THE MOST TRUSTED COPYCAT RECIPES
THE MOST TRUSTED COPYCAT RECIPES
Lawry's Red Pepper Seasoned Salt made with Tabasco copycat recipe by Todd Wilbur

Lawry's Red Pepper Seasoned Salt made with Tabasco

Score: 3.00 (votes: 2)
Reviews: 2
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The spicy seasoned salt mash-up that Lawry's and Tabasco created several years ago garnered a cult following. Unfortunately the number of fanatics that celebrated the delicious salty, sour, and spicy blend was too small to satisfy the manufacturer, and today this tasty blend has joined the growing list of Dead Foods. The good news is I've discovered a technique for a home version, and the process is a simple one. We can duplicate the sourness that comes from vinegar powder in the real thing by adding Tabasco pepper sauce, which contains vinegar, to a handful of dry ingredients and then letting the blend dry overnight. The hardened chunks are then ground with a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder, producing a fine blend that can be poured into a spice shaker and sprinkled on anything from French fries to eggs. It's back.

Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

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  • 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoonground cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon sour salt (citric acid—see Tidbits)
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce
Do This

1. Combine all the ingredients except the Tabasco pepper sauce in a small bowl.

2. Add the Tabasco and stir well, then spread the mixture onto a plate and let it dry overnight. Stir the mixture occasionally as it dries.

3. When the seasoning blend is completely dry, use a mortar and pestle to grind the hardened chunks down to a finer blend that will pass through a wire-mesh strainer. You can also pulse the mixture in a coffee grinder until all the chunks are pulverized. Pour the blend into an empty spice shaker and sprinkle on your food with glee.

Makes about 1/4 cup or 1.75 ounces.
 
Tidbits: Citric acid is an important ingredient that gives the blend its sourness. You can typically find this white crystalline substance—which is also called "sour salt"—in the aisle where ethnic or Jewish foods are located in your market.

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Reviews
Steve Smith
Dec 16, 2020, 08:33
Followed the directions x 2. Mixture still damp, impossible to shake. Spread mixture on cookie sheet and backed mixture 20 minutes at 250 degrees to bake out moisture. Comes out lumpy but put in blender and mixed it up. Now nice and flaky in my spice jar. Shakes out easily and works great on wings on grill.
Gary
Nov 1, 2007, 22:00
Followed recipe to exactly. The ingredients never dried. After a few days I put it in the food dehydrator and after many hours it seemed to be dry. I removed it from the dehydrator and after a little while the dry pieces would return to their pervious sticky, pliable, not hard state. I put them back in the dehydrator, and then ground them immediately after they hardened and while still warm. Now the 'salt' clumps as if damp and I have to bang the bottle to break the final up enough to be able to shake it out of the bottle.



Alot of hassle for such a small amount. It does taste good though.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 1)
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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 2)
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    One important ingredient that completes the flavor is MSG. Monosodium glutamate is a food additive derived from glutamic acid, which is an important amino acid found in abundance in nature, food, and in you right now. Over the last 60 years of study and use, MSG has not only been found harmless in normal amounts, but tests have shown glutamate to be a chemical messenger that benefits gut health, immunity, and brain functions such as memory and learning. In addition to all of that, it imparts a unique savoriness that enhances flavors in other ingredients and makes your food taste amazing. Using MSG in your food is, literally, smart cooking.

    Another important ingredient is ground Tellicherry black pepper, a select black pepper from India. Winston Shelton, a friend of Harland Sanders who invented the first high-volume pressure fryers for KFC, confirmed this. Shelton recalled seeing the ingredient when Sanders showed him the secret formula for the fried chicken seasoning he had scribbled on a piece of paper.

    While we were shooting the first episode of my TV Show, Top Secret Recipe, Winston pulled me aside and whispered to me that Tellicherry pepper is crucial to creating the unique KFC aftertaste. It was a great tip, and fortunately, we caught that moment on camera and you can see it in the show. Later, I conducted a side-by-side taste test with common black pepper and Tellicherry black pepper and discovered Winston was right. If you want the best taste for your copycat KFC Potato Wedges, you'll need Tellicherry pepper, which you can find online and in some food stores. Be sure to grind it fine before using it.

    For my KFC Potato Wedges recipe, just two russet potatoes are all it takes to make the equivalent of a large serving of fried potato wedges, which will be enough for at least four people.

    Get more of my KFC copycat recipes here.

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  • Not rated yet
    Warheads Super Sour Spray Candy

    Ultra-sour liquid candy in a spray bottle was first introduced to puckering mouths in Taiwan in 1975, and eventually came to the U.S. in 1993. The liquid candy is a simple formulation of sugar, flavoring, acids (for the sour), and glycerin. Once you have these ingredients, a home version is easy—just measure and stir. For your own ultra-tart Warheads candy spray candy recipe, you’ll need six ingredients and three reusable small spray bottles.

    The sourness in the real thing comes from citric acid and malic acid, both of which are natural ingredients found in fruits and vegetables. Malic acid is a more intense sour and can be found at Whole Foods or online, while citric acid can be found in many stores, including Walmart. If you can’t track down malic acid, you can still make the recipe with just citric acid (see Tidbits). The quality of the sour will be a little different, but I’m pretty sure no kids will be complaining about it.  

    The candy is flavored with unsweetened Kool-Aid mix, which is great because there are so many flavors to choose from. The real Warheads come in watermelon, green apple, sour cherry, and blue raspberry, but the blue raspberry Kool-Aid also has lemonade in it, so that one won’t taste quite the same as the real one. 

    For my Warheads super sour spray candy recipe below, you’ll need some glycerin to thicken your spray..Glycerin—also a natural product—is developed from vegetable oil or animal fat and is often used in icing preparation. Glycerin helps thicken the liquid candy to make it more syrupy, and it also adds sweetness. You’ll find glycerin where cake decorating supplies are sold, or online.

    While you’re online, also look for three 2.7-ounce reusable spray bottles. That’s where I found mine. This recipe will fill each bottle all the way up, with a little left over for a partial refill.

