I was busy. Way too busy to even think about making a lunch that took more than 5 minutes of my time. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I heated up some pre-made chicken nuggets. Don’t judge me, I had to do it. Plus, truth be told, I like them. I can’t help it. But I wasn’t just going to dip them in ketchup or mustard. No, I took an extra 30 seconds and whisked up a copycat of the Chick-fil-A dipping sauce and tossed it into the fridge so that the flavors got happy while the chicken was heating.
Make It Spicy
For a nice twist on this copycat Chick-fil-A sauce swap out a spicy BBQ sauce for the smoky hickory BBQ sauce. Or just add a few splashes of hot sauce to the recipe below. Just because it’s a copycat doesn’t mean you can’t change it up a bit to suit your tastes.
I eat fast food about as often as there’s a total solar eclipse. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t think about it. And when I do, the first thing that comes to mind are McDonald’s French fries. In my younger years I gobbled up my share of Mickey D’s fries, that’s for sure, and I’ve wanted to recreate that taste and crunch at home for a while now. Finally, I have found the perfect recipe for a copycat of McDonald’s fries. The perfect flavor and texture. This is it.
A Word Of Caution
Make sure you re-freeze the brined fries before deep-frying them. You want the brine to set up. If it does not it will cause a lot of grease splatter when you lower them into the hot oil. And I do mean splatter. So be careful!
I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.
If I’d known how easy it is to make a copycat of the great side dish, Rice-A-Roni, I would’ve already been making it for years. Rice-A-Roni was a staple in our house when I was growing up. For some reason I loved the smell of the seasoning packet that came with Rice-A-Roni. This recipe is a spot-on copy of what I remember, from the seasoning to the aroma to the texture, all using ingredients that I always have on hand.
Great By Itself. Really.
I could actually eat Rice-A-Roni (the original or this copycat) by itself. But, given the chance, I like to cover it in a generous amount of gravy. It’s like chicken and rice soup I guess. Mighty tasty chicken and rice soup at that.
Chicken base can be found by the chicken broth or bouillon in the grocery store. I love the flavor of chicken base, so I added a bit more than the teaspoon that the recipe calls for.
My bacony chicken and rice (leaving out the rice) is fantastic over this rice. Beyond fantastic, really.
A few years back I made a copycat of Arby’s Beef-n-Cheddar sandwich, one of my all-time favorites by a country mile. A commercial came on the tv a few days ago for Arby’s roast beef sandwiches, and I instantly started jonesin’ for one. As much as I loved my copycat Arby’s Beef-n-Cheddar, I wanted to take a copycat of the roast beef sandwich to a new level. The level of true copycat-ness. And here it is. Tender, tasty thin-sliced beef. Tangy Arby’s sauce. Onion buns. And of course, seasoned curly fries. It’s impossible to make enough of it because no matter what, I’m going to make it disappear.
Ok, So I Kinda Made A Change
I actually used Sriracha ketchup for making the Arby’s sauce, and left out adding any additional hot sauce. It had some kick, and wasn’t 100% a copycat of the original, but it was fantastic. In fact, I’d recommend that Arby’s make a Sriracha version of the sauce for their restaurants. It’d be a big hit, trust me.
Double The Sauce, Double The Fun
If you’re like me and you’re kind of addicted to Arby’s sauce, I’d double the amount below. If it’s not running down your forearm when you take a big bite of this copycat Arby’s roast beef sandwich, you’re not doing it right!
Tender, tasty thin-sliced beef. Tangy Arby’s sauce. Onion buns. And of course, seasoned curly fries. It’s impossible to make enough of it because no matter what, I’m going to make it disappear.
I’ve made my share of Stove Top Chicken Stuffing. It’s fast, easy, cheap and good. In my bachelor days you’d always find a box or two in my pantry. Now that I cook a lot more from scratch, I decided it was time to give making a version of the classic boxed stuffing a shot. And you know what? Man, was this copycat Stove Top chicken stuffing as good as the boxed stuff and mighty fun and easy to make! I was very happily surprised as to how great this was.
