In-N-Out Burger's delicious shakes are made with real ice cream, and that's a good thing,  but this vanilla shake has a unique taste that's more than just straight vanilla—I sense a hint of buttery caramel. Riffing on that idea I came up with an easy hack for these tasty shakes using a blend of French vanilla ice cream and whole milk, along with a simple secret ingredient: caramel topping. Spooning just 1 tablespoon of Smucker’s caramel topping into the blender before mixing it all up produced a vanilla shake remarkably similar to the one that’s been served at In-N-Out Burger since 1975.

Unfortunately, a milkshake produced with a home blender is thinner than a restaurant milkshake made with a milkshake machine. To fix that, after mixing your shake in the blender, place the blender in your freezer for a bit until the shake firms up, then mix it once again, spoon it into a tall glass, and serve it with a wide straw.

It may look like it's all chocolate, but Wendy's founder Dave Thomas thought that a purely chocolate frozen dairy dessert would overpower his burger and fries, so he mixed chocolate with vanilla to create his signature ultra-thick shake, and in 1969, the Frosty was born.

My first crack at this iconic treat was revealed in a copycat recipe published 25 years ago that called for mixing milk with Nestle Quik and vanilla ice cream in a blender. Tasty? Sure it was. But the finished product was too runny, and the flavor wasn't perfect. That's why I recently holed myself up in the lab and created a formula that you now churn in a home ice cream maker until thick and creamy, and it tastes just like the real thing. Unlike my previous recipe which relied on pre-made ice cream and a drink mix, the scratch ingredients I used here allowed me to make small adjustments in flavor for a better match, and an ice cream maker is the perfect way to produce a thick, creamy consistency. So far, this is the best hack I've come up with to duplicate the treat that tests have shown is up to twice as thick as other famous desserts in a cup, including Dairy Queen's Blizzard and McDonald's McFlurry. 

McDonald's refreshing smoothie is easy to knock off at home in a blender with fresh bananas and boxed frozen strawberries that come in syrup. Thaw out those strawberries before adding them and include some of the syrup when measuring. This McDonald's strawberry banana smoothie recipe makes 2 medium drinks so you can share, or one really big drink for a very hot and thirsty you.

Here's a refreshing warm weather (or any weather!) cocktail that’s considered one of Cheddar's signature drinks. It's served in a huge 18-ounce schooner glass, but you can use any glass that will hold 18-ounces of liquid goodness. For the strawberries, find them in the freezer section and get kind that are frozen in sweet syrup, and let them thaw out before you measure. Be sure to include lots of the syrup when you measure the strawberries to help mellow the tart juice from the two lemon wedges.  

The PSL is doing A-OK at Starbucks. In 2018, Starbucks moved the release of its seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte from September to August in anticipation of record sales for the 15-year-old product. According to Nation’s Restaurant News, consumers in 2017 “visited PSL establishments twice as many times as typical patrons,” most likely because they know the drinks are around for only a short time.

The trick when hacking this Starbucks superstar is making a perfect clone of the syrup used in the drink. I found a friendly barista who was willing to squirt a little of the secret syrup into a cup for me to take back to headquarters for examination. Back in the kitchen I discovered the mysterious light orange-colored syrup had no spice particles in it whatsoever, meaning the flavors are added as extracts or oils. Most home cooks like you and me cannot get such ingredients, so I had to come up with a formula using easily accessible ground spices and pumpkin puree.   

Pumpkin pie spice makes this recipe easy and much cheaper than buying all the spices separately. It’s a convenient blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, plus either allspice or clove, and it’s found in practically all food stores. For our hack, the blend is combined with a sugar solution and cooked until syrupy, then sweetened condensed milk is stirred in. Condensed milk is also used in the original syrup at Starbucks—according to the ingredients list—which is why the syrup is opaque and creamy. When the syrup is done, a couple tablespoons are added to your latte, then it’s topped off with whipped cream and a sprinkling of more spice.

Lattes are made with espresso, and in this case you’ll need a double shot, which is about ¼ cup. If you can’t make espresso, then make some strong coffee and use ½ cup of it. If you don’t have a way to steam milk, you can heat it up in the microwave for 2 minutes or until hot, then make it foamy with a milk foamer, inversion blender, or whisk.

Click here for more of your favorite Starbucks drinks and baked goods.