    Making candy is fun! Check out my recipe for Haribo Gummy Bears here.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 2)
    Denny's Hearty 9-Grain Pancakes

    My favorite new Denny’s pancakes are these tasty whole-grain-filled buttermilk flapjacks, peppered with healthy flax seeds. At the base of the formula is my hack for Denny’s buttermilk pancakes, and to that I’ve added whole wheat flour, a little flax seed, and a hot cereal blend with nine different grains in it. Okay, mine had ten grains in it, but who’s counting?

    Regardless of how many grains are in the cereal blend you use, I find it best to give the grains a quick soak to soften them up before making the pancakes. Just let the cereal and flax seeds rest for a bit in the liquid before mixing them into the dry ingredients, and you'll end up with a perfect copy of Denny's Hearty 9-Grain Pancakes.

    Find more cool breakfast copycat recipes here.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 3)
    Starbucks Banana Nut Bread

    It’s about time I hacked one of Starbucks all-time bestselling baked snacks. For my recipe, I settled on a blend of both baking powder and baking soda for a good crumb and dark crust that perfectly resembles the original. And I decided it best to go big on the dark brown sugar, not only for flavor but also because the extra molasses in the darker brown sugar triggers a helpful leavening boost from the baking soda. It’s also important to know that an accurate clone must have both walnuts and pecans in the mix, because that’s what’s really in it, according to the official Starbucks website ingredients info. All other copycats I saw got it wrong when it came to the nut blend, so if you want a true knock-off, try my Starbucks Banana Bread copycat recipe below.

    I've cloned a ton of drinks and treats from Starbucks. See if I hacked your favorite here.      

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 1)
    Wendy's Vanilla Frosty

    For 50 years, the Frosty at Wendy's came in only one flavor: chocolate. But in 2006, after repeated customer requests, the new Vanilla Frosty debuted nationwide. Like its chocolate counterpart, the Vanilla Frosty is a super-thick milkshake that has the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Don't even attempt to get it through the straw they serve it with unless you feel the urge to collapse a lung. That's why they also give you a spoon. Start there.

    And, just as with my improved Classic Chocolate Frosty hack, you must make my copycat Wendy's Vanilla Frosty in a home ice cream maker to get the same thick and creamy consistency as the real thing. Sure, other Frosty clones might taste okay, but if it ain't thick like this one, it ain't a good hack.

    I've cloned a ton of Wendy's recipes. See if I hacked your favorite here.

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  • Score: 4.00 (votes: 2)
    KFC Chicken Pot Pie (Improved)

    KFC's Chicken Pot Pie is a classic. It's packed with lots of shredded white and dark meat chicken, potatoes, peas, and carrots; all of it swimming in a delicious creamy gravy and topped with a tantalizing flakey crust. It seems more like homemade food than fast food. And now it can be made at home better than ever before with this improved hack of my original recipe (found here). The crust now has a better flavor (more butter!), and the gravy tastes closer to the original with the addition of more spices.

    You can make my KFC Chicken Pot Pie copycat recipe using ramekins or small oven-safe baking dishes, or get some recyclable aluminum pot pie pans you can find in many supermarkets. Those pans are the perfect size for four single servings, and they make cleanup easy after the feast.

    Find more of my KFC copycat recipes here.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 1)
    Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q Cheese Biscuits

    The barbecue at Jim N' Nick's is good food. But it's the irresistible mini cheese biscuits served with every meal that have become the signature specialty of this 40-store chain. The sweet little biscuits are made from scratch every day at each restaurant using the same wholesome ingredients I'm including here in my Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q Cheese Biscuits recipe. 

    A bag of dry mix can be purchased at the restaurant, but you’re still required to add eggs, butter, cheese, and milk, so why not just make the whole thing from scratch? It's much cheaper than buying the bag of mix, and the biscuits come out better when you use fresh buttermilk rather than relying on the powdered buttermilk included in the dry mix.

    Use a mini muffin pan here to make your biscuits the same size as the originals or use a standard muffin pan, if that's all you've got, for bigger muffins. It will take a little longer to cook the larger biscuits (instructions are below), but they will still turn out as addictively delicious as the famous tiny restaurant originals.

    Now, what's for dinner? Find recipes your favorite entrées here.

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  • Not rated yet
    Bob Evans Farms Chocolate Chunk Cookies

    Bob Evans built his first restaurant on a farm in Rio Grande, Ohio in 1962, primarily to sell his own brand of high-quality sausage. Business was good. Really good. There are now over 500 Bob Evans Restaurants in 18 states, each one decorated in a country-living theme that reminds us of the original farm location. Customers seem to like it.

    They also seem to like the packaged baked goods sold at each of the restaurants under the Bob Evans Farms brand, especially this top-selling, chewy, chocolaty cookie that can now be hacked in a snap by you with my Bob Evans chocolate chunk cookies recipe. 

    You might also like my recipe for Bob Evans Banana Nut Bread Loaf.

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  • Score: 4.50 (votes: 4)
    Costco (Kirkland) Blueberry Muffins

    Three things make Costco Blueberry Muffins special: they’re huge, they’re moist, and berries are bursting out of the top of each one. Now your home muffins can be just as special using a similar recipe and freshly unlocked tricks from our favorite big-box store.

    Obviously, you get huge muffins by using a huge muffin pan, so you’ll need a jumbo or “Texas-size” muffin pan if you want your muffins the same size as the originals. You can certainly make standard muffins with this batter in a standard-size muffin pan, but in this case, bigger is definitely better.

    To get muffins that are moist like Kirkland's, you’ll need oil. I noticed many muffin recipes use butter, but I found it made the muffins taste more like butter cake or pound cake than true muffins. Looking at the ingredients listed on the package of Kirkland muffins, you won’t find any butter in there. Just oil. For my Costco Blueberry Muffin copycat recipe, some of that oil comes from margarine (for a mild butter flavor and thicker batter), and the rest is vegetable oil.

    As for the blueberries, if you add them straight into the batter the juice frozen on the outside of the berries will streak your batter blue, so be sure to rinse the berries before you add them. And to make your muffins look as irresistible as those at Costco, we’ll use another one of their tasty tricks: press 4 blueberries into the batter in each cup just before the pan goes into the oven so that every baked muffin is sure to have several tantalizing berries popping out of the top.

