Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Did you know that Olive Garden shares recipes on their website? I didn't either! You should check it out, I bet they have your favorite on there. Up until a few months ago I thought their alfredo sauce recipe was a well-hidden secret…then I stumbled across the Recipes tab and saw that they have several, if not all of their recipes listed on their website. Who knew?! I'm sure they remove one step or ingredient to keep their secrets well, secret, but still how cool is that? I've never heard of a big, famous chain restaurant like that actually SHARING their recipes with the public. Usually its all hush-hush. I don't know why this isn't big news, broadcasted and exclaimed about in every corner of the media. So here's my slightly tweaked version of Olive Garden's alfredo.

Makes 4 Servings

3 cups half and half

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Romano cheese combo

6 egg yolks

1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt (to start, you may need more to taste)

Directions: 

Place egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl and beat slightly. Heat half and half in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until it starts to simmer. Keeping the pan on the burner, turn the heat off and slowly mix in the grated cheese until melted. Remove from heat. Slowly ladle a small amount of the cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Keep adding ladles of cream to the yolks until they're a light yellow and successfully tempered. Stir the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan and return the pan to the burner, turning the heat on medium-low. Stir continually until it reaches a simmer. Take off the heat and stir in seasonings, tasting and adding more as desired. Serve over warm pasta with additional cheese if you like.

So you'll notice in my photos that of course that is not fettuccine. Sadly, I was out of fettuccine and didn't realize it so we suffered through using angel hair instead. ;) Today was Early Release day (as is every Friday) for my kiddos so this made a delicious lunch for them to devour along with a little garlic bread. I'm positive my 4-year-old is going through another growth spurt because he kept asking for more, more, more, until finally on his fourth little bowl I had to tell him that was enough. Silly boy, he is just growing like crazy. Makes me sad. One thing you'll notice about this recipe is that it doesn't use heavy whipping cream, butter or garlic. I know, isn't it madness?! I couldn't believe it. That's why I added some garlic powder to it. I also used half and half rather than milk and cream…since, you know, that's what half and half is…half milk…half cream… Anyway, next time I make alfredo, I'm for sure going to tweak this recipe even further because I feel like it's just sacrilege to NOT have butter or real garlic in alfredo sauce. I mean, come on, garlic and butter are to alfredo sauce what tomatoes are to spaghetti sauce, ya feel me? It's like having the yin without the yang. Or like NYC without the Statue of Liberty. It's just not done. And I can't believe OG has gotten away with it for so long. I am going to choose to believe that that's the "secret" ingredient that they left out of the recipe on their webpage. And with that, I'll be able to sleep tonight. Have a great weekend, folks! :)

Restaurant-Style Queso Blanco

(many thanks to my hand model bro for this photo. :))

I can't tell you how many dollars we have spent on queso at the Mexican restaurants. One of our favorite local ones is La Fiesta and the last time we went there, we were celebrating the kids' school awards and we spent more than half our bill on queso. That's how good their queso is and that's how badly we are addicted! In fact, our addiction is so bad, that by the time our entrees arrive, we are always so stuffed full of queso and chips that we have to pack up our meals and eat them at home the next day for lunch. So....to save our wallets...I knew I needed to find a way to make it at home. So on Tuesday, after spending the day at Epcot and riding the boat ride in Mexico and smelling the amazing aromas wafting our way from the restaurant, we knew we had to have Mexican food that night. So we went to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants there in Orlando and my husband was brave enough to ask the waiter for the recipe. And he GAVE it to us! I couldn't believe it. I think I could've hugged him then and there--hubs and the waiter both, actually! And imagine my shock when our waiter said "It's American cheese!" Suddenly, everything clicked. All my queso attempts prior had been with Monterey Jack, cheddar and pepper jack. Now it all made sense why I never got that creamy, melty, perfect texture that all the restaurants have perfected: I was using the wrong cheese all along! So, last night, on our way back home from Orlando, I made my hubs stop at Publix so I could run in and get a big block of white american cheese from their deli counter. And today, first chance I got, I whipped up a batch. And. It's. AMAZING! Happy Dance!!! No more wasting way too much money at the Mexican restuarant when I can make it just as delicious at home. Next time we go to Sam's Club I'm going to buy my white american there because I know it will be cheaper. At $6/lb, I still spent $13 just on the cheese, so it really wasn't that much cheaper, but now that I know it works, I'll be finding a way to make it as cheap as possible. So, without further ado!

