Chicken Costoletta (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

We don't go often to the Cheesecake Factory, usually once or maybe twice a year. But whenever we do, my daughter and I always get the same thing: Chicken Costoletta; which is basically a chicken cutlet with a creamy lemon sauce. I think she's a lot like me in the sense that we don't like to have a lot of choices. Give me 3-5 things to choose from and I'll pick one. Give me 100, I go for the simplest thing I can find. If you have never been to their restaurant, their menu is huge with a lot of different varieties of food to choose from. Each time we go, we'll spend some time looking at the menu and then always wind up getting the same thing we normally do. We always say we'll split one entree, but like I said, we don't go often so we forget how big their portion sizes are and always wind up taking the majority of the meal home x 2.

So recently I decided to surprise her for dinner one night and make our favorite Cheesecake Factory dish at home. This recipe for Chicken Costoletta was definitely a close second to the original and had all of the same flavors we love. On the healthy scale? Not so much, but I'm a sucker for anything lemon. The recipe looks a little intimidating with a lot of ingredients, but it really isn't any more difficult than breading and frying chicken cutlets. Most of the ingredients I already had on hand in my pantry except for the heavy cream. I don't buy that unless I know specifically what I'm using it for. If you want to lighten this up a bit, I'm sure fat free half and half would work just as well.  ~Enjoy!

Copycat Capital Grille Au Gratin Potatoes

First,  I hope you all enjoyed Soup Week and thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway for the KitchenAid 2-Speed Hand Blender. The winner was Rachel T. from Virginia. Congratulations Rachel!

WARNING! I went off my diet here a little bit folks because I just had to replicate one of our favorite side dishes at Capital Grille...Au Gratin Potatoes. My husband and I don't get to go out alone often as a couple, I mean really alone. No kids, no other couples, just us. So when the opportunity presented itself recently because previous plans had fallen through, I took a chance and logged into Open Table (love this site!) and booked dinner for two at one of our favorite restaurants, The Capital Grille. The closest chain is about 1/2 hour away, but it is also connected to a mall where we needed to do some Christmas gift returns anyway so it worked out perfectly.

If you've never been, the restaurant offers mostly steak and seafood options on their menu and the sides are ordered separately, similar to many other high end steak houses. Oh and the wine list is larger than the menu...we love our wine. :) In any event, we each just ordered a small filet as their portions are very large and opted to share two sides: Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and Au Gratin Potatoes. My husband really likes their Mashed Potatoes; which I've shared here on the blog before, but he never tried the au gratin version (which he loved!).

So after our evening out, I started to look around online to see if I could find the recipe. And...I couldn't. That is until I found a quick blurb on the restaurants' Facebook page where another guest had asked how to make the same recipe. The restaurant replied with the ingredients used, but not a specific recipe. Hence, my version of Capital Grille Au Gratin Potatoes were formed.

What did my family and I think of my latest experiment? Heaven. Pure Creaminess. Heaven. Yes, I said it twice. They were seriously THAT good and tasted just like the restaurant version. So if you're looking to treat your  sweetie this Valentine's Day with a decadent, home cooked meal, you will have to add this recipe for Au Gratin Potatoes to your menu. Trust me, you won't be sorry! ~Enjoy!


Copycat Capital Grille Au Gratin Potatoes
Prep Time: 20 minutes    Cook Time: 30-40 minutes      Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 3 Medium Russet Potatoes, peeled
• 3 tbsp. Butter, divided
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 c. Heavy Cream
• 1/2 c. Shredded White Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 c. Shredded Jarlsburg Cheese
• 1/2 c. Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
• 2 c. Potato Chips
• 1 c. French Fried Onions

Equipment Needed 

• 4-7(ounce) Ramekins or Oven Safe Dishes
• Mandoline or Sharp Knife
• Baking Pan
• Small Saucepan
• Food Processor

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, thinly slice potatoes and place into your ramekins. (You may have to cut the potatoes in order to fit them if the potato is too large). Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. 
3. In a small saucepan, melt 1 tbsp. of butter over low heat; then add the garlic. Saute garlic for 1 minute; then whisk in flour to form a roux. 
4. Stir in the heavy cream and mix until the roux has dissolved; then add your cheeses. 
5. Simmer the sauce for 5-8 minutes until all of the cheese has melted; then pour the mixture over the potatoes in each ramekin. (Fill as much as you can to the top leaving space to add your topping). 
6. While the sauce is cooking, add the potato chips and fried onions to your food processor and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. 
7. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter and add to the topping. Mix well then sprinkle the topping over each ramekin. 
8. Place the entire pan into the oven and bake 30-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the potatoes are tender. 