    Find more favorite famous bread recipes here

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 7)
    Pizzeria Uno Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

    A requirement of any visit to Chicago is eating at least one slice of deep dish pizza in the city that perfected it. Deep dish pizza quickly became a Chicago staple after Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo opened the first Pizzeria Uno in 1943 and served a hearty new style of pizza constructed in a high-rimmed cake pan. The yeast crust was tender and flakey, like a pastry, and the cheese was layered under the sauce so that it wouldn’t burn in a hot oven for the long cooking time.

    While researching a home hack of this now-iconic recipe, I discovered an unexpected technique that I hadn’t seen in other deep dish recipes. Employees told me the pizza crusts are partially cooked each morning to cut down on the wait time for customers. Before the restaurant opens each day, cooks press the dough into a pan and then sprinkle it with a little shredded cheese. The shells are then partially baked and set aside. Later, when an order comes in, the pizza is built into one of the par-baked crusts and finished off. This way customers get their food faster, and the tables turn over quicker.

    Copying that delicious, flakey crust was the task that took me the longest. After two weeks of baking, I finally settled on a formula that was a mash-up of yeast dough and pie crust and made a perfectly tender deep dish crust, with great flavor that exactly mimicked the original. If you like Uno, you'll love this! 

    Regarding the cheese: be sure your cheese is at room temperature, not cold, or it may not melt all the way through. Also, it’s best if you buy cheese by the block and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is dusted with cornstarch so that the shreds don’t stick together in the bag, and it won’t melt as smoothly as cheese you shred by hand.

    My Pizzeria Uno Chicago Deep Dish Pizza copycat recipe will make enough sauce for two pizzas. I just thought you should know that in case you get the urge to make another deep dish after this one disappears.

    This recipe was our #4 most popular in 2019. Check out the other four most unlocked recipes of the year: Texas Roadhouse Rolls (#1) KFC Extra Crispy Fried Chicken (#2), Olive Garden Braised Beef Bolognese (#3), Bush's Country Style Baked Beans (#5).

    Check out this list of our most popular recipes of all-time.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 1)
    KIND Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Bar

    You probably think the dark chocolaty stuff that looks like dark chocolate on a dark chocolate Kind nut bar is all chocolate, but it mostly isn’t. There is chocolate in there, but chicory root is listed third in the ingredients list, right after peanuts and almonds and way before cocoa, so the dark chocolate is actually a chocolate-flavored coating made mostly with chicory root fiber. Curiously, older labels list “chocolate-flavored coating” as the second ingredient, but newer labels don’t.

    Chicory is the root of the endive plant, and it’s beloved in New Orleans, where it’s combined with coffee drinks because its taste is so similar to coffee. Chicory also happens to taste a lot like chocolate, and it’s cheaper than chocolate, and that’s probably why it’s used here.

    But just because Kind uses chicory, doesn’t mean we have to. For my Kind Bar copycat recipe, you'll use real chocolate in the form of melting wafers you can find in most stores. I used Ghirardelli brand because it tastes great, but any easy-to-melt, dippable dark chocolate will do.

    The bars are stuck together with honey and agave syrup heated to 260 degrees F, or the hard ball stage. The sticky mixture is pressed into a 10x5-inch loaf pan, cooled, and sliced into 8 bars. The bottoms are dipped in the pure chocolate, and more is drizzled over the top. About 30 minutes later, when the chocolate sets up, your homemade Kind bars are ready to eat.

    Do you like dipping things in chocolate? Check out more of my candy and snack copycat recipes here

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  • Score: 4.82 (votes: 11)
    Buffalo Wild Wings Asian Zing Sauce

    Menu Description: "Sweet meets heat: A chili pepper, soy and ginger sauce."

    Here's a clone for one of the newer sauces that the wing masters at Buffalo Wild Wings added to the menu. When I get over to BWW, I order up a tall Foster's on tap, and 12 boneless wings covered in this great sauce. It's sweet-and-sour with a kick, and the kick is what the beer's for. Next time you're at the market grab yourself some chili garlic sauce in the aisle with the other Asian foods. That's the crucial ingredient to this Buffalo Wild Wings Asian Zing Sauce recipe that gives this sauce its heat, along with its deep red color. Once this sauce is made it'll store for weeks in a sealed container in your fridge. Now you've got a quick dip for eggrolls, wontons and spring rolls. Cook up some wings, nuggets or breaded tenders and toss 'em in the gooey goodness until well-coated, then serve hot. And don't forget the beer.

    Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 4.67 (votes: 3)
    Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce

    Menu Description: "Roasted garlic and Parmesan sauce with Italian herbs."

    Buffalo Wild Wings had a record day on Super Bowl Sunday 2007 when the chain sold 3.4 million wings! One year later the chain announced the opening of its 500th store. As the biggest buffalo wing chain in the country continues to grow, so does its selection of delicious sauces. Creamy, and slightly spicy, this Parmesan Garlic Sauce is one of several new sauces BWW added to its menu. Our Top Secret clone starts by roasting a few peeled garlic cloves in your oven. Add mayo and Parmesan cheese to the soft, roasted garlic, plus some corn syrup, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and an assortment of dried herbs and you've got yourself an addictive sauce that's as good on finger food as it is on a salad. Bake up some breaded chicken nuggets or fry up some wings, then simply toss 'em in some of this delicious sauce and serve.

    Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 4.14 (votes: 14)
    Max & Erma's Tortilla Soup

    After years of fielding requests to clone the delicious signature soup from this 100-unit chain, I was finally able to secure a couple carry-out samples from Max & Erma's at the Cleveland airport while I was there on a biz trip. Wrapped in a bundle of napkins and tucked into a carry-on bag, my samples arrived home in Vegas still warm and ready for analysis. 

    For my Max & Erma's Tortilla Soup recipe, you'll need some white and dark fillets of chicken and a half pound hunk of cheese to shred. It's all that Cheddar cheese that makes this tortilla soup so good. And you'll definitely want to shred your own, since the pre-shredded stuff—while also more expensive—just doesn't melt as well in the chicken broth as cheese that's been shredded just before it goes into the pot. 

