# Copycat Recipes?



## ChrisL (Aug 31, 2015)

I have a great one for Rice-A-Roni. 

1. Get some rice (any kind really - this is for 1-2 cups of rice - I eyeball everything usually) and some thin spaghetti or angel hair.  Break up the pasta into small pieces (I like them about 1 cm or less).  I put it in a large freezer bag and bang it with something.  That works well.
2.  Melt some butter or margarine in a saucepan and add rice and broken up pasta.  
3.  Mix well until rice and pasta coated with butter and let cook on low to medium heat until the rice and pasta start to brown.  
4.  Add about a tbsp of onion powder and about 2 tbsp of good quality chicken broth (homemade is best of course!  )
5.  Mix that together well and then add water about 2 fingersbreadth above the level of the rice/pasta mixture.  
6.  Cover and cook until water is absorbed.  
7.  Serve and Eat!!!   

I will add more recipes as I come across good ones.  If you have any good ones, feel free to add them please!


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## 1stRambo (Aug 31, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> I have a great one for Rice-A-Roni.
> 
> 1. Get some rice (any kind really - this is for 1-2 cups of rice - I eyeball everything usually) and some thin spaghetti or angel hair.  Break up the pasta into small pieces (I like them about 1 cm or less).  I put it in a large freezer bag and bang it with something.  That works well.
> 2.  Melt some butter or margarine in a saucepan and add rice and broken up pasta.
> ...



Yo, sounds good, but no patients here, I like it quick! Try "Pasta Roni" Olive Oil & Italian Herb, or Garlic & Olive Oil, it comes in a box, just add water and boil, very good!

"GTP"


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## SmarterThanTheAverageBear (Aug 31, 2015)

1stRambo said:


> ChrisL said:
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Yuck

Here's a copycat recipe for Panera Bread's Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients


4 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 teaspoons chicken soup base
4 large potatoes scrubbed, peeled, diced
1/2 white onion chopped
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons chives
2 tablespoons of real bacon bits
Directions


In a medium sized pot add cubed potatoes, chicken stock, and soup base. Cook potatoes in stock over medium heat for about 12 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. In a large pot heat butter over medium heat until it melts, add onions and saute until the onions are translucent. Sprinkle flour over the butter, and cook for a minute or two. The butter and flour mixture should become fragrant. Add potato and chicken stock by 1 cup increments and stir until soup mixture is well blended. Continue until the all of the potatoes and stock are added.

Add the cream cheese, and stir until it has melted. Add salt, black pepper, chives, and bacon bits. If desired garnish soup with shredded cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream.


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## ChrisL (Sep 1, 2015)

1stRambo said:


> ChrisL said:
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Well thanks, but that's not a "copy cat" recipe.    The reason why I like to do copy cat recipes is because you get to control the amount of fat and sodium going into your food.  Home cooking is always more healthy.


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## ChrisL (Sep 1, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> I have a great one for Rice-A-Roni.
> 
> 1. Get some rice (any kind really - this is for 1-2 cups of rice - I eyeball everything usually) and some thin spaghetti or angel hair.  Break up the pasta into small pieces (I like them about 1 cm or less).  I put it in a large freezer bag and bang it with something.  That works well.
> 2.  Melt some butter or margarine in a saucepan and add rice and broken up pasta.
> ...



Oh, I just realized I made an error.  If you are using a dry chicken broth (powdered), then you will use 2 tbsp thereabouts.  If you are using a LIQUID chicken broth, just cook the rice mixture in that and leave out the water.   

I'm telling you, you have to try this recipe.  It is delicious!


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## SmarterThanTheAverageBear (Sep 3, 2015)

Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients


1 -2 lb fresh shrimp, cleaned and deveined, and butterflied
1 lb angel hair pasta
1 diced tomato
6 -8 whole garlic cloves
1 shallot, diced
1 pint heavy cream
1 cup dry white wine
olive oil
5 -7 leaves fresh basil
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated
parsley
For the shrimp


milk
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions


Pour enough olive oil in a large sauce pan to cover the bottom, turn to medium high heat. This is the only pot you'll need for the sauce so it should be big. Soak the shrimp in milk and combine the dry ingredients (flour, 2T cheese, salt, pepper). Coat the shrimp with the dry ingredients and let them fry in the olive oil, About 2 minutes per side until golden brown. The Flour that falls off the shrimp will add great flavor and consistency to the sauce. Add more oil as necessary, between batches of shrimp. Dab the shrimp with a paper towel, cover and set aside on range top to keep warm.
Add the garlic to the oil, stir for a few minutes, then turn the heat to medium low. Now add the wine and bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and cover, let the wine reduce, about 10-15 minutes.
In a separate pot, bring water to simmer. (for pasta later).
Add the cream, and bring it back to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 more minutes. While it is simmering dice your shallot and tomato, and chiffonade your basil. Now add the Basil, diced tomato, and remaining 2T Parmesan cheese. Stir for a moment then add the fried shrimp, and remove the pan from heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Bring pasta pot to a boil and add angel hair and cook.
To plate, pour some sauce on a dish and arrange the shrimp around the bottom (10 or so), then take a ball of the pasta and plate that above the shrimp. garnish with a little parsley.
Delicious.


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## ChrisL (Sep 5, 2015)

SmarterThanTheAverageBear said:


> Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi
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> Ingredients
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I'm going to try this.  I've made my own version of chicken scampi before but never shrimp.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

This one sounds like a lot of work, but I'm going to try it maybe this weekend.  Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake!  

*INGREDIENTS*

*1⁄4 cup finely chopped almonds*

*1⁄4 cup finely chopped walnuts*

*3⁄4 cup finely chopped vanilla wafer*

*2 tablespoons melted butter*


*Filling*

*1 1⁄2 lbs cream cheese*

*1 1⁄3 cups sugar*

*5 large eggs*

*16ounces sour cream*

*1⁄4 cup flour*

*2 teaspoons vanilla extract*

*2 teaspoons lemon juice*
*

*
*DIRECTIONS*
*
Crust: Mix all nuts and vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter and press into a 9 inch buttered springform pan, trying to line the sides as much as possible about 1 1/2" up the sides of the pan, set aside.
Cheesecake: All above ingredients should be at room temperature before your begin.
Start by beating the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Keep the mixer on a low setting throughout the beating and mixing process.
Add the sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy.
Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg.
When eggs have been mixed into the cream cheese add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, mix well.
Add the sour cream last and beat well.
Pour cream cheese into the spring pan.
Place on the top rack in the middle of a 325 degrees preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.
When time is up, turn oven off, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour.
After one hour, remove from oven.
Let cool enough before the cheesecake is put into the refrigerator for 24 hours.
A cheesecake should season.
The wait is worth it.
The flavor ripens and becomes enriched.
*


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## SmarterThanTheAverageBear (Sep 15, 2015)

LOL let cheesecake sit for one hour after it's done baking. Not at my house sister.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

SmarterThanTheAverageBear said:


> LOL let cheesecake sit for one hour after it's done baking. Not at my house sister.



The waiting is the hardest part.


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## SmarterThanTheAverageBear (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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When you got 7 people in your house eyeballing a cheesecake , yeah it doesn't get to sit an hour before eating lol. Not unless I've made it for a special occasion and threatened life and limb.


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## chao$ (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> This one sounds like a lot of work, but I'm going to try it maybe this weekend.  Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake!



You only need half that sugar and the vanilla extract is a waste in something as rich as cheesecake. These recipes are out there for free because they know people will buy some almonds, walnuts, and vanilla. A little lemon or lime zest adds more to the flavor than vanilla extract. I could go on a rant about all the cooking shows and online recipes if you want.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

chao$ said:


> ChrisL said:
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Well thanks, but some of these recipes are really quite good and taste just like the real thing!  Of course, if it was too sweet or something, I can adjust for that, but I will probably stick to the recipe the first time.


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## chao$ (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> Well thanks, but some of these recipes are really quite good and taste just like the real thing!  Of course, if it was too sweet or something, I can adjust for that, but I will probably stick to the recipe the first time.



Of course you should do whatever you want. I bake a lot so I use vanilla bean paste because it has the little seeds in it like a vanilla pod. Any high quality supermarket will carry it. The extracts are a waste of money, especially in something as strong as cheesecake. Americans do love their sugar even though it is killing us.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

chao$ said:


> ChrisL said:
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It's okay to indulge sometimes.  As long as you don't eat cheesecake every day!


