Thursday, August 23, 2012

Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks

Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks

This image courtesy of readableeatables.blogspot.com


Dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs yeast
1 Tbs salt (yes, the recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon, which I use every time and they turn out great.)
2 Tbs butter, softened
4-5 Cups flour


Topping:
3 Tbs butter melted
sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder

For the dough, pour the water into a stand mixer with the sugar and yeast, let that sit and froth for about 10 minutes. Add salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour. Mix the dough on low. Add the rest of the flour a half cup at a time, until dough scrapes the sides of the bowl clean. Mix the dough about 5 minutes on medium speed, until its soft and easy to work with.
Let the dough rest in the bowl until doubled in size, about 1 hour and then roll it out. Roll the dough out into a long log, spray a knife with cooking spray and cut the dough into 12-14 pieces. Roll those pieces into about 6 inch long snakes. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with cooking spray, ( I usually only use one) and lay the breadsticks out leaving about 2 inches between each one.
Place them in the oven with the temperature turned to 170 degrees. Let them rise for about 15 minutes, or until doubled in size.( I have also let them sit at room temp until they are doubled in size and then bake them in the oven)
Once risen, brush them with the 1 1/2 T of melted butter and sprinkle them with salt. Now preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake them for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. While they are baking combine the rest of the melted butter with 1 tsp garlic powder. When the breadsticks are golden brown, remove them from the oven and brush them with the butter/garlic mixture.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Vodka Lemonade Cocktail Pie

Vodka Lemonade Cocktail Pie

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
2 cups lemon sherbet, softened
1 container (6 oz) Yoplait® 99% Fat Free lemon cream pie
1 can (12 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate
1/4 cup vodka
Lemon slices, if desired
1 Heat oven to 450°F. Place pie crust in ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Press crust firmly against side and bottom; flute. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • 2 Mix sherbet, yogurt, lemonade concentrate and vodka until blended. Spoon into crust. Freeze uncovered until firm, about 3 hours.
  • 3 Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish each serving of pie with lemon.

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 oz.) package meat-filled ravioli
  • (fresh or frozen, but thaw if frozen)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 c. water
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1 c. flour
  • 1 c. plain bread crumbs
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Instructions

Mix water with eggs and beat well; set aside. Mix Italian seasonings and garlic
salt with the bread crumbs and set this aside. Measure flour in bowl and set
aside. Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer or skillet to 350 degrees for deep frying.
Dip ravioli in flour then in egg wash then in bread crumbs and carefully place in
hot oil. Fry until golden, remove from oil and drain. Serve with your favorite
marinara sauce.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Giant Little Debbie Swiss Roll

Giant Little Debbie Swiss Roll

By: Liz from Cooking by Moonlight

Chocolate Sponge Cake (or Chocolate Jelly-Roll Cake) Recipe

Ingredients
yields 1 1/2 sheet pan sponge cake
1/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1/3 cup cake flour
1/4 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. instant coffee
4 eggs, yolks and whites in separate bowls
1/2 cup sugar

Directions
1) Line a half-sheet pan first with cooking spray or vegetable shortening then with parchment paper across the bottom of the pan. The cake sticks very easy so it is important to make sure the sheet is lined properly or you will end up with a torn cake.

2) Pre-heat the oven to 425 degree.


3) Sift together the dry ingredients (cocoa, flour, salt, baking powder, and coffee) and place in a small bowl to the side.

4) In a mixer with the whisk attachment whip the egg whites until they are at soft peaks. This is also sometimes referred to as wet peaks. You will know they are ready when you remove the whisk and the egg whites form a Dairy Queen ice cream cone like curl. If they fall quickly and don't create the curl keep going... if they stand straight up in the air... I'm sorry... start over :(

5) In a small mixing bowl mix the egg yolks and sugar together until they become pale yellow. Add the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture. The batter will be stiff - don't worry it should be.

6) Mix in half the egg white mixture until completely incorporated and the batter becomes easier to work with. Finally fold in the last half of the egg whites. Don't over-stir the second half.