Makes 6-8 Servings

1 lb. block white american cheese, shredded or cubed

2-3 poblano peppers

3/4-1 cup half & half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Wash your peppers and dry them completely. Place them on a baking sheet and in your preheated oven for 10 minutes. Flip them over and bake another 10 minutes. Pull them out and let them rest 5-10 minutes. Remove the skin and seeds and dice finely. In a double boiler, combine cheese, peppers and 3/4 cup half & half. Cook over medium-low heat until melted, whisking constantly, about 15 minutes. If it's too thick, add remaining 1/4 cup of half & half and whisk well. Serve with tortilla chips.

This was so easy and tastes so good. The poblano peppers are really perfect, but if you prefer you can use a can of diced green chiles and a half a can of diced jalapeño peppers instead. You can also microwave it in 30 second increments until fully melted, just don't let it boil over! If it comes to a boil fully it could separate and then you'll have a lumpy mess. As the cheese melts, it will appear lumpy, don't let that scare you! Just keep whisking and cooking until you get the texture you want. You can always thin it out even more if you prefer. We found that these three simple ingredients were perfect for us, especially when paired with salty tortilla chips, but if you want, you can always add a little salt, pepper and/or cumin. You can also make this directly on the stovetop rather than a double boiler, but again, keep it on low and whisk it constantly. You don't want to risk it burning and/or boiling over. We're hooked on this queso! We're already coming up with several ideas for it including breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, sandwiches, burgers, and yes...even a Mexican sushi roll. I promise when we do these, I'll keep you posted! Hope you're having a fantastic week. The weekend is nearly here! Have a great evening!

Homemade Au Jus Mix

Okay, since I'm really on this kick lately of making homemade what I would usually buy pre-packaged in the store, here's a simple recipe for au jus that is delicious and easy. Just like the other seasonings I've posted, this one will last 2-3 months on the shelf in an airtight container. I keep mine in one of these adorable little glass jars from IKEA--they come in a set of 4 for like $3 and are perfect for holding small amounts of seasonings or yummy baking goodies like mini M&Ms or chocolate sprinkles! Just like all my other seasonings, I break out the ole P-Touch and whip out what it is and handy-dandy measurements onto labels and slap them on. Cute and efficient=happy Sunshine. :)

Makes 12-14 Cups

12 beef bouillon cubes (or 4 tablespoons granules)
4 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a blender 30 seconds until completely ground and combined. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag. To make au jus, measure out 4 1/2 teaspoons into a small saucepan and whisk with 2 cups of water over medium-high heat 15 minutes until bubbly and thickened. To use as seasoning, measure out 4 1/2 teaspoons at a time to equal one package of au jus seasoning mix.

Another quick and easy homemade fix that is way cheaper than buying the individual seasoning packets. To avoid MSG, always check the labels when buying bouillon. Organic beef bouillon without MSG can be found! The recipe I use this for most often is my Mississippi Roast in the crockpot, but every once in awhile I'll mix it up to make sandwiches for a party or dinner. Yum! I do have a weakness for au jus sandwiches. :)

Ranch Dressing & Seasoning Mix

If your family is anything like mine, you use those little ranch seasoning packets pretty regularly. I have a pile of recipes that call for that tasty little seasoning. But the problems with those seasoning packets are a) MSG b) expensive & c) you're always out when you need it. So I've taken to making my own. I mix everything together in a medium mason jar, shake it all together, and voila, I've got homemade ranch seasoning mix! It lasts for 2-3 months on the shelf theoretically, however, we use ours pretty quickly, so we've never had to test that theory! We use it in dips, snacks, dinners, or we mix it up with some mayo/yogurt and milk to make a quick ranch dressing when (not if) we run out. 

Today I've got it in my crockpot along with a roast that is happily simmering along and smells delicious. Already looking forward to dinner! That recipe will be making an appearance here on the blog tomorrow. :)

Okay you delicious little seasoning, your time to shine!