Make Extra. You’ll Need It.
I will definitely double (or triple) this recipe for copycat Stove Top Chicken Stuffing next time. I admit, as much as I love Thanksgiving turkey, I’m really more partial to the baked stuffing and mashed potatoes, each loaded up with tons of gravy. And for me, my go-to gravy is my make-ahead holiday gravy. I don’t just double the gravy recipe either. More like 6 times as much as the recipe states. Maybe 7. Or 8. Like I said, I love gravy.
Now that I cook a lot more from scratch, I decided it was time to give making a copycat of the classic boxed stuffing a shot. And you know what? Man, was it ever as good as the boxed stuff and mighty fun and easy to make!
Spread the bread pieces out on a large baking sheet. Lay the sheet on the counter top for one day, stirring occasionally. You want the bread to get slightly crunchy and dry.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Note: Baking is only required if you desire a stuffing with a more crunchy texture.
In a pan or pot large enough to hold all of the bread, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the celery and saute for 5 minutes.
And all remaining ingredients (do not add the bread yet). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in the bread crumbs and gently stir to coat. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Remove lid and fluff the mixture and let sit for another 5 minutes.
If baking, transfer to a 9″ x 9″ baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and bake for 20 minutes or until the desired color and texture has been achieved.
Notes
Reheat any leftovers in the oven at 400 F for around 10 minutes or until hot. Add a bit of broth or water if the stuffing gets too dry.
Obviously, I had to make a copycat McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with cheese. After making a version of the Arch Deluxe burger from McDonald’s, I could not stop jonesin’ for a good version of my all-time favorite fast-food burger from the chain restaurant. Simple but tasty. Sure, I might have cheated a bit and actually made a Third Pounder cheese burger, but hey, that just means I had more yumminess!
Ah, Just What I Was Looking For!
These copycat McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with Cheese came out fantastically. It wasn’t until after my teen years that I also became a fan of the Big Mac, which I’ve made at home several times. And now that I think about them, I’m going to have to make them again, and soon. Want an even bigger Big Mac? Try my Big Mac hoagies. Yep, that’s right, all the great flavors of a Big Mac on a big ole hoagie bun. Not into big Big Macs? My Big Mac sliders are perfect for a party.
After making a copycat of the Arch Deluxe burger from McDonald’s, I could not stop jonesin’ for a good version of my all-time favorite fast-food burger, the Quarter Pounder with cheese.
Green beans are in season, which means I usually grab a pound or so every few days at the grocery store. Although I often grill my green beans if I’m already outside grilling, this copycat Outback Steakhouse green bean recipe is a big favorite of ours. The beans take only a few minutes to make.
Add Some Orange Things
You can also add carrots to these copycat Outback Steakhouse green beans for a great twist on the restaurant classic. Just peel a few carrots and slice them thin. Put them into the boiling water for a minute or two before adding the beans so they all come out done and tender at the same time. You want the ‘bite’ to be the same between them.
I actually use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make these beans. I was able to make the entire thing in a single pot. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!
For another variation, and one with a little kick, toss in a few pinches (or more) of dried red pepper flake when you saute the beans. Also try my awesome green bean recipe.
Although I often grill my green beans if I’m already outside grilling, this copycat Outback Steakhouse green bean recipe is a big favorite of ours. The beans take only a few minutes to make.
My wife and I were driving to Nashville, TN, when we passed a sign on the interstate for a Schlotsky’s. I instantly flashed back to the days when we had a Schlotsky’s near where I worked in Indianapolis. It was my favorite lunch spot. I so loved their bread. Sadly, it was early in the morning so the Schlotsky’s was closed. At that moment I went on a journey to recreate my favorite sandwich, Schlotsky’s The Original. This copycat is a fantastic copycat of the classic great sandwich, from the bread to the meats to the garlic dressing.