7) Pour onto the greased and parchment paper lined pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly so you do not end up with a big cake on one side and a cracker like cake on the other. Because the egg whites were whipped it is important *not* to bang the pan in order to get the batter to settle. Simply use a spatula to spread. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the cake is sponge-y to the touch.


8) Remove cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Tip the cake over, remove the cake, pull off the parchment paper, and roll up into a tea towel to cool. This gives the cake form memory and will keep it from cracking after you have filled it with icing and roll it up. Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes.

9) After the cake has cooled spread the Little Debbie Creme Filling (recipe below) evenly across the entire cake. Roll the cake up (remove the towel!!) like the pictures above.

10) Place the cake on a wire cooling rack set on top of the half sheet pan. Pour the chocolate ganache glaze over the top of the cake and allow to cool. If you are a big chocolate lover thten after the first layer of glaze has cooled go ahead and pour another on top for a thicker layer of icing.

Slice the cake to serve and pretend you are back in the 5th grade with the best lunch box treat there ever was! :)



Little Debbie Creme Filling Recipe


Ingredients
yields 1 batch
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 small (8oz) jar marshmallow creme
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions
1) Whip together the butter, shortening, creme, vanilla, and salt. Slowly add the sugar. If you are in a humid climate you may need to add up to an extra 1/4 cup powdered sugar to get the right texture.


Chocolate Ganache Glaze Recipe

Ingredients
yields 1 batch
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz (about 2/3 cup) dark or milk chocolate roughly chopped (or chocolate chips)

Directions
1) Heat the cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Quickly remove from heat and pour in the chocolate. Stir with a whisk until all chocolate has melted. 

Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake



By: Kim from Relative Taste

Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:
  • 2 1/2 cups crushed Oreos
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4-1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream, slightly softened
  • 1/4-1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip
Hot Fudge Sauce:
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 12 ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1 stick margarine
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Combine 2 cups Oreos with margarine and sugar.
Press into 9×13 pan.
Freeze 15 minutes.
Spread layer of each ice cream on top and freeze for 3 hours.
Combine first 4 hot fudge sauce ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil for 8 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Cool to room temperature.
Spoon sauce on ice cream and freeze until firm.
Spread Cool Whip on top and sprinkle with Oreo crumbs.
Freeze 3 hours.

Little Caesar's Crazy Bread

 

1-10oz. tube Pillsbury pizza dough
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Kraft 100% grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Unroll the dough on a cutting board. Position it lengthwise (longer from left to right than top to bottom). With a sharp knife, cut the dough in half, and then in half once more so that you have 8 even strips of dough.
Being careful not to stretch the dough, place each strip on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 6 to 8
minutes, or until the top just turns golden brown.

While the dough bakes, melt the butter (on the stove or in the microwave on high for 15 to 20 seconds), then
add the garlic salt and stir until it dissolves.
Remove the browned dough from the oven and with a pastry brush or spoon spread a coating of garlic butter
over each piece.
Sprinkle a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on each!

Source: Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Recipes

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Maple-Bacon Breakfast Rolls

Maple-Bacon Breakfast Rolls

10      slices precooked bacon
1        can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
3        tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
5        tablespoons maple syrup
1/3     cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Heat oven to 375°F. Microwave bacon as directed on package until very crisp. Drain on paper towels. Set aside to cool.
  • 2 Generously spray large cookie sheet (dark cookie sheet not recommended) with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray, or line with cooking parchment paper. Unroll dough sheet on work surface; press into 12x8-inch rectangle.
  • 3 In small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the syrup with fork or wire whisk until smooth and creamy. Spread mixture evenly over dough, covering to edges. Finely chop bacon; reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish. Spread remaining bacon evenly over butter mixture. Starting at short end, roll up dough; pinch edge to seal. Wrap roll in plastic wrap; refrigerate 5 minutes to chill so dough will be easier to cut.
  • 4 Unwrap roll; place seam side down on cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut roll into 12 (about 3/4-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides up, on cookie sheet.
  • 5 Bake 8 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Place waxed paper under cooling rack. Remove rolls from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool 5 minutes.
  • 6 Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix powdered sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon butter and remaining 3 tablespoons syrup with wire whisk until smooth. Drizzle icing over rolls. Garnish with reserved bacon.