easier than this copycat recipe of Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper. I’ve been known to change it up a bit sometimes. You definitely don’t have to use elbow macaroni, though it is the classic ingredient for sure. Pepper jack cheese makes for a nice change instead of cheddar. A little kick never hurt anyone. Ground turkey or chicken instead of beef are winners, too! So go crazy with it!

Drain Well For Best Results

Just make sure you do drain the beef (or whatever protein you use) well before adding the rest of the ingredients. You can use any mix of ground beef you want. I prefer 80/20 and that definitely means I need to drain it well. A leaner beef should still be drained and drained well too!

See You In The Oven

You can reheat any leftovers on the stovetop or in a baking dish in the oven. You could probably use a microwave too, but I have to fess up. I hate reheating things in the microwave. No matter how you heat them, add a bit of water and stir after it has started to warm up a bit. Don’t go crazy with the water, though. You can always add more.

You can also add milk when reheating.

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Also try my pepperoni pizza hamburger helper.

Copycat Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper
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5 from 1 vote

Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper (Copycat Recipe)

Hearty and easy.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword beef, copycat, pasta
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 346kcal
Author Inspired by a recipe from Chickens in the Road

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef in a large skillet, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.
  • Drain off any excess fat.
  • Stir in ALL of the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the cheese.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • Cover and continue simmering for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender.
  • Add the cheese and stir until melted.
  • Turn off heat and let dish sit uncovered for 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it rests.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

I also like this dish made using sharp cheddar cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 463mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 546IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Outback Steakhouse Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp (Copycat Recipe)

Oh me. It was a happy day for the big-time shrimp addict in me. I made a copycat recipe of the Outback Steakhouse Gold Coast coconut shrimp, along with an orange marmalade dipping sauce. The shrimp were incredible. So crispy. The perfect batter. And loaded with fantastic, tasty, sweet coconut. They were delicious and great on their own. If you wanted to eat them that way…

But oh, they weren’t served by themselves. Alongside, the dipping sauce added a unique taste that offset some of that coconut sweetness. The two made for an unforgettable dinner dish. Dinner felt really fancy tonight. Even though it was actually very easy to make. It sure didn’t last long. I really wish I’d made more!

Outback Steakhouse Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp (Copycat Recipe)

The Dipping Sauce Rocks!

Although the shrimp are the star of the show in this copycat recipe of Outback Steakhouse Gold Coast coconut shrimp, I cannot overstate how great the dipping sauce is. It’s somewhat reminiscent of cocktail sauce in that it has a good horseradish flavor. The orange keeps the tropical theme going. And along comes a great mustardy hit. It may sound a bit different, but I assure you, it’s different in a great way. There were no leftover shrimp or dipping sauce.

Honestly, unless you have something other dish you want to use the orange marmalade in, use it to double the recipe for the dipping sauce. That way you won’t have to be so reserved when you dip your shrimp. You can load up!

I used my small Fry Daddy fryer to make this dish. That required me to cook them in batches. For a quicker fry, ensuring that everything is done at the same time, I’d recommend using a larger fryer or Dutch oven.

The Presto Fry Daddy is perfect for making smaller batches of food. It only uses a few cups of oil and comes to temperature quickly. Clean-up is easy too!

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Also try some copycat Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ fried shrimp.

Copycat Outback Steakhouse Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp
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5 from 3 votes

Outback Steakhouse Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp (Copycat Recipe)

The dipping sauce is addicting. You might want to double the amounts.
Course Appetizer or Main
Cuisine American
Keyword deep-fried, shrimp
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 463kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the shrimp

For the dipping sauce

Instructions

For the dipping sauce

  • Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Note: Also prepare the batter (below) at this time since it also requires 1 hour of resting time.

For the shrimp

  • To prepare the batter, place the beer, flour and 1/2 cup of the coconut flakes, sugar and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine well. Cover. Let sit for 1 hour.
  • Heat a few inches of oil in a Dutch oven or deep fryer to 350 F.
  • Place remaining coconut in a pie plate or shallow bowl.
  • Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with paprika.
  • Working in batches if needed, dip shrimp into the beer batter, turning to coat completely.
  • Transfer the shrimp to the coconut and roll to coat well.
  • Fry shrimp 2-3 minutes or until shrimp are golden brown, turning them as they cook. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  • Serve shrimp with dipping sauce.