Nutrition Facts per Serving You really don't want to know, but if you do here it is! =)

Calories 700, Carbs 36.8g, Fat 56.4g, Protein 11.2g, Fiber 1.9g, Sugar .9g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Copycat Panera Broccoli & Cheese Soup

I have my own version of Broccoli & Cheese Soup in my cookbook, but so many people asked me about Panera Bread's version that I had to seek out their recipe and try it myself. I found this version made with half and half and it was very similar to my own recipe.

Michael Psilakis' Ladolemono (Copycat)

Before I share today's recipe, I had to show all of you this picture I received over the weekend. The picture is of a 10 year old girl making a recipe from my cookbook. I know there are many of you that stop by Carrie's Experimental Kitchen on a regular basis and I'm so glad I can encourage you to try new recipes in your own kitchen. It especially made me glad that I've inspired someone so young to form a new passion. Her mom is a friend of mine and has told me she flips through the book all of the time looking for something new to make, but her favorite recipe is Bruschetta. SEE, if my recipes are easy enough for a 10 year old, you can do it too! Thank you all for reading and following along on my daily kitchen experiments, I truly appreciate each and every one of you. <3

Ok and now for today's recipe, which technically isn't one of my own, but rather one I found while reading through one of my food magazines recently. I loved the simplicity of it so much, that I had to share it with all of you as well. I came across this recipe for Ladolemono created by Michael Psilakis; which is a citrusy Greek sauce that is traditionally served with lamb, chicken or fish.

Since I love the flavors of fresh squeezed lemon juice, oregano, Dijon mustard and extra virgin olive, I decided to use it as a marinade instead of a dipping sauce for grilled chicken. The Ladolmeno was deliciously light and really made the grilled chicken extremely moist.

For my version, I used fresh oregano instead of the dry Greek oregano the recipe called for since that is what I happened to have on hand. Click here for the recipe: Michael Psilakis' Ladolemono. 

Enjoy!

Applebee's Oriental Dressing (Copycat)

My family and I are not fast-food people and even my youngest when given the choice of going to McDonald's or Applebee's will choose Applebee's EVERY time. She just loves it there and she rarely eats off the kid's menu. In fact, her favorite thing to order are their Wonton Grilled Chicken Tacos; while my older daughter and I usually gravitate to the Oriental Chicken Salad or the Oriental Chicken Wrap.  So I went on a quest to find out how to make the dressing they serve with it and I have to say this recipe is SPOT ON and so easy to make. I used it on some mixed greens with grilled chicken as I didn't want to tackle the entire salad (too many ingredients!), but it's now one of our favorite dressings to make at home.

Applebee's Oriental Dressing (Copycat)

Recipe from Copycat Restaurant Recipes

Prep Time:   10 minutes                        Yield: 12

Cook Time:  0 minutes                          Serving: 1 tbsp. 

Total Time:  10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 c. Hellmann's Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
• 1/8 tsp. Sesame Oil

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and whisk well. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 31, Carbs 0g, Fat 3.4g, Protein 0g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 0g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Lemon Cream Cheese Poundcake (Copycat)

Good Monday morning to everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! The hubby was away last week in CA for a biz trip so it was just the girls and I.  Friday night we had a girls night out and we took the opportunity to go prom dress shopping for Rachael. She did decide to go to her Junior Prom after all; however, since no one asked her, she's going solo. I'm so proud of her and wish I had the confidence she does about herself when I was 16. 

We found a dress pretty quickly, which was an amazing feat in and of itself. For anyone with a teenage daughter I'm sure you can relate! We didn't order it that night, but called the next morning and they said that the dress was no longer available in her size. DEVASTATED is not the word; especially since I told the woman I would call first thing in the morning (which I did), but they never checked their voicemail when they arrived in the morning and by the 5th time I tried calling (every time I got the voicemail), I was finally able to speak with them and the dress was indeed gone. 