Makes 6 "Packets"

1/2 cup parsley

2 tablespoons dill weed

2 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 1/2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons minced dried onion flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons dried chives
1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

Directions:

Whisk everything together in a large bowl (or shake it up in a mason jar!) and store in a ziploc bag or airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Use 1 tablespoon for 1 packet of ranch seasoning. Mix 1 tablespoon with 1/3 cup of milk and 1/3 cup of mayo or Greek yogurt to make dressing.

I've got mine in a mason jar in my spice cabinet. I used my trusty little P-touch labeler to make a label for it with the measurements on there so I'll never forget what I need if hubby is the one needing it, he'll know exactly how much to use. ;) I have a beautiful Mississippi Pot Roast going in my crockpot right now, which calls for this seasoning along with a few other things. It's so much easier to make your own "convenience" foods and mixes! Use your freezer, use your cabinets and pantry space to save money and time as well as making healthier options for your family. It's seriously a great feeling for me when I have a "Mom" accomplishment like this! And to be honest, I actually like the taste of the homemade one even better than the stuff I can run down to Publix and buy ready-made. Yay Wednesday, the weekend is in sight! And my hubs actually has the weekend off...a rare occurrence indeed! Happy Hump Day!

Sausage, Biscuits & Gravy

Here it is. The mother lode of all blog posts. The recipe for sausage gravy. Oh my, yes. Why so special, you ask? Well, to me it's the mother lode of all breakfasts because this is my absolute favorite breakfast of all time in the history of ever. I could eat this every single day. Of course, that would be quite detrimental to my health, but I'd sure be happy while doing it! My mom makes amazing, delicious biscuits and gravy. I grew up with this obsession with the dish because of her finesse at making it. However, being that I no longer live with my mother, getting to enjoy any of her biscuits and gravy is a very, very rare treat, sadly. Very sadly.

But, my hubs knows how much I love the stuff and took pity on my soul. So a few years ago, for Mother's Day, he decided to teach himself how to make it. And teach himself he did! He is now a true champion biscuits and gravy maker. (Of course I knew/know how to make it also, but it's just not the same as when someone prepares it for you with love because they know how much you adore it...besides, if I'm being honest here, I would have to admit that my hubs' biscuits and sausage gravy have far surpassed any of the ones I've ever made. I admit it!! I'm a southerner down to the bone, born in Georgia, raised in Florida...and my LA-born, Asian, grew-up-on-Vietnames-and-Chinese-food hubs...has well and truly beaten me. And I'm perfectly ok with that, in fact I'm great with it! He really is the best. I'm a lucky girl.) 

On with the show!

Makes 8 Servings

1 lb roll of sausage

1/4-1/2 cup flour

1 stick butter

3-4 cups milk

2 teaspoons black pepper

Salt, if needed

Directions:

Brown sausage in a hot skillet, stirring constantly, until all browned and crumbled. Place the stick of butter in with the sausage and stir until melted. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the sausage/butter combination and stir well, cooking and stirring for 5 minutes. Slowly pour in 3 cups of milk, a little at a time, whisking briskly with a wire whisk to ensure no lumps. If it looks too thick, stir in the extra cup of milk. If it looks too thin, sift in more flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Cook and stir for another 10 minutes or so, until gravy is thickened and bubbling. Stir in pepper, taste and add salt a pinch at a time if needed until you reach desired flavor. Serve over hot split biscuits topped with a sausage patty.

Ok, now I really need some biscuits and gravy. Problem is, the hubs is at work! Whatever shall I do?! So this recipe is just for the gravy, but we serve ours along with sausage patties--usually we have another pound roll of Jimmy Dean or Tennessee Pride breakfast sausage on hand that we slice into half-inch slices and brown over low heat with a little water to keep them from becoming dried out until they're nicely browned on the outside and no longer pink on the inside--split one open to find out. Usually takes about 10 minutes, so we let the gravy sit on the warming burner to stay nice and warm. If you don't have a warming burner, you can let it sit in the oven or on simmer, just be sure to stir every few minutes to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan. 