Notes

Make extra dipping sauce. It’s great!

Nutrition

Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Old Spaghetti Factory Meatballs (Copycat Recipe)

We both really, really enjoyed this copycat recipe of Old Spaghetti Factory meatballs. To begin with, they were super-easy to make. Second, the recipe makes a good-sized batch of meatballs, perfect for keeping on-hand during the colder months. We actually doubled the recipe so we’d have plenty around for quick dinners or even lunches. Last, they of course taste fantastic! Super tender meatballs with basic, simple flavors. We were able to make these with ingredients we already had on hand. Nothing fancy going on here, just great meatballs!

Old Spaghetti Factory Meatballs (Copycat Recipe)

Everyone Loves Great Meatballs

You don’t have to make the tomato sauce for these copycat recipe of the Old Spaghetti Factory meatballs if you don’t want to. You can use any tomato-based sauced that you want. Or cream sauce for that matter. The meatballs are great anywhere you need, well, meatballs of course! They are completely cooked when they come out of the oven, ready for pasta, pizzas or sub sandwiches!

Grilled To Perfection

You don’t have to bake the meatballs. They’re absolutely fantastic grilled. I like to cook them on my charcoal grill. I mound up lit charcoal in the middle of the grill. Then I arrange the meatballs around it, in a big circle. I close the lid and let them cook for 10 or so minutes. Then I rotate them so the tops become the bottoms and vice-versa. Close the lid and cook another 10-15 minutes or until they reach 165 F. I test several of them, poking a thermometer all the way in, to be sure.

They can also be cooked on a gas grill. I like to sear them over direct heat then move them to indirect heat to finish cooking. That can take 10-20 minutes depending on how long I seared them.

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Also try my meatloaf meatballs and my super-yummy Swedish meatballs.

Copycat Old Spaghetti Factory Meatballs
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5 from 1 vote

Old Spaghetti Factory Meatballs (Copycat Recipe)

Super tender meatballs with basic, simple flavors.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, meatballs
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 456kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place onion, garlic, parsley and bread crumbs into a food processor. Process for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Break the egg into a large bowl and whisk. Add the water, olive oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk until well combined.
  • Add the bread mixture to the bowl and stir with a spatula.
  • Crumble in the ground beef. Using your hands, mix thoroughly until the bread crumb mixture is distributed evenly throughout.
  • Preheat oven to 425 F.
  • Line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray lightly with non-stick spray. Add 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce to the bottom of the pan.
  • Using an ice scream scoop, scoop a portion of the meat into the palm of your hand and form into a ball about the size of a golf ball. Try to keep the meatballs all about the same size so that they cook evenly. Transfer to the baking pan but do not let the meatballs touch each other.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Using a fork or spatula, break the meatballs lose of the pan if they are sticking.
  • Bake another 10 minutes or until meatballs reach 165 F.
  • Heat the tomato sauce in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper and heat until just simmering.
  • Add the meatballs and cover and simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Serve meatballs over pasta with some of the tomato sauce.

Notes

You can also make these using ground turkey.

Nutrition

Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 1175mg | Potassium: 757mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 629IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Burger King Chicken Nuggets (Copycat Recipe)

It’s not that I was searching for a recipe for a copycat of the Burger King chicken nuggets. I was looking for ANY great recipe for chicken nuggets. It didn’t have to be a BK knock-off (though that it is a plus). The nuggets just needed to be tender, juicy and flavorful. And not soggy. Oh, please, no soggy nuggets! Well, I got everything I wanted in these nuggets. I loved them. They’re my go-to nuggets from now on, that’s for sure! If I had checkboxes for what I wanted in chicken nuggets, these would check them.

Burger King Chicken Nuggets (Copycat Recipe)

Great From The Freezer, Too

I made this copycat recipe of Burger King chicken nuggets as part of a test. I wanted to see if it was possible to make great, tender chicken nuggets at home, freeze them and then reheat them later. They had to still be tasty and moist when I re-heated them. They had to be better than the frozen nuggets I can buy at the store. They had to be MUCH better, actually. And they were. These nuggets passed every test I had. I can now keep a big bag of pre-cooked homemade nuggets in my freezer, ready for lunch in just minutes. I just pop them into a preheated air fryer or oven for 10 minutes and boom! It’s time to eat!

