Hidden Valley Ranch

Now I know this is not a restaurant copy cat, but it is a copy cat of sorts, so I'm posting it.

Ever wanted some ranch dressing only to find that you were out of the packets of powder? It's the worst! As a ranch eating family, we run in to this problem a lot. I hate premade ranch (gag), but I never seem to have enough powder in my pantry for more. I constantly underestimate how much of it we actually eat.

After much experimentation, I think I have finally found a way to make it at home with spices you have in your cabinet. Amazing, right? I know. You're welcome.

2 saltine crackers
1/4 c dried parsley flakes
2T minced onion (dried)
1 1/3 t dill weed
1 T onion salt
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic salt
1 T garlic powder
black pepper to taste (I like a lot)

Mix it all up in a food processor and store in an airtight container.

Mix 1 1/8 t with 1 c buttermilk.

*This will not work in use of recipes that use just the powder, as there are no buttermilk solids that give ranch its distinct flavor. It only tastes right when it's mixed with the buttermilk. But it makes a great dressing!

Winger's Sauce

I could drink this stuff. When I was pregnant with baby #2, this is all I wanted morning, noon, and night. If you've never eaten at wingers, get to one QUICK! Or make this yourself.

2 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
3 T light corn syrup
1/3 c Frank's red hot
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 c hot water

Place brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat until boiling. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly - it will burn, and quickly! Add hot water, pepper sauce, and vinegar. Stir all ingredients well and continue cooking at a low boil, stirring often until reduced to a syrupy consistency (about 15 minutes).

The sauce will thicken considerably as it cools.

Okay, I hestitate in posting this part, but if you don't have all this stuff in your pantry or you just don't have the time to do the full recipe above, you can get by with the following. But I warn you, it is not the same! Nor does it have anywhere near the right consistency. But, it is a good quick susbtitute if you're in a pinch:

1 c brown sugar
1 c frank's red hot

Mix, bring it to a boil, and let it cool.

Easy peasy, but not as good as the first.

Wingers uses this on all their wings (fry wings and toss them in the sauce directly out of the fryer). But it's also great on top of burgers, or as a dipping sauce for, well, really anything. Especially cheese quesadillas. And especially especially if you mix it with ranch dip. Yum.

Panda Express Orange Chicken

This recipe isn't totally exact, sorry. But it's still really good. So give it a try!

2 lbs chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 egg
1 1/2 t salt
white pepper
oil (for frying) - I like peanut oil for this
1/2 c cornstarch, plus
1 T cornstarch
1/4 c flour
1 T gingerroot, minced
1 t garlic, minced
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1/4 c green onion, chopped
1 T rice wine
1/4 c water
1/2 t sesame oil

Sauce:
1 1/2 T soy sauce
1 1/2 T water
5 T sugar
5 T white vinegar
1 orange, zest of and 1/4 juice from
mix all ingredients and set aside

Place chicken pieces in a large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and 1T oil, and mix well.
Stir 1/2 c cornstarch and flour together. Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat.
Heat oil for frying in a wok or deep fryer (to 375). Add chicken (in small batches) and fry until golden (about 3-4 minutes).
Remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels.

Clean your wok and heat 15 seconds over high heat. And 1T oil. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry until fragrant (10 seconds). Add crushed pepper and green onions. Add rice wine and stir for 3 seconds. Add orange sauce and bring to a boil. Add cooked chicken and stir to coat. Stir water into remaining 1T cornstarch until smooth and add to chicken. Heat until sauce is thickened. Stir in sesame oil, and more zest / juice if desired.

Serves 4 - 6

Denny's Moons Over My Hammy

from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes

The Egg McMuffin type breakfast sandwhich (minus the english muffin), we love these and often make them for dinner. So good & quick.
The recipe is here, but its pretty easy to just make them based on desired amounts of egg, cheese, etc.


Butter, softened
2 eggs beaten
Salt
2 oz deli sliced ham
2 slices sourdough bread
1-2 slices Swiss cheese
1-2 slices American cheese


Melt some butter in a skillet, scramble eggs. Salt to taste.

In a separate skillet, brown the ham stacked, without separating the slices. When browned a bit on both sides, remove from pan.