As for the biscuits, it's personal preference. I must admit that even I use frozen biscuit dough (GASP!!) every once in awhile when I don't want to take the time to make homemade. Or we use one of our other two go-to biscuit recipes. One is my mom's Light and Tasty Biscuits which I absolutely adore of course, having grown up on those. And my other favorite is Brown-Eyed Baker's Buttermilk Biscuits. It just depends which type you prefer. My mom's recipe uses shortening. BEB's recipe uses butter and also she gives directions for making hers in the food processor for no-fail, perfect dough, every time. The food processor is SO easy, so often times that's been my go-to for biscuits. 

If you choose to make my mom's biscuits (or any biscuit recipe, really...), which are super tasty and moist and fluffy, here are some tips to ensure success! 

• Make sure you use always fresh baking powder--it can go "stale" and become less potent, resulting in flatter biscuits. 

• Don't overmix, this will give you tough biscuits, not the light and fluffy ones we're after--absolutely handle the dough as little as possible. It's touchy, it doesn't like to be messed with too much. :) 

• Thirdly, always let the oven completely preheat to 475. The key to tall, perfectly risen biscuits is a super hot oven. The steam in the dough is what causes the biscuits to rise. 

• And the last tip I have for perfect biscuits is, don't roll the dough too thin! Barely press it into shape with your hands or a rolling pin, but keep it no less than 3/4" thick, I sometimes do a whole inch thick. 

So now that you're overwhelmed with information :) why don't you give it a try? Bake up some biscuits, whip up some sausage gravy and indulge in my absolute favorite breakfast recipe in the history of the universe. :) I know, it will probably require extra time on the treadmill or at Zumba. But it's worth it, I promise. Have an awesome day!!

Spicy Mayo

Around here we do sushi night pretty regularly. Whether it's homemade or takeout, we love sushi! Even my kids will tear up some sushi. They love California rolls, sweet potato rolls and of course, chicken rolls. We let them try anything that doesn't have raw in it. And if the idea of eating raw fish wigs you out, there's plenty out there that's cooked! In fact, I think the scales may even tip in favor of more cooked vs raw sushi here in the States. If you're not a seafood person, you'd be surprised to know that raw fish actually doesn't taste "fishy" at all. It's the cooking process that brings out the oils in the seafood that give it that "fishy" flavor. 

This is one of the kiddos' favorite rolls that we make here at home: imitation crab meat, chicken tenders, scallions, cucumbers and cream cheese, all rolled up in sushi rice and nori and then battered and fried before slicing it up...mmm.

Personally, I love seafood...comes from being raised on it from the time I could eat solid food. My grandparents used to live right on the St. John's River here in Florida, and we would catch fresh seafood every single day to eat...crabs, shrimp, fish....mmmm, it was delicious. Nana S. would put it all in a big pot with salt, garlic powder and some seasoning like Old Bay or Lawry's seasoned salt and serve it up with melted butter and we'd devour it all. Anyway, as usual, I'm going off on a rabbit trail. My point today is to share with you my recipe for Spicy Mayo...a necessity when eating sushi, in my opinion, but it's also delicious on salads, with grilled fish or chicken, steak, baked potatoes...well practically anything other than dessert, really. Love me some Spicy Mayo!

Makes About 1 Cup

1 cup mayonnaise

1-2 tablespoons sriracha sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

Whisk everything together briskly until well combined. Taste and add extra sriracha if you want it spicier. 

     I usually taste and add a dash of this or that from the ingredient list until I get it exactly how I want it...we like to put ours in a squeeze bottle like you see above so we can squeeze it directly onto each bite of sushi. A mouthful of heaven! :)

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Mix

Makes 3 "Cans"

1 cup nonfat instant dry milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup chicken bouillon (or finely ground bouillon cubes)

4 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions: 

For the equivalent of one can of condensed cream of chicken soup: Whisk 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until boiling and thickened.