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## Mr. H. (Sep 15, 2015)

Is there a copycat recipe for whiskey?


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

chao$ said:


> ChrisL said:
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> > Well thanks, but some of these recipes are really quite good and taste just like the real thing!  Of course, if it was too sweet or something, I can adjust for that, but I will probably stick to the recipe the first time.
> ...



That vanilla paste sounds very good though.  I don't know if I've ever seen it before, but I've never looked for it either.  

Lol.  I shop at Market Basket.    Don't know how "high quality" that would be, but it's not like Whole Foods Market, I know that much.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Mr. H. said:


> Is there a copycat recipe for whiskey?



Moonshine?  I don't have a recipe for that though.


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## jon_berzerk (Sep 15, 2015)

sorry i thought it said *coyote recipes *

i was curiously intrigued 

i am backing out now


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Corn, sugar and water, heat until steamed...


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## chao$ (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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The idea of baking from scratch is to control the ingredients. I would never follow a recipe 100%. Let's say you get 8 slices out of your cheesecake, you will end up with over 1/8 cup sugar in each slice. That is way too much sugar to indulge in.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

chao$ said:


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Oh, I indulge.  Lol.    I eat candy and junk sometimes.  Heck, you only live once.  You need to get SOME enjoyment.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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Don't you have to ferment things and stuff?


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## chao$ (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Cheesecake is plenty enjoyable without all that sugar.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

chao$ said:


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Okay.  Well, you can make your cheesecake without the sugar.    I happen to have a sweet tooth.


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## Mr. H. (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Fermentation takes time. I ain't got time for time.


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Maybe the stuff, but not the things...


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## Mr. H. (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Let me take care of that for you...


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Real cheesecake is not real sweet...


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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I've never eaten a cheesecake that wasn't sweet.


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## Mr. H. (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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But it is cheesy.


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

Mr. H. said:


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I tasted no cheddar...


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Mr. H. said:


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Cheese and cake.  Two of the best foods in the world!


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

It's actually more like a pie now that I think of it.  Pie is pretty awesome too.


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## Mr. H. (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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Yet, it was creamy. Am I correct in that assumption, Mr.M? 

And where were you on the night of April 16, 2008?


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

I wonder why they don't call it cheese pie?


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> I wonder why they don't call it cheese pie?


Cause it's cake...


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

Mr. H. said:


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Getting pissed...


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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But it has a crust, like pie.


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Cake has a crust also..


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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What cake has a crust?  I think it's more like pie.  I'm going to petition to have the name changed to cheese pie.


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Cake has crust, if not the insides would fall out..


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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Not like pie though.  Cake is cake.  Pie is pie.  Cheese pie is a pie.


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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You Yankees eat cheesecake, in the south we eat Mississippi Mud...


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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That's just a nutty brownie.


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## Moonglow (Sep 15, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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And cheese cake is just cream cheese...


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

Moonglow said:


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And sugar and crust.


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## ChrisL (Sep 15, 2015)

I'm wicked good at aggravating people, no?    I'm sorry.  I'm just really bored tonight.  Lol.


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## amrchaos (Oct 3, 2015)

Mr. H. said:


> Is there a copycat recipe for whiskey?



It is illegal to distill  without a license in the US.
It is illegal to "FreezeJack" as well.

Sorry, buddy.  Either you stick to beer or 'wines' recipes, or you buying your Jack Daniel's


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## Delta4Embassy (Oct 3, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> I have a great one for Rice-A-Roni.
> 
> 1. Get some rice (any kind really - this is for 1-2 cups of rice - I eyeball everything usually) and some thin spaghetti or angel hair.  Break up the pasta into small pieces (I like them about 1 cm or less).  I put it in a large freezer bag and bang it with something.  That works well.
> 2.  Melt some butter or margarine in a saucepan and add rice and broken up pasta.
> ...



Desperate to figure out how to make pork fried rice like from Chinese food places. One near here is delicious but ridiculously expensive.


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## amrchaos (Oct 3, 2015)

There are websites dedicted to recipes.  I just searched for Pork Fried rice and got these results.

pork fried rice - - Yahoo Search Results

That is a lot of characters in a search site!