So what do good parents do? Take off at 3pm in the afternoon to go to 3 different area malls (for those of you not familiar with NJ, we are the mall capital of the world....well maybe not, but we do have 62 of them in our entire state!) to look for a new one. NADA. ZIP. And of course the teenager was NOT in the right frame of mind which didn't help either. So I did the next best thing Sunday morning and found a prom dress website and searched for over 2 hours to find her dress and low and behold...THEY HAD ONE IN HER SIZE!!! So I ordered it and hopefully they actually do have it and didn't forget to update their webpage. If so, it's back to the drawing board and we'll be heading out again to look for more...AH, the joys of parenthood! I'll keep you posted. 

And now for today's recipe...

Did you know that today is National Pound Cake Day? And do you also know how pound cake originally got it's name? Well, I didn't either until I read it somewhere recently. The cake was named because the original recipe was made with 1lb. of flour, 1 lb. of butter, 1lb. of eggs and 1 lb. of sugar. I guess I'll have to try it out to see if it works! 

So a while back, I had seen this recipe from Christie over at Zestuous and printed it out right away for a few reasons. One, I'm always looking for new dessert ideas for when I'm entertaining on the weekends. Two, I don't particularly care for overly sweet, gooey desserts. And three, it has LEMON in it! 

I loved this dessert and opted to use low fat cream cheese, less lemons (because I only had 2 left at home!) and I sprinkled it with powdered sugar instead of making a lemon glaze which Christie did with hers. I like my poundcake more on the plain, cake-y side and this was deliciously moist. My family and I really enjoyed this recipe. However, we did all agree that the next time I make this I will definitely use more lemons as her recipe called for to give it even more of a lemony flavor. This one will definitely go on the pile of "Must Make Again" desserts! 

 Lemon Cream Cheese Poundcake (Copycat)
Adapted from Zestuous
1 c. Butter
1/2 c. Low Fat Cream Cheese
2 3/4 c. Granulated Sugar
6 Large Eggs
3 c. All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
2 Lemons, zest and juice

Directions:
1. Cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar; then add in the eggs one at a time. 
2. Add in the lemon zest and juice; then slowly add in the flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. 
3. Lightly grease a Bundt pan with some butter and pour the batter into the pan. 
4. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until the tip of a sharp knife comes out clean. 
5. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Makes 24 slices. 


*Nutritional Information per Slice: Calories 224, Carbs 35.4g, Fat 7.9g, Protein 3.2g, Fiber 0.6g

Enjoy!

Sauteed Chicken with Soy Sauce & Lemon, Sauteed New Potatoes with Rosemary and a GIVEAWAY

As I mentioned once before in a previous post I was on a quest to get some new cookbooks over the holidays, especially those written by my foodie friends. Table for Two by Warren Caterson was the second book I received and I couldn't wait to try out some of his recipes. His book features over 235 recipes made with fresh, readily available ingredients and is a great cookbook for young couples, empty nesters and everyone in between that are looking for recipes geared towards serving two people. I really wish I had this when I was single and living on my own. I would always make meals then either have a ton of food left over or I had continuous guests! 

I've been craving Asian flavors lately so I decided to make this Sauteed Chicken with Soy Sauce and Lemon. The recipe was easy to follow and I was able to adapt it slightly to increase the portion sizes to feed my family of four using the same ingredients. My family and I LOVED the flavor combination of the soy and lemon in this dish and I served this with steamed rice and a vegetable to complete our meal. 

Sauteed Chicken with Soy Sauce and Lemon(Copycat)

Adapted from Table for Two by Warren Caterson

12 Chicken Thighs, bone-in, skin removed

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 Lemon, zest and juice

1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/2 c. Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

1/2 tbsp. Sugar

1 c. White Wine (I used a Chardonnay)

Directions: 

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven, then add in the chicken and allow to brown on both sides; approximately 10 minutes in total. You may have to do this in two batches so as not to overcrowd the pot. 

2. Remove the chicken and set aside. 

3. Add in the garlic, lemon zest, and cayenne pepper and saute for 1 minute; then add in the soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar and wine. 