You know those recipes that call for "cream of something" soup? Here's a healthier, cheaper version and you can make sure to always keep a canister of the dry mix in your cabinet so you never run out. It's so convenient and tastes SO much better than the canned stuff. I never buy canned soups anymore for cooking, I just make my own. I use cream of chicken the most, so that's what I always have on hand, however I've also used different seasonings to create different creamed soups. You can use chopped dehydrated mushrooms to make cream of mushroom, celery seasoning to make cream of celery, mix in some shredded cheese while cooking to make cheddar cheese soup, etc. There are a number of varieties you can make and all of them are very inexpensive to make--even cheaper than the canned stuff! And it tastes better and is so much better for you, so why not do it? It's a tiny bit more of a hassle than it is to open up a can of something to dump in the crockpot, but it literally takes 5 minutes to cook up in my tiny little saucepan on the stovetop and the flavor is so much better so it's completely worth the extra time and effort. I used my Brother label maker to put the measurements on the lid so I always know how much to measure out to make a can and can easily double or triple it if need be. If you're a couponer, you know you can get coupons on the dry milk, bouillon and cornstarch pretty regularly and these items frequently go on sale also. If you combine the coupons with the sale, you're only spending about .06 a can as opposed to 1.00 a can on average and again, it tastes so much better! Give it a try, I'm sure you'll be persuaded--I was! :)

Perfect Grilled Chicken Marinade & Macaroni Salad

A few days ago I posted about summertime food and promised to post my favorite recipes for chicken marinade as well as basic macaroni salad. 

My preferred way to prepare the marinated chicken is grilled, but it would also be good pan-seared, blackened or baked. Really, this is such a good, basic marinade that it's delicious with pork chops, steak, just about any kind of meat. Hubs grilled up some chicken on the grill last night that I had marinated all day and then I made macaroni salad and Pioneer Woman's Fresh Corn Casserole to go along with it. That meal fed 8 hungry people and we were all stuffed and still had leftovers too. 

Man, I just love summer food!

My Favorite Chicken Marinade

Marinates 3-4lbs of meat

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup dark balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons worcestershire

3 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1-2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons onion powder

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Pour over raw chicken in a ziploc bag or container. Seal; shake and toss well and let marinate 4-6 hours, flipping every couple hours to ensure even marinating. 

Basic Macaroni Salad

16oz pasta

1 cup mayonnaise

2 large tomatoes, chopped

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced

1/2 medium onion, finely minced

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Directions: 

Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinsed for several minutes with cold water until cooled. Mix with mayo, tomatoes, eggs, onion, salt and pepper. If pasta is too dry, add more mayo 2 tablespoons at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and add more seasonings if needed. Chill until ready to serve.

Two of my favorite things! This basic macaroni salad is so good just as written, but it also makes a great jumping off point to create other variations. I've added chopped green onion, crumbled cooked bacon and cheddar cheese cubes. I've also added diced green pepper, shredded Monterey Jack and a few shakes of cumin. There are so many ways that you can make this and it's really a perfect side dish for summer since it's cold and filling. It goes perfectly with grilled meats, as a side dish for cold cut sandwiches or to bring along for a BBQ.

Cheater Spaghetti Sauce

Makes 6-8 Servings

2 cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 lbs. ground Italian sausage, mild, hot or both
20-30 meatballs, cooked
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup Italian Seasoning
2 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons oregano
1 tablespoons basil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Brown ground Italian sausage over medium heat, adding garlic for the last 3 minutes. Saute until cooked. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, seasonings and sugar. Heat to boiling. Add meatballs. Boil for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with cooked pasta or over hoagies.



This spaghetti sauce is my shortcut version of Nana's classic old Italian sauce. Sometimes I mix in a can of tomato paste and I also like to mix in some diced onion and green pepper with the garlic sometimes for a bit more kick. This is great for when you're short on time but want a classic tasting Italian sauce. I like to have more than one kind of meat for flavor, and I never drain the fats from the meat. I leave the fat in there from the ground meats and I also dump the juices from the meatballs in with them after I take them out of the microwave. When I make scratch sauce, I use 4 different kinds of meat: chicken, meatballs, Italian sausage and beef (brasciol). (Nana always uses lamb as her fourth meat, but it's not as popular in my house as it was in hers, so I usually count the meatballs as my fourth meat.) It just makes the sauce that much heartier and tastier. Add some garlic bread and salad and you've got a delicious meal that everyone likes.