    Update 2/8/17: This recipe may work better if you first make a sauce with the cheese before adding it to the soup. After step #2, combine 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of flour in a medium saucepan. Whisk in 1 cup of milk until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese until it's melted. Keep the cheese sauce warm over low heat until you need it. Reduce the cornstarch to 1 tablespoon and dissolve it into the chicken broth in a large saucepan. Add the chicken, sautéed vegetables, and remaining ingredients for the soup (except the cheese sauce) and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese sauce and simmer the soup for another 10 minutes while you bounce to step #4.

    Find more of your favorite famous soup recipes here.

    Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 10)
    T.G.I. Friday's Crispy Green Bean Fries

    Menu Description: "Crunchy and crisp battered green beans with a cool creamy Cucumber-Wasabi Ranch dip."

    T.G.I. Friday's new finger food offering might just make you forget about French fries. At least for a little while. Flavorful green beans are coated with tasty breadcrumbs, then fried to a golden brown, and served with a side of creamy wasabi dipping sauce. This item has quickly become the top seller on the chain's new appetizer menu, as Friday's becomes the first major casual restaurant to introduce a dish that has been popular for several years at upscale chains.

    Creating a home version isn't just a matter of breading and frying fresh green beans. My first attempts using a breading technique employed for perfect onion rings produced beautiful looking fried beans, but they were undercooked and had an overwhelming green bean flavor that was absent from the Friday's version. So, I had to figure out a good way to get the green bean-ness out of there. 

    After a few tests that included steaming, baking, and boiling, I finally settled on blanching the beans in a flavorful broth. The secret technique, which you'll find here in my T.G.I. Friday's Crispy Green Bean Fries recipe below, tenderizes the beans while injecting pleasant flavor that closely resembles the Friday's favorite.

    Click here for more T.G.I. Friday's copycat recipes.

    Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 4.62 (votes: 42)
    Buffalo Wild Wings Buffalo Wings and Sauces

    Menu Description: "Here they are in all their lip-smacking, award-winning glory: Buffalo, New York-style chicken wings spun in your favorite signature sauce."

    Since Buffalo, New York was too far away, Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery satisfied their overwhelming craving in 1981 by opening a spicy chicken wing restaurant close to home in Kent, Ohio. With signature sauces and a festive atmosphere, the chain has now evolved from a college campus sports bar with wings to a family restaurant with over 300 units. 

    While frying chicken wings is no real secret—simply drop them in hot shortening for about 10 minutes—the delicious spicy sauces are what make the wings special. There are 12 varieties of sauce available to coat your crispy chicken parts at the chain, and I'm presenting clones for the more traditional flavors. These sauces are very thick, almost like dressing or dip, so we'll use an emulsifying technique that will ensure a creamy final product where the oil won't separate from the other ingredients. 

    In my Buffalo Wild Wings copycat recipe below you'll find the cooking and coating technique for the wings, followed by copycat recipes for the most popular sauces: Spicy Garlic, Medium and Hot. The sauce recipes might look the same at first, but each has slight variations to make your sauce hotter or milder by adjusting the level of cayenne pepper. You can find Frank's pepper sauce by the other hot sauces in your market. If you can't find that brand, you can also use Crystal Louisiana hot sauce.

    Find my copycat recipes for Buffalo Wild Wings Asian Zing; Parmesan Garlic, and Caribbean Jerk sauces here.

    Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 4.56 (votes: 25)
    Tootsie Roll Midgees

    Even though this clone recipe duplicates the tiny bite-size versions of the candy, you're free to make yours any size you like. The technique here is a tweaking of the previous secret formula that was featured in Low-Fat Top Secret Recipes, and it includes several upgrades. I found that more cocoa, plus the addition of salt and butter to the mix improved the flavor. I also found that bringing your sweet bubbling mixture to the firm ball stage 250 degrees F (you do have a candy thermometer, right?), and then stretching and pulling the candy like taffy (fun!) as it cools, will give you a finished product more like the real deal.

    Find more famous candy recipes here

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  • Score: 4.97 (votes: 34)
    Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla with Creamy jalapeno Ranchero Sauce

    Taco Bell takes the fast food quesadilla into new territory with three different cheeses and a creamy jalapeño Ranchero sauce, all of which you can now cheerfully re-create in the comfort of your warm kitchen. Gather up the crew, since my easy Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla recipe will make four of the tasty tortilla treats.

    How about some homemade Diablo, hot, or mild sauce to go with your quesadilla? Check out all of my Taco Bell copycat recipes here.

    Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 3.60 (votes: 5)
    Popeyes Buttermilk Biscuits

    In 2007 America's number one Cajun-style restaurant celebrated its 35th birthday with 1,583 stores worldwide. But Popeyes didn't start out with the name that most people associate with a certain spinach-eating cartoon character. When Al Copeland opened his first Southern-fried chicken stand in New Orleans in 1972, it was called Chicken On The Run. The name was later changed to Popeyes after Gene Hackman's character in the movie The French Connection. In addition to great spicy fried chicken, Popeyes serves up wonderful Southern-style buttermilk biscuits that we can now easily duplicate to serve with a variety of home cooked meals. The secret is to cut cold butter into the mix with a pastry knife so that the biscuits turn out flaky and tender just like the originals.

    Source: "Top Secret Recipes Unlocked" by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 4.50 (votes: 2)
    Old Bay Seasoning

    With spice grinder in hand, Gustav Brunn traveled to America from Germany, and settled down in Baltimore on the Chesapeake Bay, where steamed crabs are a staple. Gustav began grinding. In 1939, after trying many different combinations, Gustav found just the right mix for a top secret blend of spices that would be the most-used seasoning on steamed crabs, shrimp, lobster, and other tasty seafood dishes for generations to come. But McCormick & Co., which purchased Old Bay in 1990, insists that the celery salt based blend is not just for seafood. You can also use the seasoning on chicken, French fries, popcorn, baked potatoes, deviled eggs, hamburgers, and even pizza.

    Try your homemade Old Bay on my recipe for jumbo lump crab cakes from Joe's Stone Crab. 

    Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 4.33 (votes: 9)
    Bisquick Original All-Purpose Baking Mix

    You've got a hankerin' for pancakes or biscuits, but the recipe calls for Bisquick, and you're plum out. Not to worry. Now you can make a clone of the popular baking mix at home with just four simple ingredients. Store-bought Bisquick includes shortening, salt, flour, and leavening, so that's exactly what we need to duplicate Bisquick perfectly at home. 

    My Bisquick recipe makes about 6 cups of the stuff, which, just like the real thing, you can keep sealed up in a container in your pantry until it's flapjack time. When that time comes, just add milk and eggs for pancakes or waffles, or only milk if it's biscuits you want. You'll find all those recipes below in the "Tidbits."

    Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 6)
    T.G.I. Friday's Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

    Menu Description: “Italian grandmothers everywhere are getting jealous over this recipe. Angel hair pasta tossed with fresh bruschetta marinara, fire-grilled chicken breast in a balsamic glaze, and parmesan shavings.”

    When you introduce the balsamic glaze to the angel hair pasta that’s been tossed with the slightly tangy bruschetta marinara, you are re-creating the same sweet-and-sour flavor combination that has made this a top pasta choice at T.G.I. Friday’s. It’s best to find an empty squirt bottle to hold the balsamic glaze so that you can evenly apply it to each serving. 

    You’ll have to plan ahead a little for my T.G.I. Friday's bruschetta chicken pasta copycat recipe so that the chicken can marinate in the brine. This important step will fill the chicken with the perfect flavor and moistness. You can make the marinara a day ahead if you like and chill until you need it. The glaze can be made ahead of time as well and stored in a covered container at room temperature for several days.

    Find more of my T.G.I. Friday's copycat recipes here

    Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3 by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 4)
    Ruth's Chris Steak House Potatoes Au Gratin

    Menu Description: "In cream sauce, topped with melted sharp cheddar."

    There are many ways to order potatoes from the Ruth's Chris menu including steak fries, julienne fries, shoestring fries, cottage fries, Lyonnaise, baked and au gratin.

    Here's a traditional, classic recipe for the delicious side dish inspired by the Ruth's Chris creation. You may use less of the cream and milk mixture in your version depending on the size baking dish you use and the size of your potatoes. Stop adding the creamy mixture in your version when it is level with the sliced potatoes in the baking dish. Be sure to use a casserole dish that has a lid for the first stage of baking.

    Try my Ruth's Chris Au Gratin Potatoes recipe below, and click here for more of my copycat recipes from Ruth's Chris Steak House.

    Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes by Todd Wilbur. 

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  • Not rated yet
    Hooters Buffalo Shrimp

    Menu Description: "It don't get no batter than this." 

    With the double-entendre name and female servers (many of whom are also models), Hooters has become a company with critics. Several years ago a group of Hooters Girls in Minneapolis sued the company on grounds of sexual harassment, saying that the uniforms featuring shorts and tight T-shirts or tank tops were demeaning. Ultimately, the women dropped the suit. But more recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ordered the company to hire men on the foodservice staff. Hooters countered with a sarcastic million-dollar advertising campaign featuring a mustachioed man named "Vince" dressed in Hooters Girl getup. Once again, that suit was dropped.

    Vice President of Marketing, Mike McNeil told Nation's Restaurant News, "Hooter's Girls are actually wearing more clothing than what most women wear at the gym or the beach. It's part of the concept. I don't think the world would be a better place if we had guys be Hooters Girls." You may agree or disagree, but the fact is that Hooters is currently the country's thirteenth largest dinner house chain and one of the fastest growing, with an increasing number of diners discovering Buffalo Shrimp, a delicious spin-off of Buffalo Chicken Wings.

    Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 1)
    Top Secret Recipes - Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits and Shakes

    Exclusive signed copy. Todd Wilbur shares his best kept secrets for making knockoffs of your favorite drinks—right in your own kitchen and without spending a lot of money.

    You can re-create the delicious taste of America's most popular brand-name soft drinks, beverages, dessert drinks, mixers, and liqueurs by following Todd's easy, step-by-step instructions. If it comes in a glass, cup, bottle, or mug, it's here for you to clone at home.

    Discover how to make your own versions of: Nestea, Cinnabon Icescape, Jamba Juice Smoothies, Orange Julius, Red Robin Jamaican Shake, Bailey's Irish Cream, Sonic Drive In Cream Pie Shakes, Dairy Queen Blizzard. Plus dozens of specialty drinks from T.G.I Friday's, Chili's, Hard Rock Cafe, Outback Steakhouse, Applebee's, House of Blues, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Claim Jumper, and many more from your favorite restaurant chains. Over 200 popular recipes in all!

    Other books you may like: Even More Top Secret Recipes and Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3.

    Sodas
    A&W Cream Soda
    A&W Root Beer
    Coca-Cola
    Orange Slice
    7UP
    Sonic Drive-In Cherry Limeade
    Sonic Drive-In Strawberry Limeade
    Sonic Drive-In Ocean Water
    Squirt
    T.G.I. Friday's November Sea Breeze Fling
    T.G.I. Friday's Strawberry Surprise Fling

    Smoothies
    Applebee's Bananaberry Freeze
    Baskin-Robbins Peach Smoothie
    Baskin-Robbins Strawberry Smoothie
    Baskin-Robbins Strawberry Banana Smoothie
    Baskin-Robbins Wild Berry Banana Smoothie
    Jamba Juice Banana Berry
    Jamba Juice Citrus Squeeze
    Jamba Juice Cranberry Craze
    Jamba Juice Orange-A-Peel
    Jamba Juice Peach Pleasure
    Jamba Juice Strawberries  Wild
    Orange Julius Pineapple Julius
    Orange Julius Strawberry Julius
    Red Robin Chillin Mango Smoothie
    Red Robin Groovy Smoothies
    Starbucks Tazoberry Tea
    Starbucks Tazoberry Tea & Cream
    T.G.I. Friday's Tropical Oasis Smoothie