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## Delta4Embassy (Oct 3, 2015)

amrchaos said:


> There are websites dedicted to recipes.  I just searched for Pork Fried rice and got these results.
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> pork fried rice - - Yahoo Search Results
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> That is a lot of characters in a search site!



Have tried making my own but it never comapres. I assume they buy their's in bulk from a dsitributor then just heat it up in the wok making me wait 20 mins while they do so.


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## SmarterThanTheAverageBear (Oct 3, 2015)

This one is awesome

BBQ Pork Fried Rice Recipe : Guy Fieri : Food Network

and anyone who cooks, the food network app is a must. you can search all their recipes and save them to your recipe box, and also creating a shopping list based on recipes so that you know exactly what to buy for each recipe.


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## amrchaos (Oct 3, 2015)

By the way

A dish from one restaurant will not taste the same at another.  Best thing to do is ask the chef how he makes it.


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## amrchaos (Oct 3, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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Oh yeah--the difference in familiarity and skill makes a difference to.


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## SmarterThanTheAverageBear (Oct 3, 2015)

amrchaos said:


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Quality of ingredients matters too. I can't even eat chinese out since making my own. It's gross, fattening, and just yuck.


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## amrchaos (Oct 3, 2015)

I remember trying to make Moo Goo Gai Pan.

Not a pleasant memory.  Chicken was rubbery, mushrooms extra soggy, wrong type of vegetable altogether.

I think you are suppose to steam the chicken, not boil it. I will try again one day.  It is one of my favorite chinese dishes.


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## SmarterThanTheAverageBear (Oct 3, 2015)

amrchaos said:


> I remember trying to make Moo Goo Gai Pan.
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> Not a pleasant memory.  Chicken was rubbery, mushrooms extra soggy, wrong type of vegetable altogether.
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> I think you are suppose to steam the chicken, not boil it. I will try again one day.  It is one of my favorite chinese dishes.



Here's the recipe I use
Mah Gu Gai Pin Moo Goo Gai Pan) Recipe - Food.com


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## amrchaos (Oct 3, 2015)

SmarterThanTheAverageBear said:


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Thanks, I will try it out soon.  Oyster sauce is not something I keep in the kitchen.


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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I'll see if I can dig something up for you.  I know that when making fried rice at home, it's best to use leftover rice that you've had sitting in the fridge overnight because it makes it more starchy and flavorful.


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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I have a recipe for fried rice, but it has bacon in it instead of pork.  It also has some egg in it.  It is delicious but it doesn't really taste like what you would get a Chinese food place.


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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And charging you triple what they paid for it.  Lol!


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

amrchaos said:


> By the way
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> A dish from one restaurant will not taste the same at another.  Best thing to do is ask the chef how he makes it.



It's going to taste different depending on the chef "on duty" too.  I've gotten chicken scampi from Olive Garden many, many times, and it is a little different every time.


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

SmarterThanTheAverageBear said:


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Well, I wouldn't go THAT far.  My local Chinese place has EXCELLENT food.  My god, you guys are starting to make me crave Chinese!!!


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## Delta4Embassy (Oct 4, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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At least triple. It's $7.99 for a "large" portion, but for me the large is a bit shy of a single serving. Usually buy 3 orders since it's a bit of a schlep over there and if walking that much wanna make it worth my while. 

Have come close to it with my baked paprika chicken and boiled brown rice. The butter in the chicken gives it that fried texture. And after a night in the fridge then microwaved next evening, it's kinda like fried rice


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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Yes, because when you fry it after letting it sit and absorb all the fat and starches, it makes it kind of crispy, like real fried rice.


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## Delta4Embassy (Oct 4, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Pasta's like that too, always better the 2nd day after microwaved. Spaghetti, lasagna, etc.


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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I don't microwave too often.  I usually reheat on the stove top or in the oven.  TBH, I don't like the texture that the microwave gives food.  I'll use it to give something a quick heat up and sometimes I'll par cook potatoes for home fries in the microwave.  Other than that, I don't really use it too often for food, just reheating coffee and things like that.


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## Delta4Embassy (Oct 4, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Well you don't 'cook' pasta with a microwave, you just reheat it, dry it out a bit.  Notice things heated by a microwave cool off a lot faster than oven or stovetop. Some things work like hotdogs, but by and large you do the actual cooking with the oven. Use the microwave nex day for reheating things.