Straying Or Staying

Want to change things up a bit? Substitute Italian bread crumbs for a little different flavor. Want to make something bigger than nuggets? Cut the chicken into thin strips, 2″-3″ in length first, and make chicken fingers instead!

The batter mixture is also great on fish or shrimp!

The Presto Fry Daddy is perfect for making smaller batches of food. It only uses a few cups of oil and comes to temperature quickly. Clean-up is easy too!

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It’s not illegal (as far as I know) to dip these nuggets in a copycat of Chick-fil-A’s sauce.

Copycat Burger King Chicken Nuggets
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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Burger King Chicken Nuggets

Reheat the nuggets in an air fryer or oven.
Course Appetizer or Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken nuggets
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 1030kcal
Author Inspired by a recipe from The Recipe Fairy

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated garlic, salt and pepper.
  • Add in the chicken pieces and stir to coat well. I prefer to use my hands for this, ensuring that each and every piece is coated evenly in the mixture.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.
  • In another medium bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Heat a few inches of oil to 350 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven. While the oil is heating you can prepare the nuggets for frying.
  • Working in batches, remove the chicken pieces from the flour mixture and shake off any excess.
  • Transfer the chicken to the bowl containing the egg mixture. Turn the pieces to coat well.
  • Shake off any excess and transfer the chicken pieces to the bowl containing the breadcrumbs.
  • Turn the pieces to coat well. Get all sides.
  • Fry chicken pieces 2-3 minutes per side, turning once. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack-lined baking sheet to drain.
  • Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

These nuggets can be frozen and reheated at a later time. I put the frozen nuggets into an air fryer at 365 F for 10 minutes to reheat them.

Nutrition

Calories: 1030kcal | Carbohydrates: 131g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 338mg | Sodium: 3475mg | Potassium: 1312mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 437IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 325mg | Iron: 10mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Bubba Gump Far Out Dip (Copycat Recipe)

This is not your usual spinach dip. Not even close. Not by a mile. This copycat recipe of the Bubba Gump Far Out dip is flat-out amazing. So many great flavors, all in each and every bite. Ooey-gooey cheese. Crispy vegetables. This dip doesn’t weigh you down. Even though this dip is not thin, it’s still light and very delicious. You’ll want more and more. So, make a double batch or more, especially if you’re taking it to a get-together.

Bubba Gump Far Out Dip (Copycat Recipe)

Drain Those Artichokes!

Make sure you drain your artichokes well before making this copycat recipe for Bubba Gump Far Out dip. This dip is on the thick side and it needs to stay that way. If you don’t drain the artichokes the dip will end up runny. Served hot, each bite of this dip delivers on taste and creaminess. We’ve eaten at several Bubba Gump restaurants. If we’re in the mood for an appetizer, this is it. Well, ok, some times I get a shrimp appetizer, but I mean… it’s Bubba Gump, you have to get shrimp!

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Also try my copycat Bubba Gump’s Dumb Luck coconut shrimp.

Copycat Bubba Gump Far Out Dip
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5 from 1 vote

Bubba Gump Far Out Dip (Copycat Recipe)

A fantastic twist on spinach dip!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, dip
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 58kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 9" x 9" baking pan with non-stick spray.
  • Combine all ingredients except for the chips and crackers in a large bowl. Mix well. Transfer to the baking pan and cover with foil.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Notes

For a spicy version substitute pepper jack cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 58kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 499mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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KFC Honey Barbecue Chicken Strips (Copycat Recipe)

This copycat recipe for KFC honey barbecue chicken strips are the best I’ve ever had. By far. They’re even better than the best ones I’ve ever dreamed of. The batter is delicious. It fries up crazy crunchy good. The chicken has that perfect bite, too. The batter doesn’t all come off with each bite. The meat is tender. And its juicy. And then there’s the sauce. Perfectly sweet with a hint of smokiness. The sauce is crazy good, too. This is one of the most finger-licking-ly good dishes ever.