Menu Description: "Healthful, nonalcoholic frozen fruit drinks." Gold Medalist: "Coconut and pineapple, blended with grenadine, strawberries and bananas." Tropical Runner: "Fresh banana, pineapple and pina colada mix with frozen with crushed ice."

From the "obscure statistics" file, T.G.I. Friday's promotional material claims the restaurant was the first chain to offer stone-ground whole wheat bread as an option to its guest. It was also the first chain to put avocados, bean sprouts, and Mexican appetizers on the menu.

Also a first: Friday's Smoothies. In response to growing demand for nonalcoholic drinks, T.G.I. Friday's created smoothies. Here are recipes to clone two of the nine different fruit blend varieties. 

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes by Todd Wilbur.

Not only does the restaurant still serve some of the tastiest cocktails and mixed drinks, but T.G.I. Friday's also has one of the best selections of custom non-alcoholic drinks in the business. The smoothies and shakes at Friday's are all excellent, as are the designer sodas called "Flings." These are hand-mixed soda beverages made in a fashion reminiscent of old-time soda fountains. Juices and sweeteners are mixed with cold soda water and served over ice—you can't go wrong with one of these. The Fling cloned here uses cranberry juice, apple juice, simple syrup, and sweet-and-sour mix.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

With over 150 locations in 24 states, Jamba Juice is one of the top smoothie chains in the country. And yes, these smoothies are big, so rustle up a 24-ounce cup, or get ready to share. Here are the Jamba Juice copycat smoothie recipe clones for six of the favorites from Jamba Juice's big list of fruity smoothies: Banana Berry, Orange-A-Peel (photo), Citrus Squeeze, Cranberry Craze, Peach Pleasure, and Strawberries Wild.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Mai Tai creator and restaurateur Victor Bergeron well-documented his original secret formula: His recipe from 1944 is a delicious blend of 17-year-old rum, lime juice, orange curacao, simple syrup and orgeat for a subtle flavoring of almond. When Vic's Tahitian friends sipped his new creation, they said "Mai Tai Roa Ae"—Tahitian for "out of this world, the best." So Vic named his drink "Mai Tai," and the rest is cocktail history.

The recipe has changed throughout the years using younger rums and various fruit and citrus juice measurements—you can find these other versions of the Mai Tai posted around the Internet. There is even a Trader Vic's Mai Tai mixer available in some stores. But nowhere will you find a formula for the "World Famous" $9.50 caramel-colored cocktail currently served at the 30 Trader Vic's restaurants that dot the globe. Why not? Because the secret ingredient in the current recipe is a concentrated syrup that is only available for commercial use at the restaurant chain. And that's the first formula we need to duplicate to get the exact flavors of the restaurant version into our home clone. I secured some of this "secret" concentrated mix, and figured out how to clone it using a super-sweet simple syrup solution plus orange and almond extracts. That's the first step. After that, add lime juice, lemon juice and dark rum, plus the syrup to a glass full of crushed ice; apply the proper garnishes; and you will have recreated two refreshing servings of one of the world's most famous cocktails.

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

Celebrate life with clones for two of Friday's delicious new martinis: the super tasty Pomegranate Martini features Pama, the first pomegranate liqueur, and the Candy Apple Martini that tastes like a liquid caramel apple—really good stuff. As with any properly prepared martini, be sure to chill each glass by filling it with ice before making the drink, and shake everything up with much fury and enthusiasm before pouring.

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

To make a version of this frozen treat at home, with fat reduced by about 75 percent, you will need fat-free vanilla ice cream, Nestle Quick, and low-fat milk. Oh, and a blender.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size–1 16-ounce
Total servings–2
Calories per serving–470 (Original–440)
Fat per serving–2g (Original–11g)

Source: Top Secret Recipes Lite by Todd Wilbur.

Here's the signature drink from the chain that revived the old-school drive-up burger joint. In 1953 Troy Smith obtained the parcel of land in Shawnee, Oklahoma that was big enough to fit the new steakhouse and root beer stand he had always dreamed about. Troy thought he'd make the steakhouse his primary operation, but as it turned out folks preferred the hot dogs and cold drinks over at the root beer stand. Troy did the smart thing and ditched the steakhouse to focus all his efforts on the other restaurant. At first he called the root beer stand "Top Hat," but when Troy found out later that name was already being used, he came up with "Sonic" to signify "service at the speed of sound." Today the chain is the sixth largest hamburger outlet in the country. 