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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Oh, I know.  Lol.  I mean reheating pasta.  I do that on the stove top with some sauce.  It comes out a lot better, IMO.  I like to have more control over my cooking, you know?


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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Even with pizza, I reheat it in the oven.  It comes out much crispier and better!


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## Delta4Embassy (Oct 4, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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Some pizzas reheat ok in a microwave, but most don't. Delivery ones almost never do. Will dry out superfast and become hard and crunchy. Frozen ones faire better it seems.


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


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You should try making your own pizza.  I just buy one of those ready made crusts (I don't like dealing with dough - lol), and make my own sauce and grate fresh cheese and put that on with toppings of your choice.  You can cook it in the oven or on the grill.


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## ChrisL (Oct 4, 2015)

I am going to try a couple fried rice recipes this week.  I will let you all know how it works out.    If I come across something really good, I'll post it here.


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## ChrisL (Oct 6, 2015)

We were talking about fried rice recipes . . . I have a great one!  It's not really a copycat recipe but a recipe which I found and combined with my fried rice recipe and I made it.  OMG, it was so good.  You MUST try it.  I thought it was better than any Chinese place.  Of course, keep in mind that you can use low sodium substitutes in any of these recipes if you need/want to.   

~Fried Rice with Bacon~

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked white rice (best if the rice has sat in the fridge overnight). 
4 slices of bacon/chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 eggs
1 large scallion
1/2 sweet onion, minced
1/2 red pepper, minced
1-1/2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp molasses (I didn't have molasses, so I substituted maple syrup, and it came out delicious!)
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dry mustard powder
white pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix soy sauce, molasses, ginger, garlic, and mustard powder in small bowl/set aside. 
In cast iron skillet, rend bacon pieces until crisp. 
Whisk 2 eggs in a small bowl/make a space in skillet and pour eggs in/let them spread out and cook like a fried egg. 
Break up the egg into small pieces with your spatula or whatever/remove bacon and egg mixture to a bowl and set aside. 
Add minced onion (if necessary add a little oil/there should be enough fat from the bacon)/saute until soft and translucent. 
Add cooked rice to skillet with onion/cook until warmed through and broken up/starting to fry and sizzle. 
Add soy sauce mixture and stir until well mixed. 
Season with white pepper to taste. 
Add scallion (green onion) at the end and toss. 

You can add more soy sauce at the end to your desire if you need to.    Eat and enjoy.  This is the best fried rice recipe I have had so far.  Of course, you can substitute any kind of meat for the bacon, but I really liked it with the bacon.

Edit:  I probably used a little more than 2 cups of rice.  I also cooked my rice in chicken broth.  I always do that because it makes it more flavorful.  So do that.


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## ChrisL (Oct 6, 2015)

Of course, you can substitute bean sprouts for the red pepper, or you could use both.  You could throw some water chestnuts in there or some mushrooms, or whatever you want!   That's another great thing about making it yourself.  You can make it any way you like!    Personally, I really enjoy it with the red pepper since I'm not too crazy about bean sprouts.  The red peppers give a good crunch and freshness to the dish, and I really like red peppers.    I hope someone tries this dish (Delta4Embassy) and posts about it.  I thought it was really very good.


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## ChrisL (Oct 10, 2015)

Has anyone tried the fried rice recipe yet?  If not, you have to try it.  I am telling you, it is awesome!


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## ChrisL (Oct 10, 2015)

In fact, that was soooo good, I am going to go out and buy more rice today so I can have that again for dinner tonight!


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## strollingbones (Oct 10, 2015)

anyone have the bang bang shrimp recipe from bonefish grill?


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## SmarterThanTheAverageBear (Oct 10, 2015)

strollingbones said:


> anyone have the bang bang shrimp recipe from bonefish grill?


*ingredients*
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
3 drops Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (or to taste)
1 pound shelled and deveined shrimp
 Dry cornstarch
 oil for frying
 lettuce
 chopped scallions

*directions*
Mix mayonnaise with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Add hot sauce to taste. 

Dredge the shrimp in cornstarch. Deep fat fry the shrimp until lightly brown. Drain on paper towel, put in a bowl and coat with the sauce. 

Serve in a lettuce lined bowl, top with chopped scallions.


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