4. Return the chicken to the pot, reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. 

5. Remove chicken to a serving plate and spoon sauce over chicken. Serves 6. 

*Nutritional Information per Chicken Thigh: Calories 146, Carbs 3g, Fat 6.9g, Protein 14.2g, Fiber 0g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

The next dish I tried out of the book were these Sauteed New Potatoes with Rosemary. I just love this flavor combination, but I had never cooked them on top of the stove before. They were delicious and the butter gave the potatoes a crispy coating. 

Sauteed New Potatoes with Rosemary (Copycat)

Adapted from Table for Two by Warren Caterson

6 Medium Red Potatoes, skins washed and cubed

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp. Butter

1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

Kosher Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add the potatoes to a pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until tender; approximately 10-15 minutes. Drain. 

2. Heat oil in a large, nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat; then add the potatoes and saute until brown; approximately 15-20 minutes. 

3. Add the rosemary and garlic and saute for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 178, Carbs 34.4g, Fat 3.3g, Protein 4.1g, Fiber 3.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

And now for the Giveaway!!! 

Warren has graciously offered to give one of my readers a copy of his book, Table for Two, and there are several ways to enter through Rafflecopter below. The more points you accumulate, the more chances you have to win the book. The winner will be selected on Friday, March 1, 2013 and notified by email where they will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be selected. 

Good luck!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Energy Bars (Copycat)

I saw this recipe for 3 Ingredient Energy Bars several weeks ago from Robin at Knead to Cook and I couldn't wait to try them.  I've never tried making my own energy bars, nor do I eat them on a regular basis, but they looked so simple to make; especially since they only had three ingredients!

The funny part is that I normally don't buy dates on a regular basis, but at a recent book signing at a natural food store, they were selling them and they just looked so plump, juicy and fresh that I picked up a bag for myself. I already had almonds and dried cherries in the house and and thought these would make a perfect healthy snack since we were heading to an all day cheering event the next morning. 

These energy bars were incredibly easy and just the right amount of tart and sweet. Rachael and I loved them...Gab, not so much then again if it's good for you she generally shy's away from it. I have some dates left so I think I'll make some with dried blueberries and either pistachios or walnuts next time. Thanks Robin! 

Energy Bars (Copycat)
Knead to Cook
1 c. Medjool Dates, dried and pitted
1 c. Almonds, raw
1c. Dried Cherries

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place the almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes until toasted. Check on them after 3 minutes as all ovens are different and you don't want them to burn. 
2. Add the dates and cherries to your food processor and process until it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside. 
3. Next, add in the almonds and process until they are finely chopped, then add back in the date and cherry  mixture. Blend again until all ingredients have been incorporated. 
4. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper or tin foil and place the mixture on top. Flatten the mixture out so that it is even then refrigerate for 45 minutes. Remove and slice into 16 pieces. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 114, Carbs 17.7g, Fat 4.4g, Protein 2.4g, Fiber 4.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Low Fat Ranch Dressing (Copycat)

After those Hooter's Chicken Wings, I needed to have a snack that was a little healthier. And when I saw this recipe for Better-for-You Ranch Dressing from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen a few weeks ago, I printed it right away and couldn't WAIT to try it. I mean really, who doesn't like veggies dipped in Ranch dressing? Ann has such a wonderful site this recipe did not disappoint...delicious! 

There are so many different vegetables you can use in your crudite like peppers, broccoli, jicama, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, asparagus, cucumbers, baby radishes, carrots, cauliflower, and mushrooms to name a few. Ann didn't specify which brands she used in her recipe so for nutritional data purposes, I used Hellmann's mayonnaise and canola oil in mine. 

Low Fat Ranch Dressing (Copycat)

The Fountain Avenue Kitchen

1/3 c. Low Fat Buttermilk

3 tbsp. Chobani 2% Plain Yogurt

3 tbsp. Hellmann's Mayonnaise

1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp. Canola Oil

1/2 tsp. Kosher Sal

Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

3 tbsp. Chives, minced

Directions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Makes 1cup; serves 8. 

*Nutritional Information per 1oz Serving: Calories 62, Carbs 1.2g, Fat 5.9g, Protein 1.1g, Fiber 0g

Enjoy!