This Sonic cherry limeade copycat recipe makes a simple, old-fashioned drink by combining Sprite with cherry juice and some lime wedges. Use cherry juice made by Kool-Aid under the brand-name Jammers for the best home hack.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

In 1995 when I cloned Snapple iced teas in More Top Secret Recipes, I picked several varieties of the tea and used either concentrated juices or extracts for the fruity essence. Since that time, Snapple was sold to Quaker and the less popular flavors were retired to the land of the dead foods. But a clone for one of the most popular flavors of ice tea eluded me back then, since there was no common extract or juice concentrate to turn to for that flavor. Bummer too, since Snapple's raspberry iced tea is a top seller. Today, thanks to the popularity of flavored coffee drinks, flavored syrups can be found in supermarkets. The most common brand is Torani. Get some of the raspberry flavor and you can clone this secret recipe for a fraction of the cost of the real thing.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Here's a quick and easy recipe for the brand of ice tea that blew away competitors Lipton and Nestea. Between 1988 and 1992 Snapple tea sales increased a whopping 1,300 percent. If you're a big Snapple ice tea drinker, this recipe will save you some cash. A 16-ounce bottle of Snapple tea costs around $1.50, but the same amount using this top secret hack will only cost you 15 cents to make. Here now is the improved version of the recipe that first appeared in More Top Secret Recipes.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Check out the menu board at any Starbucks and you’ll find this frozen drink described as a blend of raspberry and other fruit juices plus Starbucks’ own Tazo brand tea. We’ve discovered that those other fruit juices include white grape juice, aroniaberry, cranberry, and blackberry. Since aroniaberry juice is next to impossible to track down in a local supermarket, we’ll have to make a taste-alike drink with a combination of just the other; more important flavors. Grab the raspberry syrup and a jar of seedless blackberry jam made by Knott’s Berry Farm, and brew up a little tea. Starbucks used Tazo black tea for the drink, but you can use the more common Lipton tea bags. You will only use 1/3 cup of the tea for this 1-serving recipe, so you’ll have plenty left over for additional servings, or for a quick iced tea fix.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

At only 10 1/2 ounces per serving you might think this drink a bit wee. But I assure you, one of these packs a wallop, and two will get you speaking in haiku. This delicious raspberry margarita, along with an incredible southwestern cuisine, is making this small chain a big success story.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

A while back when I was rummaging through my pantry I came upon several bottles of flavored Yoo-hoo that I had picked up from Wal-Mart and tucked away for over a year. Each of the bottles was covered with a little dust and needed a pretty fierce shaking, but the contents were well-preserved and still tasty. After some Web browsing of a few unofficial Yoo-hoo Web sites, I discovered these worshipped "Mix-ups" variety of the famous chocolate drink had since been discontinued and I was holding onto a few rare bottles. I immeditely got to work on some hacks, and soon figured out how to resurect these Dead Foods with some delicious and simple home clones.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

In 1972, brothers-in-law Leonard Marsh and Hyman Golden had become tired of running a window-washing business. They contacted their friend Arnold Greenberg and told him they wanted to start selling bottle fruit juices. Greenberg had a health-food store and thought their idea for all-natural beverages was a good one, so together they started selling pure fruit juices under the name Unadulterated Food Products. It took the trio about a decade to acquire the name they really wanted, Snapple, for $500 from a guy in Texas who has used it on an apple soda that bombed. Snapple's big break came in 1988, when the company started bottling ready-to-drink iced teas. It took only five years for Snapple to become the leader in the iced tea market, blowing away giants Lipton and Nestea. The Snapple iced tea phenomenon helped the company increase sales between 1988 and 1992 by nearly 1,300 percent.

Source: More Top Secret Recipes by Todd Wilbur.

To make your own version of the syrup for this orange soda that comes to us from the Pepsi-Cola Company, you need to combine a simple syrup recipe with two popular versions of dry orange mix: Kool-Aid orange unsweetened drink mix and Tang. But unlike the real thing that contains no juice, your homemade version includes a bit of real orange juice solids that come powdered into every scoop of Tang mix. After you make the syrup, be sure to let it cool in the refrigerator before you combine it with cold soda water.  