    Shakes
    Arby's Jamocha Shake
    Baskin-Robbins B.R. Blast--Cappuccino
    Baskin-Robbins B.R. Blast--Mocha
    Cinnabon Icescapes--Strawberry
    Cinnabon Icescapes--Orange
    Cinnabon Icescapes--Mochalatta Chill
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Baby Ruth
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Banana Pudding
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Banana Split
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Berry Banana
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Chocolate Chip
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Hawaiian
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Whopp'n' Wild
    Dairy Queen Blizzard--Yukon Cruncher
    Jack in the Box Oreo Cookie Shake
    McDonald's McFlurry--Butterfinger
    McDonald's McFlurry--M&M's
    McDonald's McFlurry--Oreo Cookie
    McDonald's McFlurry--Reese's
    McDonald's Shakes--Chocolate
    McDonald's Shakes--Strawberry
    McDonald's Shakes--Vanilla
    McDonald's Shamrock Shake
    Sonic Drive-In Cream Pie Shakes--Banana
    Sonic Drive-In Cream Pie Shakes--Chocolate
    Sonic Drive-In Cream Pie Shakes--Coconut
    Sonic Drive-In Cream Pie Shakes--Strawberry
    Starbucks Frozen Frappuccino--Coffee
    Starbucks Frozen Frappuccino--Caramel
    Starbucks Frozen Frappuccino--Mocha Coconut
    Wendy's Frosty

    Other Sips
    Arizona Green Tea w/Ginseng and Honey
    Arizona Iced Tea w/Ginseng
    Cinnabon Strawberry Lemonade
    General Foods International Coffees--Cafe Vienna
    General Foods International Coffees--French Vanilla Cafe
    General Foods International Coffees--Hazelnut Belgian Cafe
    General Foods International Coffees--Suisse Mocha
    General Foods International Coffees--Viennese Chocolate Cafe
    Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red
    Hot Dog On A Stick Muscle Beach Lemonade
    Minute Maid All Natural Lemonade
    Nestea Natural Lemon Flavored Iced Tea
    Red Robin Freckled lemonade
    Red Robin Strawberry Ecstasy
    7-Eleven Cherry Slurpee
    Snapple Iced Tea--Cranberry Iced Tea
    Snapple Iced Tea--Diet Lemon Iced Tea
    Snapple Iced Tea--Lemon Iced Tea
    Snapple Iced Tea--Orange Iced Tea
    Snapple Iced Tea--Peach Iced Tea
    Snapple Iced Tea--Raspberry Iced Tea
    Sunny Delight
    Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink
    Yoo-Hoo Mix-ups--Chocolate-Banana
    Yoo-Hoo Mix-ups--Chocolate-Mint
    Yoo-Hoo Mix-ups--Chocolate-Strawberry

    Spirits: Schnapps & Liqueurs
    Bailey's Original Irish Cream
    Dekuyper Thrilla Vanilla French Vanilla Liqueur
    Disaronno Amaretto
    Grand Marnier Liqueur
    Hiram Walker Annisette Liqueur
    Hiram Walker Creme De Banana Liqueur
    Hiram Walker Creme De Cacao Liqueur
    Hiram Walker Creme De Menthe Liqueur
    Hiram Walker Creme De Strawberry Liqueur
    Hiram Walker Razz Attack Raspberry Schnapps
    Hiram Walker Root Beer Schnapps
    Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
    Marie Brizard Watermelon Liqueur
    Midori Melon Liqueur

    Spirits: Cocktails
    Applebee's Bananaberry Split
    Applebee's Blue Skies
    Applebee's Perfect Margarita
    Applebee's Summer Squeeze
    Bahama Breeze Bahama Mama
    Bahama Breeze Caribbean Magic
    Bahama Breeze Malimbo Breeze
    Bahama Breeze Verry Berry Good
    Bennigan's Emerald Isle Iced Tea
    Bennigan's Irish Coffee
    Bennigan's O'Malley's Orange Cooler
    Bennigan's Raspberry Road Iced Tea
    Cheesecake Factory Caribbean Cooler
    Cheesecake Factory Key Lime Martini
    Cheesecake Factory J.W. Pink Lemonade
    Cheesecake Factory Twilight Zone
    Cheesecake Factory Tropical Martini
    Chevys 100% Blue Agave Margarita
    Chevys House Rocks Margarita
    Chevys Lava Lamp Margarita
    Chevys The Sunburn Margarita
    Chevys Ultimate Orange Margarita
    Chevys Watermelon Fresh Fruit Margarita (On the Rocks)
    Chili's Calypso Cooler
    Chili's Chambord 1800 Margarita
    Chili's Jamaican Paradise
    Chili's Mandrin Blush
    Chili's Margarita Presidente
    Chili's Tropical Sunburn
    Chili's Twisted Lemonade
    Claim Jumper Absolutely Electric Lemonade
    Claim Jumper Bermuda Sunset
    Claim Jumper Hawaiian Punch
    Claim Jumper Mai Tai
    Claim Jumper Otter Pop
    Claim Jumper Root Beer Float
    Claim Jumper Shark On The Beach
    Claim Jumper Tropical Storm
    Hard Rock Cafe The Hard Rock Hurricane
    Hard Rock Cafe Lynchburg Lo--Rider
    Hard Rock Cafe Shooters--Lemon Drop
    Hard Rock Cafe Shooters--Purple Shooter
    House of Blues Eve's Revenge Martini
    House of Blues HOB Blue Martini
    House of Blues HOB Cruiser
    House of Blues Mo' Betta Blues
    Joe's Crab Shack Joe Makin' Me Java
    Joe's Crab Shack Joe's Ya Ya
    Joe's Crab Shack Red Snapper
    Joe's Crab Shack Secret Passion Punch
    Joe's Crab Shack Shark Tooth
    Joe's Crab Shack Swamp Moss
    Olive Garden Chocolate Almond Amore
    Olive Garden Italian Margarita
    Olive Garden Strawberry Siciliano
    Olive Garden Venetian Sunset
    Outback Steakhouse Coral Reef  'Rita
    Outback Steakhouse Don't Koala Me, I'll Koala You Cooler
    Outback Steakhouse Great Barrier Punch
    Outback Steakhouse Melbourne Cooler
    Outback Steakhouse Wallaby Darned
    P.F. Chang's Buddha's Dream
    P.F. Chang's Heat Wave
    P.F. Chang's Nutty Uncle Chang's Favorite
    P.F. Chang's The Poolside
    Planet Hollywood The Comet
    Planet Hollywood Cool Running
    Planet Hollywood Meet Jack Black
    Planet Hollywood Shooters--Blue Hawaii
    Planet Hollywood Shooters--Bubble Gum
    Planet Hollywood Shooters--Grape Crush
    Planet Hollywood Shooters--Peanut Butter & Jelly
    Planet Hollywood Sweet Death Becomes Her
    Planet Hollywoo0d Terminator
    Red Lobster Bahama Mama
    Red Lobster Butter-Tini Funtini
    Red Lobster The Hawaiian Funtini
    Red Lobster Red Passion Colada
    Red Robin Absolut Lemonade
    Red Robin Jamaican Shake
    Red Robin Sand In Your Shorts
    Red Robin T.N.T
    T.G.I. Friday's Banana Split Blender Blaster
    T.G.I. Friday's Electric Lemonade
    T.G.I. Friday's Hawaiian Volcano
    T.G.I. Friday's June Bug
    T.G.I. Friday's Lights of Havana
    T.G.I. Friday's Strawberry Shortcake Blender Blaster
    Z'Tejas Z' Big Stick Margarita
    Z'Tejas Famous Chambord Raspberry Margarita