I can eat an embarrassing amount of these strips. I have a bad weakness when it comes to deep-fried foods. These made me the weakest I’ve ever been!

KFC Honey Barbecue Chicken Strips (Copycat Recipe)

Small. Big. Make ‘Em Your Way.

I cut my chicken pieces pretty large when I made this copycat recipe of some KFC honey barbecue chicken strips. You can cut yours smaller if you prefer. You can even cut them into nugget-sized pieces. But the smaller they are, the more batter you’ll need. Just something to keep in mind.

The batter does make the chicken seem bigger than it is really is after frying. Or maybe I should say… the chicken gets bigger! It happened to me. I was thinking “boy, this doesn’t look like much chicken”. I was wrong. When it was done frying I was thinking “boy, this looks like a lot of chicken!”.

No Fancy Sauce Required

I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ sauce to make the sauce. It has the perfect consistency and flavor to make the base for what ends up being one of the best BBQ sauces you’ll ever have. I can guarantee you that it’s also fantastic on wings and ribs. You can use your favorite store-bought sauce as the starter. If you don’t start with a smoky-flavored sauce you can always add more liquid smoke.

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Also try a copycat of KFC’s macaroni and cheese.

Copycat KFC Honey Barbecue Chicken Strips
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5 from 1 vote

KFC Honey Barbecue Chicken Strips (Copycat Recipe)

Fabulously crunchy and tasty!
Course Appetizer or Main
Cuisine American
Keyword BBQ, chicken fingers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 384kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 2 pounds chicken breast or chicken tenders, cut into small strips or bite-sized pieces

For the dredging (double if cutting your chicken into small pieces)

For the sauce

Instructions

For the sauce (make first)

  • Heat a medium saucepan over low heat. Add all of the sauce ingredients and stir.
  • Bring to a low simmer and keep simmering for 20 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is slightly thick.
  • Reduce heat and keep sauce warm until ready to use.

For the chicken

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with non-stick spray.
  • Heat 3-4" of oil to 350 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven.
  • Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl or pie plate.
  • Pour the buttermilk into another shallow bowl or pie plate.
  • Working in batches if needed, coat the chicken pieces in the flour mixture.
  • Shake off any excess and then place into the buttermilk. Turn to coat.
  • Shake off any excess and return the chicken to the flour to coat again.
  • Shake off any excess and place in the hot oil. Fry 8-12 minutes until golden brown. Small pieces take less time. Thicker, larger pieces will take the full 12 minutes.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  • When all of the chicken pieces are fried, brush them with the BBQ sauce and place on the foil-lined baking pan.
  • Bake for 10 minutes to set the sauce.
  • Remove and serve.

Notes

The smaller you cut your chicken pieces, the more buttermilk and flour mixture you’ll need. You may want to double the recipe for the dredging if you like your chicken strips small.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 842mg | Potassium: 597mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 173IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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A&W Onion Rings (Copycat Recipe)

Describing what I think makes for the perfect onion rings is pretty easy. Nicely seasoned batter that isn’t too thick or too thin. Or overpowering. I want to still taste the onion. And of course, there has to be the right bite-through. If I take a bite and half of the onion slides out of the ‘batter tunnel’, I’m just not going to be happy. And (don’t hate me), I have to be able to enjoy the rings without any dipping sauce. Doesn’t mean that I won’t use ketchup or something else, but I want that option. I want the rings to be able to stand on their own. Like the A&W onion rings from this copycat recipe do!

Copycat A&W Onion Rings

Sweet Onions, Sweet Onion Rings

I prefer to use sweet onions when I make my copycat recipe A&W onion rings. Vidalia and Texas sweet 1015s are my favorite. I try to not get the super-large onions because the rings don’t fit into my small deep fryer. If I am using my big fryer or a Dutch oven I can get the monster-sized onions and make hula-hoop-sized rings!

Watch Those Fingers!

One thing you have to be mindful of when dipping your onions into the batter are ‘batter gaps’. I made up that term just now, but that’s what I call the dry spots that are on the onion rings where you held them with your fingers. Try to grab the onion from the very outer edges. Have as little skin-on-onion contact as possible. You can also dunk the onion rings into the batter and use a fork or knife to pick them up from the centers.