Source: Top Secret Recipes Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits, & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Soda and citrus flavors were combined in 1938 to create a grapefruit-lemon soft drink that would later inspire Coke to make Fresca. Fresca was popular when it was introduced in the 60s since it was artificially sweetened and contained no calories. That was back when diet drinks were just catching on. Nowadays just about every soda comes in a diet version, and Fresca sales have slipped, despite a tweaking of the formula in the early 90s.

Squirt continues to hold on to a loyal cult following, with many who claim the soda is the only true cure for a hangover. To clone it, just add real bottled white grapefruit juice, along with a little Kool-aid mix for a lemony zing, to the simple syrup recipe. Chill the syrup and soda water until cold and get ready to make a dozen cups worth of citrus soda at home.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

First served at Wendy's in 1969, the Frosty continues as a favorite in fast food shakes. This clone recipe is an improved version of the recipe that appeared in my first book, Top Secret Recipes. I've designed this new version for a one-person serving and have given it less of an intense chocolate flavor that's more like the real thing. I find the smaller yield also helps to make the shake blend better.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

After adding the juices to the blender the restaurant does a “flash blend.” That means you use just a couple of pulses on high speed so that the ice is broken up into small pieces, without being completely crushed to a slushy consistency.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Whip up clones for the top-selling smoothies from one of America's favorite full-service burger joints. Included in this recipe are secret formulas for the seasonal Chillin' Mango Smoothie, and the always popular Groovy Smoothie.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

More like dessert than a cocktail, really. You won't hear me complain.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

This is Red Robin’s signature non-alcoholic drink, and it's simple to make with pre-made lemonade, and strawberries that come frozen in sweet syrup. When added to the top of the ice filled lemonade glass the strawberries and syrup speckle the drink. Serve this without stirring it up.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

This clones Starbucks "Low-fat Creamy Blend of Coffee and Milk" that you find in the 9 1/2-ounce bottles in most stores. Those little suckers will set you back at least a buck, but this Top Secret Recipes version costs a mere fraction of that. The recipe requires espresso, but don't worry if you don't have an espresso machine. Check out the Tidbits below for a way to clone espresso with a standard drip machine and ground coffee. 

The cool thing about this Top Secret Recipe is that many of the ingredients come in a kit designed for making strawberry cheesecake. Find Jell-O No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Mix near the puddings in your supermarket and you have half of the ingredients locked up. Inside the box are three separate packets: strawberries in syrup, the cheesecake mix powder, and graham cracker crumbs. You'll also need vanilla ice cream, a cup of milk, and some canned whipped cream. Toss the first four ingredients below in a blender until smooth, fill 2 glasses, and then top off the shakes with whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs from the kit. Everyone will freak out when they suck strawberry cheesecake through a straw. The recipe below makes 2 regular size shakes, but you can make another 2 shakes using up the remaining strawberries from the cheesecake kit. If you get some additional strawberries in syrup, you can make as many as 8 more shake clones with the remaining cheesecake mix powder and graham cracker crumbs.

Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

These easy-to-make milkshake clones from Sonic's fountain are no longer available at the 3,342-unit drive-in burger chain, but we'll always have a clone. The straight peanut butter version is crazy delicious if you're into peanut butter. And when you add a little fudge to the recipe for the second hack here, you've got what tastes like a creamy Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Good stuff, man.

Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

Snapple was selling juices for five years, since 1982, before the fruity line of teas was rolled out. Just five years after that, Snapple was selling more tea in the U.S. than Lipton or Nestea. Today, even though Snapple sells over 50 different bottle beverages, the iced teas are still the most successful products in the line. But not all the fruity flavors of tea were hits. Cranberry, strawberry, and orange are now extinct, so those flavors can only be enjoyed by making versions of your own at home with these simple formulas.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Troy Smith isn't the one who came up with the idea to use an intercom system in the parking lot so that customers could pull up to order, and then eat while still in their cars. He was inspired by another hamburger stand he saw while driving through Louisiana, and had the same system designed for his place. Today Sonic is the only major fast food chain still incorporating the nearly 50-year old service concept. And just as in the '50s, roller-skating carhops still bring the food right to the car window so diners can stay comfortably seated behind the wheel. 