Butter one side of each slice of bread and place 1 slice in pan, buttered side down. Immediately stack Swiss, then heated ham, eggs, American cheese, then bread, buttered side up. Grill both sides until golden.

Sweet Pork Burrito's (like Cafe Rio or Costa Vida) and Dressing

I didn't think the meat tasted exactly like the stuff you get from the restaurant but they were still pretty good and the people I served them to like them a lot. The dressing I thought was closer.  It makes a ton though so you might want to half it.

Meat mix:

6lb Pork Roast: Put in Crock Pot and cover halfway up with water and cook for at least 6 hours. Discard Water. Shred.

In separate bowl mix a 12oz can of salsa, 1 can Coke, and 2 cups brown sugar. Pour over meat. Cook an additional 3 hours.

Dressing:

In a blender combine:
1 Buttermilk Ranch Mix packet.
2 cups mayo
2 cups buttermilk (or 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup milk)
2 tomatillos
1 jalapeno, seeded
1/2 - 1 bunch cilantro
1 Tbs lime juice
1 clove garlic, crushed

Homemade Flour Tortilla's
I got this recipe out of the Worldwide Ward cookbook.  It is super easy and very good.
8 C. Flour
4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 C. oil
3 C boiling water


Stir together flour, salt and baking powder.  Mix in oil; there will be small lumps of oil in the dough.  Stir in boiling water (boiling water makes the dough a lot easier to roll out when it is finished).  The dough should be soft and pliable, but not sticky or stiff; you may have to add a little more flour or water to get the right consistency.  when the dough cools down, finish mixing it with your hands.  Some oil lumps will remain; don't over mix the dough trying to get rid of them.  Using a piece of dough about the size of a small apple, roll the dough out on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin.  Roll in one direction first, then pick up the dough, flip it over and around, and roll in the other direction.  Do that a couple of times.  Don't worry if the tortilla is not perfectly round.  Bake the tortilla over medium-low heat on a DRY pan-do not use oil.  When the tortilla bubbles up, flip it over and bake the other side for a few seconds.  Makes 15 tortillas.

CPK Thai Chicken Pizza

California Pizza Kitchen
Thai Chicken Pizza


Crust
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. warm water
3/4 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbs. olive oil

In a small bowl dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the surface of the mixture turns foamy. Sift the flour and salt together into a medium bowl. Made a depression in the flour and pour in the olive oil and yeast mixture. Use a fork to stir the liquid, gradually drawing in more flour as you stir, until all the ingredients are combined. When you can no longer stir with a fork, use your hands to form the dough into a ball. Knead dough until smooth (about 10 minutes). Form the dough into a ball, coat it with oil, and place in clean bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about 2 hours. Punch dough down, recover it, and place it in the fridge overnight. Take the dough out of the fridge 1 to 2 hours before building the pizza to allow it to warm to room temperature.

Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup cream peanut butter
2 Tbs. teriyaki sauce
2 Tbs. hoisin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. water
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. minced gingerroot

Blend ingredients in a food processor for about 15 seconds. Pour into a small pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute.

Toppings
1 chicken breast
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/4 cups grated mozzarella
1 to 2 green onions
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup julienned carrot
2 tsp. minced cilantro
1 Tbs. chopped peanuts

Slice chicken into bit-size chunks. Pour 1/3 of peanut sauce over chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours. Heat 1 tsp. oil in small pan over medium/high heat. Cook marinated chicken for 3 to 4 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475*F. Roll out pizza crust and place on pizza pan. Spread remaining pizza sauce over crust. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella over sauce. Julienne green onions into 2-inch match stick strips. Spread onions over cheese. Arrange chicken on the pizza, then sprouts and carrots. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on the center of the pizza and top with cilantro and nuts. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Compliments of A Treasury of Top Secret Recipes.

August is here!

I went through and cleared out the blog authors, so if I deleted your name and I shouldn't have, just email or leave a comment and I can go back and add you. I didn't recognize some of the names. Miriam, I don't know if you were ever added (I may not have recognized the name, you can send me an email so I can add you).

Theme for August- restaurant recipes made at home...
everyone seems to have some sort of copy cat recipe. If you have one you swear by, let's see it.