    Spirits: Mixers
    Beau Rivage Bloody Mary Mix
    Mara Simple Syrup
    Mr. & Mrs. T Bloody Mary Mix
    Mr. & Mrs. T Sweet & Sour Mix
    Restaurant-Style Mai Tai Mix
    Restaurant-Style Pina Colada Mix
    Restaurant-Style Sweet & Sour Mix

     

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  • Score: 5.00 (votes: 4)
    Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 3

    Exclusive signed copy. America's best copycat recipes! Save money and amaze your friends with all-new culinary carbon copies from the Clone Recipe King!

    For more than 30 years, Todd Wilbur has been obsessed with reverse-engineering famous foods. Using every day ingredients to replicate signature restaurant dishes at home, Todd shares his delectable discoveries with readers everywhere.

    Now, his super-sleuthing taste buds are back to work in the third installment of his mega-bestselling Top Secret Restaurant Recipes series, with 150 sensational new recipes that unlock the delicious formulas for re-creating your favorite dishes from America's most popular restaurant chains. Todd's top secret blueprints and simple step-by-step instructions guarantee great success for even novice cooks. And when preparing these amazing taste-alike dishes at home, you'll be paying up to 75 percent less than eating out!

    Find out how to make your own home versions of: Pizza Hut Pan Pizza, T.G.I. Friday's Crispy Green Bean Fries, Buca di Beppo Chicken Limone, Serendipity 3 Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, P.F. Chang's Kung Pao Chicken, Max & Erma's Tortilla Soup, Cracker Barrel Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake, Olive Garden Breadsticks, Cheesecake Factory Fresh Banana Cream Cheesecake, Carrabba's Chicken Bryan, Famous Dave's Corn Muffins, Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under, T.G.I. Friday's Jack Daniel's Glazed Ribs, and much, much more...

    Simple. Foolproof. Easy to Prepare. And so delicious you'll swear it's the real thing!

    You may also like Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2, and Top Secret Recipes Step-by-Step

