Copy Cat - Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole (with BACON!)

Copy Cat - Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole (with BACON!)

I needed something to go with my Ham and Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut I made for Easter dinner this past weekend.  I wanted to do something different.

I made this recipe a LONG time ago, based on my friend, Candi's recommendation.

Candi knows food, she hosts her own food blog called The Devilish Dish.

The last time I made it, I forgot to take a picture.

I ran across the recipe again while looking through potato recipe ideas.

It was good from what I remembered, not that I could compare it to anything?

I have never even been in the door of a Cracker Barrel.

I can't stand preparing for a big meal when my pantry isn't organized.  So the week before Easter, I gave it a good cleaning/organizing.

Why do children leave empty boxes in the pantry?

One of life's great mysteries I guess.

While I was gathering the ingredients to throw the casserole together Easter morning, I was in my well-organized pantry, and saw the bacon on the shelf.  I decided bacon could only make a good thing better.

Copy Cat - Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole 

(with BACON!)

adapted from: food.com

2 pounds frozen shredded hash browns

1 stick butter, melted

1 - 10.25 ounce can cream of chicken soup

3 cups sour cream

2 Tablespoons dried chopped onion (or 1/2 cup fresh)

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 - 3 ounce jar real bacon pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a deep 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients.

Pour into baking dish and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Will be slightly brown on top.

Enjoy!

Copy Cat - Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

My favorite part about going to Red Lobster is the biscuits!

My niece used to work there in high school and part of college, and we would go there to eat, but mostly to see her.

I don't think I have been there since, and now, with this recipe, I really don't need to!

These yummy little biscuits are not just good with seafood... heck no!

We love them with pasta...soup... you name it!

There are MANY recipes for these on the web, but the one I used I found at www.chocolatechocolateandmore.com Joan's recipes are all tried and true!

Copy Cat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
adapted from chocolatechocolateandmore.com

2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix

3/4 cup milk

4 Tablespoons cold butter

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 sugar

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine Bisquick with cold butter, using a pastry blender or two butter knives.  There will be bits of butter showing.

With your hands, mix in cheese, sugar, milk and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, until combined, but don't over mix.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until tops of the biscuits are golden brown.

Combine melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and parsley and brush the tops of the warm biscuits when they come out of the oven.

Serve warm.

Recipe Amended:
** after making these a couple of times I kept thinking it was missing something.  I decided to make them again today, and added the 1/4 cup of sugar, everyone loved them even more!! **

Copy Cat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Typically when I go to Taco Bell I order the same thing #1 no sour cream on the tacos.... burrito yes, taco...no.

If I sway...it's for a Mexican Pizza.

Dang, they are just so good.

I have seen many versions of them on other people's blogs, and on Pinterest, and couldn't decide which one to try, so like usual, I just ran with it.

They were a HUGE hit at our house!!

(and it was SUB ZERO outside and I didn't have to leave to "make a run for the border!")

ooey gooey cheese.

My family doesn't like olives... (Whhhhat?!) so this one is MINE!

Copy Cat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

1-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 packet Taco Bell  Taco Seasoning (or make YOUR OWN)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 15 ounce can Fat-Free refried beans (I love the old El Paso spicy ones!), warmed

Salsa or taco sauce, your choice, we buy the Taco Bell Taco Sauce in a bottle

8 - 9" flour tortillas, soft taco size

2 cups Shredded Mexican Cheese, divided

tops of 4 Green Onions, sliced

4 Roma sized tomatoes, diced

Sliced black olives (optional)

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

In a skillet brown your ground beef with onions and garlic, salt and pepper to taste, drain, add taco seasoning packet and 1/4 cup water and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Set Aside.

Spray a small skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place on stove over medium heat. 

Place a tortilla in skillet and let it slightly brown, and flip it to do the other side.

The kids got a kick out of watching the big bubbles!

Place them on a paper towel until you're ready to "build" your pizzas.

We made 4 pizzas, so you will need 8 tortillas browned on both sides.

Now it's time to BUILD your pizzas.

Place about 1/3 cup of refried beans and top with about 1/2 cup beef mixture, spread to coat.

Top with other tortilla.

Place under broiler set on low for about 5 minutes. 

Remove from oven. 

Spread with 2-3 Tablespoons of salsa/taco sauce.

Sprinkle with tomatoes, green onions and cheese.

Top with olives.

Broil on high for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven, plate, slice and dig in!

Olive Garden Night at Home! Copy Cat: Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden Salad & Dressing

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, Salad and Bread sticks

Who doesn't like the all you can eat soup, salad and bread sticks from the Olive Garden??

It's such an easy place for lunch, and it's always good!!

My niece and I used to go there quite a bit, and one time we tried the Zuppa Toscana

soup and it was so yummy!! 

 I had to figure out how to make it!

If you ever want to make something that you have had a restaurant, the site you need to check is copy kat recipes.  Thank God for google, I found it and use it A LOT.

So, that is where this recipe came from, copykatrecipes.com  It's not mine, it's not theirs,

it's the Olive Garden's.

But I am going to share this with you.

And then you need to pass it on... get it?

for other copy kat recipes click HERE

When you make this soup, you will be instantly hungry! From the moment the Italian sausage starts to brown with the red pepper flakes, to sauteing the onion, garlic and bacon, your tummy will begin to growl!

Fall has hit our area, and we are HUGE soup eaters.  This rainy, cold and gloomy Monday just called for this body warming soup! 

With the spiciness of the peppers and sausage to the creaminess of the broth, it's a match made in heaven... or at least the Olive Garden!

*~*

Zuppa Toscana

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1½ tsp crushed red peppers

1 large diced white onion

4 Tbsp bacon pieces (I bought the REAL bacon pieces in the salad section, worked great and not as much grease)

2 tsp garlic puree

10 cups water

5 cubes of chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes (sliced with skins left on)

¼ of a bunch of kale chopped (I used my kitchen shears)

1.Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2.In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

3.Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.

4.Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

5.Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.

6.Stir in the sausage.

7.Add kale just before serving.

Makes 6-8 Servings  ( I always double it!!)

*~*

 Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoon corn syrup

2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoon Romano cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or one clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

sugar (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal taste, add a little extra sugar. You can enjoy your Olive Garden salad dressing for about 10 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

*~*

Olive Garden Salad

1 bag Dole American Blend Salad

4-5 slices red onion

4-6 black olives

2-4 pepperoncini (if you like a sweet pepper, you could use a banana pepper)

1/2 cup croutons

1 small tomato, quartered

freshly grated Romano cheese (Parmesan Cheese works well too!)

Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Place bag of salad in bowl. Place on top of the lettuce the red onion, black olives, pepperoncinis, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.