You’ll Be Rewarded In The End
It may look like it takes a lot of work and ingredients to make a copycat of the Schlotsky’s The Original, but it’s actually quite simple and the end result will more than reward your efforts. The key is the sourdough bread, which comes out light, airy, and full of air bubbles. It holds up perfectly to the ingredients, including my favorite, the garlic mayonnaise. I made a big squeeze bottle of the dressing and also find myself using it on burgers and wraps.
I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.
Stir in the yeast and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
Stir in the flour.
Cover loosely and place in a warm place 8-12 hours.
For the bread
Add the warmed milk to a large bowl. Stir in the starter.
Stir in the sugar, salt and baking soda until the dry ingredients are dissolved.
Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring to combine until smooth. The dough will end up sticky and thick.
Spray two 8″ (or three 6″) pie pans with non-stick spray.
Sprinkle the bottoms of the pans with the corn meal.
Divide the dough between the pans. Just plop into the centers of the pans. Don’t worry about it being pretty, it’ll spread out as it rises.
Lightly spray the tops of the dough with non-stick spray.
Loosely cover the pans and let rise for 1 hour in a warm spot. I recommend covering the dough with something that won’t stick to it, such as upside down pie pans.
After the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 375 F.
Spray the tops of the dough again with non-stick spray and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to racks to cool.
For the creamy garlic dressing
Whisk together all ingredients. Store in a squirt bottle for easy dispensing.
For the sandwich
Cut the bread in half, horizontally.
Squirt the bread with the garlic dressing and yellow mustard.
Add the remaining sandwich ingredients.
Slice into quarters and serve.
Notes
I like to have my cheese melted a bit, so I wrap the assembled sandwiches in foil and insert them into a preheated 350 F oven for 5-10 minutes.
Strawberries are in season here and it’s a happy time! I’ve been waiting for this moment to make this copycat of Panera’s strawberry poppy seed dressing. My patience was definitely rewarded and then some. This could easily be my favorite salad dressing of all time. Smooth strawberry flavor with just a bit of sweetness. White balsamic vinegar, while not as cheap as the dark version, is more mellow and adds a great tang.
What Is White Balsamic Vinegar?
I was curious what makes white balsamic vinegar more gentle than dark, so I Googled it. Turns out dark balsamic vinegar is aged for at least twelve years in barrels that have been fired and were previously used for other batches of balsamic vinegar. White balsamic vinegar, on the other hand, is aged at least twelve years in new barrels that have not been fired or used before. That explains the cleaner flavor! It’s perfect in this copycat Panera strawberry poppy seed dressing.
Other Berries Work Too!
After I use up this batch of dressing (read: tonight), I think I’ll try the same recipe but using raspberries instead. Or peaches. I think this same approach could work well with any good in-season fruit.
Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!
Strawberries are in season. I’ve been waiting for this moment to make this copycat of Panera’s strawberry poppy seed dressing. My patience was definitely rewarded.
Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.
This copycat Boston Market Tuscan Herb chicken is exactly why I bought my Char-Broil Big Easy: crazy good chicken. Sure, I cook a lot of things on my Big Easy, but it cooks poultry like you’ve never had. Perfect every time and easy as you can possibly get. These split chicken breasts were packed with herb flavor. The skin was insanely crunchy and soooo tasty. And oh so moist meat. This may be the best chicken I’ve ever made.
Any Chicken Cuts Will Do
You can use skin-less chicken breasts if you prefer, just rub the herb mixture over the meat. The original recipe was for a whole chicken, which you could also do. But make sure you check the meat temperatures in several places before removing the full bird from the cooker. I prefer split chicken breasts when I make this copycat of Boston Market Tuscan herb chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy..
Fire up your Big Easy. Spray the basket with non-stick spray.
Using your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the chicken meat, creating a pocket between the skin and breast.
Combine the oil and the basil, oregano, rosemary and garlic.
Rub the mixture between the skin and meat. Be generous with it.
Salt and pepper the outsides of the breasts.
Place into the Big Easy cooker and cook until the breast meat reaches 165 F. Depending on conditions and the size of the chicken breasts, plan on 10-15 minutes per pound.