This is a flavor variation of Sonic's signature Cherry Limeade.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Starbucks makes its hot chocolate with mocha syrup that's used for a variety of other drinks in the store. A barista combines mocha syrup with a couple squirts of vanilla syrup and heated milk, and he then finishes off the drink with a sweet pile of whipped cream. We can duplicate the process by first creating our own chocolate syrup in the microwave with cocoa—Hershey or Nestle brand each works great. After adding milk to the heated chocolate mixture, pop it back into the microwave again until piping hot. Add a little vanilla extract at the end to give the drink vanilla hints like the original. I found that a 2-cup glass measuring cup with a spout works best to heat the drink in the microwave. Then, when it's ready, you can easily pour the hot chocolate into a 16-ounce coffee mug and get on with the sipping.

Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

If you want to keep this cocktail authentic you'll need to rustle up a 32-ounce canning jar. Bartenders at the Roadhouse Grill mix this delicious, yet potent libation in a large mason jar normally used for canning. You say you don't have one of those lying around? You have yet to enter the canning phase of your life? Not to worry. Just wash out a hefty mayonnaise jar—the large size. Those big mayo jars weigh in at exactly 32-ounces and provide you with an excuse for finally ditching the yellow gunk that's been fermenting in the back of the fridge for the last two years. For non-purists, any 32-ounce drinking glass or mug will do. Just be sure to fill your glass nearly to the top with ice before you mix. The salt on the rim is optional, but aspirin after too many of these might be a necessity.

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur.

The menu describes the steakhouse chain's popular fruity drink as a "down under frozen wonder with peaches, DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps, champagne, Smirnoff Vodka and secret mixers." You don't need to use the same brand-name booze as the chain does, but you will need to find a can of Kern's peach nectar. It's the perfect "secret mixer."

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

When John Ferolito and Don Vultaggio were thinking of names for their new line of iced teas back in 1992, they scanned a map for inspiration. The idea was to find a location with hot weather. Santa Fe was the first name that smacked 'em in the face, but the two later settled on the sweltering state of Arizona, with the funky addition of a capital "Z" in the middle. Now AriZona Beverage Company makes over 30 varieties of iced teas, coffees, elixirs, juices and other hip drinks. This clone of their popular black tea with ginseng can be made with just one regular size tea bag and liquid ginseng that you can find in any decent health food store worth a grain of organic salt.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Here are clones for two of Planet Hollywood's most popular drinks. And, take it from me, they really hit the spot on a hot summer night okay, any night. But, if you don't wanna feel like you were hit by a truck the next day, go easy on these babies - they pack quite a punch. Serve 'em with a 7-dollar cheeseburger, crank up some clips of bad Stallone movies and it's almost like you're actually at a famous Hollywood-themed eatery.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

It's time for shooters and you haven't a clue what to make. Don't worry, I've got your back. Pick any one of these clone recipes for shooters from Planet Hollywood and you'll be tonight's party hero. I recommend you start at the top of the list (Blue Hawaii). Told you, I've got your back.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

If you're going to clone a cocktail from Red Lobster you have to include the chain's signature drink, don't you think?

Souce: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

If you love the taste of Sunny D but wish it was made with more than just 5 percent real fruit juice, this is the recipe for you. Rustle up some frozen juice concentrates and let them thaw out before measuring. Since tangerine juice concentrate is tough to find on its own, I designed the recipe to use the orange/tangerine blend concentrate from Minute Maid.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

In the early 20s Natalie Olivieri was watching his wife can tomatoes, when he got the idea to create a bottled chocolate drink with a long shelf life while. When New York Yankee great Yogi Berra later met Natale and tasted his drink he was an instant fan, and helped raise funds to make Yoo-hoo a national success.

I cloned this drink in the first book, Top Secret Recipes, but have since discovered an improved technique. Using a blender to mix the drink, as instructed in that first recipe, adds too much unnecessary foam. So here now is a revised recipe that you shake to mix.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

I found this Applebee's concoction to be an accommodating TV viewing companion. The combination of tequilas, juices and syrups serve in a chilled martini glass is a refreshing recreation of the classic tequila sunrise, and it never wants to change the channel.

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur.

Here's a great twist on the traditional margarita. Sour apple schnapps and apple juice join forces with tequila and sweet-and-sour mix in a martini glass that's rimmed with cinnamon sugar. Hey, it's like drinking apple pie! This recipe makes one drink, but it's easy to double up. That's a good thing, since it seems like one is never enough.

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur.