Hooter's Buffalo Wings (Copycat)

Warning! This is by no means a healthy recipe; however, every once in a while you crave greasy, fried foods. Well, at least I do and I'm sure millions of others do as well; especially during the Superbowl. 

Which brings me to today's recipe for Hooter's Buffalo Wings. I have to say, I've never eaten them there myself, but my nieces and nephews say they are fantastic. Hubby hasn't been there in a long time, but said they were pretty darn close from what he could remember. I'm not a huge fan myself of spicy foods, so I did make mine more on the mild side. If you like them hot, you can add extra hot sauce to yours. I'm good with 1-2 wings, then I go for the celery dipped in bleu cheese dressing. :)

Hooters Buffalo Wings (Copycat)
Adapted from Copycat Recipes
2 c. All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Paprika
2 1/2 lb. Bag Frozen Chicken Wing Segments, defrosted, approximately 32 wing segments
2 Sticks Butter, salted
1/4 c. Louisiana Hot Pepper Sauce
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
Canola Oil, for frying

Directions:
1. Combine the flour, salt, pepper and paprika in a bowl. 
2. Rinse the chicken, pat dry then coat the chicken in the flour mixture. Refrigerate wings for 1 hour; then coat the wings with the remaining flour mixture. 
3. Heat butter, hot sauce, pepper, garlic powder and salt in a medium saucepan until the butter melts; then let simmer on low to keep warm. 
4. Deep fry chicken 8-10 pieces at at time in 375 degree oil for 13-15 minutes. (You can use a deep fryer or a pot on top of the stove). 
5. Immediately toss fried chicken in the butter mixture and remove with a slotted spoon; repeat with remaining chicken. Serves 10-12. 

As for the nutritional information on this one, I tried to figure it out, but since I can't determine how much oil is absorbed into the chicken and not all of the sauce is eaten. I did find the nutritional information for the frozen variety of Hooters Chicken Wings to use a guide. These facts are based on a 3oz (or 3 wing) serving size.  

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 230, Carbs 11g, Fat 15g, Protein 13g, Fiber 0g

Enjoy! 

Shared at Thursday's Treasures 1/31/13

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Sauteed Chick Peas and Spinach (Copycat)

Last March, over 40 bloggers got together and created a wonderful cookbook, Blogging for Fishes, to help raise money for two girls, Natalie and Alice Fish, who were diagnosed with Leaky SCID (Severe Combined Immune Deficiency). There are so many fantastic recipes in this book and as I was thumbing through it last week looking for something quick and easy to make for dinner one night, I came across this recipe from Aggie's Kitchen called Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Sauteed Chick Peas and Spinach. PERFECT! I happened to have everything in the house, but opted to use the Barilla Plus Whole Grain pasta instead (I have the "I don't eat brown pasta" thing going on at my house so I try to make it a little healthier any way I can) and used some Asiago cheese instead of the Parmesan. 

Not only did this meal come together in about 20 minutes, it was FANTASTIC! Thanks for a great recipe Aggie and if you haven't heard of this cookbook, click on the link above. You can get your own copy for $14.99 or eBook for $5.99. 

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Sauteed Chick Peas and Spinach (Copycat)
Adapted from Aggie's Kitchen
1 lb. Whole Grain Spaghetti (I used Barilla Plus)
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
1-15oz. Can Garbanzo Beans (chick peas), rinsed
10oz. Fresh Spinach
1 tsp. Fresh Ground Red Pepper
Asiago Cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain; reserving 2 cups of the pasta water. 
2. Heat oil in a large saute pan and add the garlic and onions. Cook over medium heat until they start to soften; then add in the chick peas and spinach. 
3. Allow the leaves to wilt, then turn off the heat and add in the pasta. 
4. Gradually add in some of the pasta water (depends on how moist you like it) and toss together. Season with salt and pepper; then place in a serving dish and sprinkle some of the Asiago cheese on top. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving (with 1/4 cup cheese): Calories 373, Carbs 57.2g, Fat 9g, Protein 16.7g, Fiber 8.2g

*Nutritional Information per Serving (without cheese): Calories 359, Carbs 57g, Fat 8g, Protein 16g, Fiber 8.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!