APPLEBEE'S COPY CAT RECIPES & CHOCOLATE LASAGNA!

APPLEBEE’S HONEY GRILLED SALMON

INGREDIENTS:
Honey Pepper Sauce
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 lemon, juice of (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 (8 ounce) salmon fillets (without skin)

DIRECTIONS:
Make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.
Stir occasionally until sauce begins to boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until syrupy.
Watch the sauce closely to be sure it doesn't bubble over.
Preheat barbecue grill to medium heat.
Rub each salmon filet with vegetable oil, then add a light sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Grill the salmon for 4 to 7 minutes per side or until done.
Serve salmon with a small cup of the honey pepper sauce on the side.

APPLEBEE’S FIESTA LIME CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup shredded cheddar/Monterey jack cheese blend

MARINADE:
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup water
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup tequila

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all the ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Mix well. Add chicken and marinate in the refrigeator for at least 30 minutes but no more than 4 hours.

MEXICAN RANCH DRESSING
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of Ranch dressing
2 tablespoons of red salsa
2 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno peppers

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix until smooth. Cover and chill until needed.

CHICKEN
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to broil and heat up your grill. (I use an indoor George Foreman grill to cook the chicken breasts). When the chicken is done, arrange the breasts in a baking pan. Spread a layer of mexican ranch dressing and 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over each piece of chicken. Broil the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes or just until the cheese has melted.

HOW TO SERVE
Spread a bed of 1/2 cup of crumbled tortillas or corn chips on each of four plates. Slide a chicken breast on top of each plate of chips. Serve with your choice of rice, pico de gallo, guacamole or salsa

APPLEBEE’S VEGETABLE MEDLEY

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb cold fresh zucchini
1/2 lb cold fresh yellow squash
1/4 lb cold red pepper, 1/4 inch julienne cut strips
1/4 lb cold carrots, 4 inch x 1/4 inch sticks
1/4 lb cold red onion, 1/4 inch julienne cut strips
1 small cold corn cob 1-6 "wheel" cut
3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh parsley or dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse and wash all vegetables under cold water.
Cut the ends off of the zucchini and squash, then down the center lengthwise.
Using knife, cut into 1/4 inch bias half moons.
Slice red pepper in half and remove the stem, core and remove seeds.
Cut each half in half, then slice lengthwise into 1/4" julienne strips.
Slice both ends of red onion off, remove peel and core.
Slice lengthwise for a 1/4 inch julienne cut.
Peel carrots.
Trim top end of carrot and narrow bottom end to result in a 4 inch length of (somewhat) uniform width.
Cut each piece in half lengthwise, then cut the halves into quarters, result should be approximately 1/4 inch x 4 inch sticks.
Heat butter or margarine in a sauté pan over medium heat taking caution not to scorch.
Add salt, sugar and garlic.
Add vegetables (start with carrots and work back up the list- denser vegetables take longer to heat) and cook until hot and crisp/tender.
When vegetables are all in pan and cooking, add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and parsley.
Mix thoroughly and serve.

OLIVE GARDEN CHOCOLATE LASAGNA

INGREDIENTS:
Cake
6 cups cake flour
5 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups Hershey's Cocoa
2 tablespoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups butter
12 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Butter Cream
2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons meringue powder
12 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 1/4 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon clear almond extract
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 teaspoon colorless butter flavor

DIRECTIONS:
Cake:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 10-inch springform
pans.

In mixing bowl, stir together sifted cake flour, sugar, Hershey's
Cocoa and baking soda. Add butter and mix well. Add milk, eggs and
vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour about 5 cups of the cake batter into
each prepared pan.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake center
comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before you remove the cake from
the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Butter Cream:
Combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed
until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating
after each addition at low speed. Alternately add shortening and
remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until
smooth.

Thin out 1/2 of the frosting with a little extra water. The thinned
frosting is used as the filling between layers.