If you've never had a Chelada, the idea of mixing beer with Clamato juice may make your stomach turn. This odd combination of beverages has origins in Mexico that date back to the 1940s, when beer was mixed with lime, salt, and hot sauce or salsa. In early 2008, Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) and Cadbury-Schweppes (Clamato) teamed up to produce the first canned Chelada beverage, which they dubbed "The Red One," and after a successful launch in select western states, the product is now exploding across the country. Many swear by the drink as a remarkable hangover cure, and after some extensive personal experimentation, I must concur.

Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

Menu Description: "Sutter Home White Zinfandel with DeKuyper Luscious Peachtree schnapps, pineapple juice and lemon-lime soda. Served Mucho size over ice with fresh fruit." 

No need to waste expensive wine duplicating this incredibly refreshing new cocktail from Applebee's. Sutter Home White Zinfandel, which runs around 5 bucks a bottle, is the brand of choice at the chain, but feel free to use any white zinfandel on the shelf, even if it's in a box. The wine will be diluted with peach schnapps and other ingredients, so no matter which wine you pick, you'll always get a delicious, thirst-quenching cocktail that's perfect for warm weather hang time.

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

Hard to believe it takes only one regular-size green tea bag to make this entire 2-quart clone of the popular iced tea in the foam green bottles. Find the liquid ginseng for this recipe in your local health food store. Be sure to get American ginseng if you can since the Chinese stuff can taste pretty rank.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Menu Description: "Drink in the passions of Spain! A delightful mix of Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon, Shakka Apple Liqueur, Dole pineapple juice, Ocean Spray cranberry juice, and grenadine. Garnished with maraschino cherry, orange, lime and fresh apple."

The menu description for this quenching cocktail specifies brand names that the restaurant uses to create this drink. For the best clone, I suggest you use the same brands. However, if you must substitute with other brands, I don't suspect anyone will care. I certainly won't, and I promise not to tell anyone your secret. If you can't find Shakka brand apple liqueur, use any sour apple flavored liqueur. If you don't have Sierra Mist lemon-lime soda, you can use Sprite or 7-Up. 

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

The blue curacao is drizzled over the top of the white frozen pina colada-like drink, then it sinks down the inside of the glass with groovy lava lamp flair.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

The secret to re-creating many of Applebee’s drinks is to stay away from the bottled cocktail mixers and make your own from scratch. The recipe for the pina colada mix is a simple 2-to-1 ratio of pineapple juice to cream of coconut. You’ll be making two drinks here, so have a companion ready.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes by Todd Wilbur.

Coffeehouses have replaced many of the old Orange Julius stands, but there's still a nostalgic group of us who long for the frothy juice drinks invented decades ago by Julius Freed. Today Orange Julius has tailored its business to meet the changing demands of its customers by including several varieties of fruit drinks and updated smoothies on its menu. But it's the foamy fruit juice creation developed in the late twenties that made the company famous, and that's what I've cloned here in this Orange Julius copycat recipe, an improved version that's found in the book Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits & Shakes. The flavor and consistency is better now, plus we use the blender to dissolve the sugar before adding the ice. Use pasteurized egg whites found packaged in your local supermarket or just use egg substitute, which is also made from pasteurized egg whites.

If you love the flavor of fresh lime juice in your cocktails, here are clones for two fantastic signature drinks from America's most famous Chinese bistro chain. The first clone, for the Asian Pear Mojito, doesn't include pear juice at all. Instead, the flavors of lime juice, sour apple schnapps, citrus rum, and pineapple juice combine to create what bartenders claim is a refreshing pear-like flavor. Does it taste like pear to you? The second clone, for Chang's Key Lime Martini, uses a vanilla-flavored Spanish liqueur called Licor 43, combined with key lime juice and whipped cream to create an amazing liquid version of key lime pie. This one is more of a dessert drink. The restaurant uses bottled key lime juice which can be found at specialty stores such as Trader Joe's, or you can just squeeze your own limes. And if you can't track down Licor 43, I found that Tuaca liqueur substitutes nicely. Cheers.

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

Put on a big red smile. Now you can make your own version of the popular convenience store slush, complete with brain freeze. You must have a blender to make this clone of 7-Eleven's Slurpee, and enough room to stick that blender into your freezer to get it nice and thick. This recipe gets close to the original with Kool-Aid mix and a little help from cherry extract, but you can make this drink with any flavor Kool-Aid mix (if you decide to make some variations, don't worry about adding extract). This recipe makes enough to fill one of those giant-size 32-ounce cups you find at the convenience store. Now I should hack the spoon-straws.

Source: Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits and Shakes by Todd Wilbur