The Presto Fry Daddy is perfect for making smaller batches of food. It only uses a few cups of oil and comes to temperature quickly. Clean-up is easy too!

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Also try my spicy onion rings.

Copycat A&W Onion Rings
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

A&W Onion Rings (Copycat Recipe)

I prefer to use sweet onions for these rings.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword onion rings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 22kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat a deep fryer or Dutch oven with 3" of oil to 375 F.
  • In a medium bowl combine the tempura mix, onion powder and pepper.
  • Stir in the water.
  • Add most of the beer and stir. You want the batter to be like pancake batter but thinner. Add more beer if you need to make it thinner. If you end up adding too much liquid just stir in some more tempura mix to thicken it.
  • Working in batches if needed, dip the rings into the batter and place in the fryer.
  • Fry 3-5 minutes, flipping once, until golden brown.
  • Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  • Season liberally with salt and serve.

Notes

I’m picky about my onion rings so I usually get an extra onion or two just to make sure I get enough perfect rings!

Nutrition

Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.04g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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K-Mart Sub Sandwiches (Copycat Recipe)

True story. Before I got my first car I rode my bike everywhere. And I mean everywhere. And one of the places I would go was K-Mart. According to Google maps now, it was 5.6 miles one way. That’s a good haul, so I worked up an appetite. For me that meant time to get a sandwich at the retailer. Now these years later I can walk to my kitchen and make that same sandwich at home. This recipe for copycat K-Mart sub sandwiches taste just like the ones I had oh so many, many years ago.

PS: I can’t say I rode the entire 11 miles to there and back just to go to K-Mart. There was a Radio Shack store in the same mall. That was my real goal most of the time. My bank was also there. I might occasionally stop there and deposit the few bucks I’d made that week from picking up aluminum cans alongside the road while riding my bike.

K-Mart Sub Sandwiches (Copycat Recipe)

Not Fancy. Good.

These aren’t some fru-fru fancy sandwiches but they are super-tasty. They’re good eats, packed with meats and lots of flavor. This copycat recipe for K-Mart sub sandwiches hit the spot. They’re a great step up from just plain ole bologna and cheese, that’s for sure!

There is absolutely no reason to go mucking with this recipe. Don’t be grabbing the top-shelf sandwich meats. No imported, fancy French-sounding mustard is required. And for god sakes, do not substitute cheddar cheese for the American cheese. This isn’t that kind of sandwich. There’s a time and a place for those. This isn’t it.

See You Tomorrow

These sandwiches need the 30 minutes ‘get happy’ time in the fridge for everything to set up right. The bread gets cold. Even a little soft. You don’t eat these warm. The bread isn’t all nice and toasty. Again, it’s not that kind of sandwich.

Oh and grab some plain chips to go with it.

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Also try my Philly style Italian hoagies.

Copycat K-Mart Sub Sandwiches
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5 from 1 vote

K-Mart Sub Sandwiches (Copycat Recipe)

These aren't some fru-fru fancy sandwiches but they are super-tasty.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword sandwich, submarine
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 499kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 sub rolls
  • 8 slices salami with peppercorns
  • 4 slices bologna
  • 4 slices honey-roasted ham
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 1 ounce prepared yellow mustard
  • ¼ onion sliced thin
  • ¼ cup iceberg shredded
  • 2 tomatoes 16 slices, sliced very thin (you can use less if you want)
  • 16 banana pepper rings mild
  • 1 dill pickle sliced very thin

Instructions

  • Gently open the buns along the hinge. If they don't open easily use a sharp long knife to cut into them, but do not cut all the way through. Lay flat onto a work surface.
  • Cut the meats in half. Also cut the cheese in half.
  • Squirt the mustard in a wide 'V' pattern onto the tops and bottoms of the buns.
  • On the top buns place 4-6 slices of the pickle.
  • On the bottom bun put 4 salami halves, 2 bologna halves, 2 cheese halves, 2 ham halves, 4 slices of tomato, lettuce, and 4-8 of the pepper rings.
  • Slowly close the sandwiches by pulling the top bun down. If the toppings start to slide out, push them back in with your hand or insert a long knife down the center of the sandwich to hold them in as you close the bun.
  • Wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap.
  • Place in fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

When I would eat these as a kid I would give them a good squish first, flattening them out. Seems weird, but it’s actually good!