To Assemble:
Place one 10 inch cake on a large round plate or a
large round cake platter. Spread 1/2 of the thinned frosting on top.
(Only frost the top of the cake) Sprinkle very lightly with semi-
sweet chocolate chips. (There are very few chips on this layer,
usually only 1 or 2 per wedge, so sprinkle very very lightly)

Place the second cake on top of the first. Frost the top with the
remaining thinned frosting. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate
chips. (You can be a bit more generous with this layer)

Place the third layer on top of the second. Frost the top with all
of the Butter Cream that was not thinned. This is a thick layer of
frosting so pile it on. Try to get the top as smooth as you can.
Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips. The frosting seems more
authentic if you let it set up (sit out) for an hour at room
temperature. (I wrapped the sides lightly with foil to keep the cake
from drying out as well)

Cut the cake into wedges, as you would cut a pizza. Using Hershey's
chocolate syrup, create a design on your dessert plate. Place the
wedge of chocolate lasagna at the 11 o'clock position on your
dessert plate with the point facing down so that you can see some of
the syrup design. Serve.

Rambling Thursday...Some Of This & Some Of That!!!

Went to Owatonna today (about 15 miles from Faribault) to the Salvation Army Store to see if I could find some goodies....Well I spotted an old wood shelf with drawers apparently to hold saran wrap etc that was painted white....I made a beeline for it, but another woman cut me off at the pass and grabbed it right from under me...I was so disappointed....Did find a few items but nothing like that....Then I went to Applebees and had a lovely light lunch with my son Rick...He left and when I got in my car it was as dead as a door nail...Nothing Nada sound!!! Well phoned him (just as he pulled in his driveway) to come an jump start my car...He put the jumper cables on and still Nada....He fiddled around, let his truck run for awhile and still Nada.....So he called a towing truck to see if they could start it (now remember I live in another town)....Well this old guy came, walked over to the car, looked at it, wiggled a cable and said now try it....Yea!!! it started....I was thrilled to say the least, but that lasted a very short time...When he said that will cost $50 I almost fainted....Good thing he took debit cards as I sure didn't have $50 cash on me...I then went over to my sons house and my grandson made sure the cables were clean and nice and tight....So a lesson learned!!! always wiggle the cables before calling a tow truck....even though I had more shopping to do, I drove straight home, put the car in the garage and was just happy to be home....

Broccoli-Cheese Soup:
Serves...4.......WW Points 4

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup(s) onion(s), minced
16 oz frozen chopped broccoli
29 oz canned chicken broth
4 oz Kraft Velveeta Light Reduced-Fat Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product, cut into cubes, or similar product
1/2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup(s) water
1/4 cup(s) cornstarch

Instructions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add broccoli and broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
Reduce heat to low, add cheese and stir until cheese melts; stir in milk and garlic powder.
Whisk together water and cornstarch. Add mixture to pan and simmer 2 minutes, until thick. Serve hot. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Quick Southern-Style Collard Greens:
Serves..4.......WW Points 1

Ingredients
3 slice(s) uncooked reduced-fat bacon, cut into 1/2-inch wide pieces
3/4 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
2 medium garlic clove(s), sliced
1 pound(s) collard greens, washed well, center stems removed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch wide strips (about 8 cups)
1 1/2 cup(s) water
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce, (or more to taste)
Instructions
Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to sizzle and release some of its fat, about 1 minute.
Add onions to pot; stir and cover for 30 seconds. Decrease heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until onions are light golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add collard greens to pot and increase heat to high; cook, stirring, until greens wilt, about 2 minutes.
Add water and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, salt and hot sauce. Serve extra hot pepper sauce on the side if desired. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

For optimal flavor and texture, select bunches of collard greens with smaller leaves — they're younger and more tender.

Now this isn't a low fat dish, but it is so good I just had to share it with you...There are a lot of good for you ingredients in it though!

Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Pot Pie:

Filling:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup sliced baby portobello (crimini) mushrooms
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

Crust:
1 (6-ounce) package buttermilk cornbread Mix
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, combine oil, celery, onion, carrots, red pepper, and mushrooms; toss to combine. Roast in oven 20 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring once.
In large bowl, combine cream, broth, flour, rosemary, and black pepper; whisk until smooth. Stir in chicken. Pour over vegetables in hot skillet.
In same bowl, combine cornbread mix, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Pour over chicken mixture.
Bake at 425 degrees F 18 to 23 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes before serving.