Here are three recipes that you can make in your own home to give you that Olive Garden Experience without going out. Now “when you’re here” you really are at home.

OLIVE GARDEN SALAD

Ingredients

  • 1 bag American Blend Dole Salad
  • 4 - 5 slices Red Onion
  • 4 - 6 Black Olives
  • 2 - 4 Banana Peppers
  • 1/2 cup Croutons
  • 1 small Tomato Quartered
  • Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

  1. Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Place bag of salad in bowl.
  3. On top of the lettuce put red onion, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons.
  4. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
  5. Add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing.

DRESSING

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup White Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
  • 2 tablespoons Corn Syrup
  • 2 tablespoons 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

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed.

OLIVE GARDEN CHICKEN SCAMPI

White Sauce Base:

First you need to make the WHITE SAUCE BASE:

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Butter

  • 2 Tablespoons Flour
  • Milk

Directions

  1. Melt Butter in nonstick skillet.

  2. Add Flour and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.
  3. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly to get rid of lumps. When you have added the right amount of milk, you should have like a white gravy consistency.
  4. Set aside.

SCAMPI SAUCE:

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks Butter

  • 2 tablespoons crushed Garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Chicken Stock
  • 3/4 cup Chablis or other Dry White Wine
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/4 cup White Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
  • Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Melt butter over a slow heat.

  2. Add garlic, italian seasoning and crushed red pepper.
  3. Saute for about 2 minutes on low heat.
  4. Add wine, water and chicken base. Stir well.
  5. Add the white sauce and stir until slightly thickened.

THE FIXIN’S

Ingredients

  • 1/2 package of Angel Hair Pasta, Cooked

  • 3 Bell Peppers, thinly sliced (Make it pretty — use one each of red, green and yellow)
  • 1 thinly sliced Red Onion
  • 10 whole Garlic Cloves
  • Enough Chicken to feed you and your guests. The amount, pieces and style here is up to you. Use what ever you like.

Directions

  1. Put the garlic cloves in a small nonstick skillet with some oil and saute
    them on low for about 20 minutes. Just put the lid on the skillet and let them cook. They should be golden and creamy when they are done.

  2. Saute the peppers and onions for about 5 minutes.
  3. Cook the chicken to your preference.
  4. Add Chicken to skillet with peppers.
  5. Add Sauce and mix until the sauce is reheated.
  6. Throw in garlic cloves.

TIRAMISU

Ingredients

  • 1 Sponge Cake (10-12 inch) — about 3″ tall

  • 3 ounces strong Black Coffee
  • 3 ounces Brandy or Rum
  • 1 1/2 pounds Cream Cheese or Mascarpone — room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups superfine/powdered Sugar
  • unsweetened Cocoa Powder (for dusting)

Directions

  1. Cut across middle of sponge cake forming two layers, each about 1 1/2 inches high.

  2. Blend coffee and brandy.
  3. Sprinkle enough of mixture over bottom half of cake to flavor it strongly. Don’t moisten cake too much or it may collapse on serving.
  4. Beat room- temperature cheese and 1 cup sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and cheese is light and spreadable. Test for sweetness during beating, adding more sugar if needed.
  5. Spread cut surface of bottom layer with half of the cheese mixture.
  6. Replace second layer and top this with remaining cheese mixture.
  7. Sprinkle top liberally with sifted cocoa.
  8. Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.

Mark Hester runs the http://bestcopycatrestaurantrecipes.blogspot.com where this recipe was featured along with the make-at-home recipes from all your favorite restaurants including Applebees, KFC, Olive Garden, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Macaroni Grill.

If you love the eat check out his other food sites http://www.weekendgrillers.com where the weekend griller in all of us can learn the tricks and techniques from the Master of BBQ and Grilling and http://roadfoodblog.blogspot.com/ for the best choices when you are traveling around the USA.