Olive Garden Salad and Breadsticks Copycat Recipe

These recipes courtesy of Food Network Magazine.

Almost-Famous Garden Salad

• Prep Time

  25 min

• Level

  Easy

• Yield

  4 servings

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Miracle Whip
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

For the salad:

• 1 10-ounce bag American salad blend
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 small pickled peppers, such as pepperoncini
• 1 small vine-ripened tomato, quartered
• 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup large croutons
• 1 tablespoon grated

Directions

Combine all the dressing ingredients and 1 to 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth.
Place the salad blend in a large bowl and top with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing.

Almost-Famous Breadsticks

SERVES 16 , 16 breadsticks

Change to: breadsticks US Metric

• 1
• 2
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• 4
• 5

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Ingredients

DOUGH

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon fine salt

TOPPING

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pinch dried oregano

Directions

1. Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water; mix with the paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms, 5 minutes.

2. Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until very smooth and soft, 3 minutes. Roll into a 2-foot-long log; cut into 16 1 1/2-inch pieces. Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7-inch long breadstick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

4. Make the topping: Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

5. Bake until slightly golden, about 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder and oregano.

7. Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the flavored salt.

8. Serve warm with salad.

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The BEST Brocooli of Your LIFE

I cannot say enough about this recipe. It's one of my favorites. And when they say you can eat this by itself for dinner, you can. It's THAT good.

The original source of this recipe is Amateur Gourmet

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees.

Take 2 bunches (give or take) of DRY broccoli

Toss loosely (and I don't measure, I just eyeball) with:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (recipe calls for 5 Tablespoons)

Cloves of Garlic (recipe calls for 4). I use extra. LOVE Garlic. I smash it to get the juices flowing and slice it up (just not minced because it'll more than likely burn)

Recipe calls for salt, I leave it out. No need for extra salt.

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

The main gist is you want enough Extra Virgin Olive Oil to wet the broccoli, but not make it soggy.

Place the broccoli on a baking pan ( I cover it in aluminum foil) for 20-30 minutes, or until the tips are slightly browned

About halfway through I mix the broccoli around on the pan for even coverage

When it's done, you're supposed to add more olive oil (1.5 tablespoons), but I don't.

Then you're supposed to zest a lemon over the broccoli (again, never have done that either), and then squeeze lemon juice over the broccoli (which I never do). I cheat and put a dab (like less than a spoonful, but again I don't measure) of lemon juice (I know.. how terrible) in the mix before I put it in the oven.

You can then sprinkle with "freshly grated" Parmesan cheese. I did that the first time. It's good, but not required for it to still taste awesome. I just love it with the little garlic pieces.

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Da Bomb Diggity Fried Rice

I am sure I adapted this from somewhere, but no clue where. (Pics to follow)

Ingredients:
*big wok pan
*extra virgin olive oil
*garlic
*eggs
*new or old rice
*veggies

I make this so many different ways with many different ingredients.... but the staple is this:

Dice up some garlic cloves. I love garlic, so I do 4-5 cloves smashed and finely diced and chopped.

Gently toss 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in skillet.. (and make the skillet big if you don't want half the rice to end up on the stove)

I  also love onion, so sometimes I will toss diced onion into the skilled and let it saute til soft..
then I toss in garlic.

Garlic will burn fast so you gotta be ready to rock and roll with the rice fast.. (I keep husband on back up for this reason)

Once garlic is looking like its about to burn, dump in rice (again I never measure and always use different amounts and it always ends up good.

Toss the rice with the pan goodness for a minute or two.

Move the rice to the side and drop in some eggs. If I feel protein happy I'll drop 3 eggs.. (minus the shells of course)

Swish those eggs around on the side until they are nice and cooked..then get chop happy with a spatula and mash those eggs into pieces...

Swirl with rice.
Then toss veggies. I like broccoli, sweet corn, and sometimes whatever else I have on hand...but anything you like..just throw it in now.

Then.. drizzle soy sauce on top to taste.

The recipe this is adapted from used fish sauce and soy sauce, but fish sauce is just an unnecessary added ingredient...

So there you have IT.