Nutrition

Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 1867mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 792IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 12mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Freddy’s Fry Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

Hot, crispy French fries scream ‘dip me!’ I made a big ole batch of crispy fries in my Fry Daddy fryer the other day. On the side, I made a copycat recipe of Freddy’s fry sauce. Nope, no ketchup this time. Just a delicious creamy sauce that has just the perfect amount of spiciness. Time to get to dunkin’ and dippin’!

Freddy's Fry Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

Mayonnaise And Fries Were Made For Each Other

Mayonnaise-based sauces are common all over the world, served right alongside fries. Not so much here in the US. That should change starting with this sauce! I’m a huge fan of anything mayo and fries.

Pucker Up!

One of the keys to making this sauce is the pickle juice. That’s the stuff leftover in the jar after you take out the last pickle. Whatever you do, don’t toss that stuff out. It’s not hurting you. Just keep it in the back of the fridge until you need it for something like this. It’ll keep back there for a bit. It’s also great for things like fried chicken or wings. It can add flavor and tenderize.

Is It Hot In Here?

The recipe calls for a ‘dash’ of hot sauce. So we’re not talking about a spicy dipping sauce here. Unless you want it to be. Add more if you want. But remember, you can’t take it out!

I recommend making a double batch of this sauce. Why? Well, not only is it great for fries, it’s also fantastic on burgers! And if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself double-dipping fries because you just can’t get enough of it!

I use these little dipping cups for serving my copycat recipe of Freddy’s fry sauce. They’re the perfect size for dipping wings, nuggets, tenders and even vegetables, too. And they’re easy to clean!

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Also try my Freddy’s burger sauce.

Copycat Freddy's Fry Sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Freddy’s Fry Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

This sauce is great on burgers too!
Course Dipping Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword dipping sauce, French fry
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 151kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and well combined.
  • Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Serve alongside hot crispy fries for dipping!

Notes

Stir well before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 0.02g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 52IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Fritos Hot Bean Dip (Copycat Recipe)

When I grow up I want to be just like Todd Wilbur. First, he’s an author of many of my favorite recipe copycat cookbooks. I can read them all day long. And the cool part is there are a whole bunch of them! He hacks the heck out of the foods we all eat every day, from restaurant dishes to grocery store favorites. Like this copycat recipe for Fritos hot bean dip. I hadn’t thought of this dip in years. I loved it in college, though it was a rare treat because it wasn’t cheap. If only I’d had this recipe from Todd’s awesome site Top Secret Recipes back then!

Fritos Hot Bean Dip (Copycat Recipe)

Chunky Or Smooth. Your call.

The cool part about this copycat recipe for Fritos hot bean dip is that you can control how creamy smooth it gets. I like mine just a bit chunky. Not like ‘oh here’s a bean’ chunky, but still with a bit of texture. You can keep your ole food processor going longer and get a super creamy, super delicious version instead if that’s what you’re after!

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Todd Wilbur Rocks

I can’t say enough about how cool Todd Wilbur is. Follow him on your favorite social media. He’s hilarious on Facebook but he’s also serious about hacking food. He isn’t messing around when it comes to recipes. You can go to his site and sign up for his Top Secret Recipes club (it’s quite reasonably priced) and get his new recipes right as they come out!

Also try my pizza dip.

Copycat Fritos Hot Bean Dip
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5 from 1 vote

Fritos Hot Bean Dip (Copycat Recipe)

I like my just a bit chunky so I don't puree it real long.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword beans, dip
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 2kcal
Author Inspired by a recipe from Top Secret Recipes

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients into a food processor.
  • Puree until the mixture is smooth. If the dip is too thick add a bit more of the juice from the jalapeno slices and puree more.
  • Transfer to a container.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Notes

Stir before serving with corn chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 2kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.04g | Fat: 0.01g | Saturated Fat: 0.002g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 4mg | Fiber: 0.05g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.02mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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