Red Lobster inspired Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp http://foodgasms1.blogspot.com/
Ingredients:
Servings: 2

Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 dash fresh ground pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 dash allspice

Dipping Sauce

1/3 cup ranch dressing
1/4 teaspoon dried cilantro
5 pieces of thin sliced bacon
5 large shrimp
3 slices fresh jalapenos
1 ounce Monterrey jack pepper cheese

Directions:


Preheat oven to broil.

Make the seasoning blend by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Set this aside.
Make the dipping sauce by combining the ranch dressing with cilantro in a medium bowl.
Cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium/high heat, but don't cook it all the way to crispy or brown. About 3 minutes per side.
When bacon is done drain on paper towels.
Shell the shrimp, leaving the last segment of the shell and the tail.
Remove the dark vein from the back of the shrimp, and then cut down into the back of the shrimp, without cutting all the way through, so that the shrimp is nearly butterflied open. (This will make a pocket for the pepper and cheese).
Pour 1 cup of water into a small bowl.
Add the shrimp and jalapeno peppers and microwave for 60 to 90 seconds.
Shrimp should be starting to firm up and change color.
Immediately pour the water out of the bowl, remove the jalapeno slices and pour cold water over the shrimp.
Place the shrimp and jalapeno pepper slices onto paper towels to drain off excess water.
Build the appetizer by cutting the jalapeno slices in half and removing the seeds.
You should now have 6 jalapeno slices. You'll need 5 of these.
Place one slice into the slit on the back of a shrimp.
Cut an inch-long chunk of cheese (about 1/4 inch thick), and place it on the jalapeno slice.
Wrap a piece of bacon around the shrimp, starting where the cheese is. Start wrapping the thinnest end of the bacon.
Go 1 1/2 times around the shrimp and then cut off the excess bacon and slide a skewer through the shrimp, starting with the end where the cheese is and piercing the cut end of the bacon on the other side.
Repeat with the remaining shrimp and slide them onto the skewer with the tails facing the same direction.
Put the skewer onto a baking sheet or broiler pan and sprinkle a very light coating of the seasoning blend over the shrimp, then broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the bacon begins to brown and the cheese begins to ooze.
Serve over a bed of rice if desired.

— with Tammy Keinath.

Copy cat Dunkin Doughnuts Iced Coffee
http://www.foodgasms1.blogspot.com/
Ingredients:
4 ice cubes
2/3 cup coffee (warm or cooled)
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:
Put sugar in a large glass.
Drop in ice cubes.
Pour coffee over ice and add milk.
Stir until sugar is melted.

That's it!

Copycat Clark Bars..(Love these candy bars..)

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package graham crackers, crumbled
1 cup melted butter
2 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions
Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
Press the mixture into the prepared pan. In a small pot melt chocolate chips and condensed milk together over a low heat.
Stir until well mixed. Spread the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter mixture. Chill the cookie−bars for 4 hours. Cut and serve.

— with Jeanne Bode Williams and Tammy Keinath.

Copy Cat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

1 pkg Pasta (penne or fettuccine)
1 stick of butter
1 clove of minced garlic
1 pint of heavy cream
1 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp cream cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper

Make Pasta to your liking.
In a sauce pan over medium heat – melt butter and add garlic and cook for two minutes, then add in heavy cream and cream cheese and heat until bubbling, but do not boil.
Add in Parmesan Cheese and mix until the cheese melts.
Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste (you don;t need to use all of this, do to your liking).
Mix the hot sauce into the noodles and serve. Just like Olive Garden

Wendy’s Chili

Ingredients
2 pounds freshly ground beef
4 cups (1 quart) tomato juice
1 (29-ounce) can tomato purée
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained ** note new addition
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup chili powder (you may want to use less)
1 teaspoon cumin (if you like real flavor, add more)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
In a frying pan, brown the ground beef, and then drain off the fat. Put the beef and the remaining ingredients into a 6-quart pot. Cover the pot and let the chili simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. You can also put this in the crock pot on low for 3 to 4 hours while the chili simmers.Serves: 6

 Copy Cat Cod

 

Ingredients:

Servings:

2



1 1/2 lbs fresh cod fish fillets
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 lemon, juice of
2 small tomatoes
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Spice Blend

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 dash black pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper

Directions:

1
Combine all spices in a small bowl and set aside.
2
Preheat oven to 425°. Cut fish into 4 (two per serving), and place fillets in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
3
Melt butter in a small bowl in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Brush the top of each fillet with butter, squeeze little lemon juice on the fish, then sprinkle the spice blend evenly over the top of each fillet.
4
Arrange 2 to 3 tomato slices over top of each fillet.
5
Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over each tomato slice. Each slice should be about half covered.
6
Bake the fish, uncovered, for 8 minutes, then turn oven to a high broil and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until cheese on tomatoes begins to brown.
7
Serve two pieces of fish per serving with rice on the side.