    Contents
    Applebee's Apple Walnut Chicken Salad
    Applebee's Chocolate Mousse Dessert Shooter
    Applebee's Grilled Shrimp 'N Spinach Salad
    Applebee's Key Lime Pie Dessert Shooter
    Applebee's Red Apple Sangria
    Applebee's Strawberry Cheesecake Dessert Shooter
    Applebee's Tomato Basil Soup
    Applebee's White  Peach Sangria
    Bahama Breeze Island Onion Rings
    Bahama Breese West Indian Patties
    BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse Chili
    BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse Famous Pizookie
    BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast
    BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
    Bonefish Grill Bang Bang Shrimp
    Bonefish Grill Citrus Herb Vinaigrette
    Bonefish Grill Saucy Shrimp
    Buca di Beppo Garlic Bread and Garlic Bread with Mozzarella
    Buca di Beppo Chicken Limone
    Buffalo Wild Wings Asian Zing Sauce
    Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce
    California Pizza Kitchen The Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad
    California Pizza Kitchen Original Chopped Salad
    Carrabba's Spicy Sausage Lentil Soup
    Carrabba's Chicken Bryan
    Cheeseburger in Paradise BBQ Jerk Ribs
    Cheeseburger in Paradise Sweet Potato Chips
    Cheeseburger in Paradise El Cubano Sandwich
    Cheesecake Factory Famous Factory Meatloaf
    Cheesecake Factory Miso Salmon
    Cheesecake Factory Pineapple Pisco Sour
    Cheesecake Factory Thai Lettuce Wraps
    Cheesecake Factory Banana Cream Cheesecake
    Cheesecake Factory Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake
    Chili's Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers
    Chili's Cajun Ribeye
    Chili's Firecracker Tilapia
    Chili's Quesadilla Explosion Salad
    Chili's Nacho Burger
    Chili's White Chocolate Molten Cake
    Cracker Barrel Cole Slaw
    Cracker Barrel Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake
    Cracker Barrel Macaroni n' Cheese
    Denny's Cherry Cherry Limeade
    Denny's Pancake Puppies
    Denny's Broccoli Cheese Soup
    Famous Dave's Corn Muffins
    Famous Dave's Smoked Salmon Spread
    Famous Dave's Wilbur Beans
    Fleming's Prime Steakhouse Wicked Cajun Barbecue Shrimp
    Fleming's Prime Steakhouse Chipotle Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese
    Fleming's Prime Steakhouse Fleming's Potatoes
    Fuddruckers Hamburger Seasoning
    Gordon Biersch Cran Blueberi Lemonade Cocktail
    Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries
    Gordon Biersch Raspberry Iced Tea Cocktail
    Gordon Biersch Warm Apple Bread Pudding
    Hard Rock Cafe Tupelo Style Chicken
    Hard Rock Cafe Twisted Mac & Cheese
    Hooter's Fried Pickles
    Houston's House Vinaigrette
    Houston's Couscous
    IHOP Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes
    IHOP Corn Cake Pancakes
    IHOP Funnel Cakes
    IHOP Shortcake Pancakes
    Joe's Crab Shack Crab Nachos
    Joe's Crab Shack Great Balls of Fire
    Joes Crab Shack Spicy Boil
    Joe's Crab Shack BBQ Crab
    Joe's Stone  Crab Garlic Creamed Spinach
    Joe's Stone  Crab Grilled Tomatoes
    Joe's Stone  Crab Jennie's Potatoes
    Joe's Stone  Crab Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
    Margaritaville Havanas and Bananas Cocktail
    Margaritaville Incommunicado Cocktail
    Margaritaville Volcano Nachos
    Margaritaville Jerk Salmon
    Mastro's Steakhouse Gorgonzola Macaroni & Cheese
    Mastro's Steakhouse Steak Seasoning
    Mastro's Steakhouse Warm Butter Cake
    Max & Erma's Tortilla Soup
    Mimi's Cafe Buttermilk Spice Muffins
    Mimi's Cafe Carrot Raisin Nut Muffins
    Mimi's Cafe Five-Way Grilled Cheese
    Olive Garden Breadsticks
    Olive Garden Dipping Sauces for Breadsticks
    Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
    Olive Garden Black Tie Mouse Cake
    Olive Garden Mango Martini
    Olive Garden Pomegranate Margarita Martini
    Olive Garden Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta
    Olive Garden Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo
    On the Border Guacamole Live!
    On the Border Mexican Mojito
    On the Border Smoke Jalapeno Vinaigrette
    Outback Steakhouse Bleu Cheese Chopped Salad
    Outback Steakhouse Mashed Sweet Potatoes
    Outback Steakhouse Outback Rack
    Outback Steakhouse Three Cheese Au Gratin Potatoes
    Outback Steakhouse Victoria "Crowned" Filet w/Horseradish Crumb Crust
    Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
    P.F. Chang's Asian Pear Mojito
    P.F. Chang's Chang's Key Lime Martini
    P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans
    P.F. Chang's Kung Pao  Chicken
    P.F. Chang's Chicken in Soothing Lettuce Wraps--Improved
    P.F. Chang's Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
    Pizza Hut WingStreet Traditional Chicken Wings--Hot, Med, Mild
    Pizza Hut Tuscani Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pasta
    Pizza Hut Pan Pizza
    Red Lobster Peach-Bourbon BBQ Scallops
    Red Lobster Maple-Glazed Salmon & Shrimp
    Red Robin Campfire Sauce
    Red Robin Creamy Artichoke & Spinach Dip
    Red Robin Red's Homemade Chili Chili
    Red Robin The Royal Red Robin Hamburger
    Romano's Lemon Passion
    Roy's Hawaiian Martini
    Roy's Classic Roasted Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi
    Roy's Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé
    Ruby Tuesday Apple Salad
    Ruby Tuesday Queso Dip & Beef Queso Dip
    Ruby Tuesday Thai Phoon Shrimp
    Serendipity 3 Frrrozen Hot Chocolate
    Simon Kitchen & Bar Wok-Seared Edamame
    Spago Butternut Squash Soup
    Spago Pumpkin Cheesecake
    T.G.I. Friday's Candy Apple Martini
    T.G.I. Friday's Crispy Green Bean Fries
    T.G.I. Friday's Parmesan-Crusted Sicilian Quesadilla
    T.G.I. Friday's Jack Daniel's Glaze
    T.G.I. Friday's Sesame Jack Strips
    T.G.I. Friday's Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
    T.G.I. Friday's Dragonfire Chicken
    T.G.I. Friday's Fried Mac & Cheese
    T.G.I. Friday's Pomegranate Martini w/Candy Apple
    T.G.I. Friday's Tuscan Portobello Melt
    T.G.I. Friday's Tuscan Spinach Dip
    Trader Vic's World-Famous Mai Tai
    Traders Vic's Tom Ka Gai Soup

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  • Not rated yet
    Keebler Pecan Sandies Reduced-Fat

    The full-fat version of these delicious discs are the top-selling shortbread cookies in the United States. It's no wonder the baked-goods giant elected to introduce a reduced-fat version in 1994. You'll find this clone as easy to make as any other cookie recipe, but with much less fat in the crispy finished product.

    Nutrition Facts
    Serving size–1 cookie
    Total servings–30
    Calories per serving–80
    Fat per serving–3g

    Source: Low-Fat Top Secret Recipes by Todd Wilbur.

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  • Score: 4.78 (votes: 18)
    Chipotle Barbacoa Burrito (Cilantro-Lime Rice / Pinto Beans)

    Menu Description: "Spicy, shredded beef, braised with our own chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano."
     
    The original Mexican dish barbacoa was traditionally prepared by cooking almost any kind of meat goat, fish, chicken, or cow cheek meat, to name just a few, in a pit covered with leaves over low heat for many hours, until tender. When the dish made its way into the United States via Texas the word transformed into "barbecue" and the preparation changed to incorporate above-ground techniques such as smoking and grilling.

    The good news is that we can re-create the beef barbacoa that Chipotle has made popular on its ginormous burritos without digging any holes in our backyard or tracking down a local source for fresh cow faces. After braising about 30 pounds of chuck roasts, I finally discovered that the secret to making perfect barbacoa is a taste-alike adobo sauce that fills your roast with flavor as it slowly cooks to a fork-tender delicacy on your stovetop over 5 to 6 hours.

    Part of the secret for great adobo sauce is toasting whole cumin seeds and cloves and then grinding them in a coffee grinder (measure the spices after grinding them). Since the braising process takes so long, start early in the day and get ready for a big dinner, because I've also included clones here for Chipotle's pico de gallo, pinto beans, and delicious cilantro-lime rice to make your burritos complete. You can add your choice of cheese, plus guacamole and sour cream for a super-deluxe clone version. 

    Try my Chipotle Barbacoa copycat recipe below, and check out my clone recipe for Qdoba Grilled Adobo Chicken.

    Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.

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I'm Todd Wilbur, Chronic Food Hacker

For over 30 years I've been deconstructing America's most iconic brand-name foods to make the best original copycat recipes for you to use at home. Welcome to my lab.

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