Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites Recipe

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Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites at Home

On a recent trip to TGI Friday’s, I tried their Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites. I only had one complaint. Four weren’t enough. So I did some research and decided that I could make these at home pretty easily with basic ingredients that I always have on hand. Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites were created, and they were a hit with my family. Even down to the craft beer cheese, these taste just like the ones at TGI Friday’s.

Craft Beer Cheese Sauce for Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites

What is craft beer cheese sauce? And why do you put it on Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites? Well, craft beer cheese sauce is simply cheese sauce made with regionally brewed beer. I love a good oatmeal stout, especially when I’m cooking, so that’s what I use in my craft beer sauce in Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites. It tastes fantastic and doesn’t have any weird lemonade, citrus, or spice flavors. It’s perfect for Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites as well as Welsh Rarebit.

Making Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites Perfect

I have to admit, I purchased a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to make these Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites perfect. I’m not one to have lots of gadgets in my kitchen, but I think this one is going to be perfect, especially when I make cookies. It took the work out of the process, and made it fun.

Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites Recipe

Ingredients

6 strips bacon, cooked crispy, drippings reserved
1 C milk
½ C beer
7 ½ T flour
1 C mild cheddar, shredded
1 C sharp cheddar, shredded
1 C extra sharp cheddar, shredded
2 T bacon drippings
¼ t salt
¾ C elbow macaroni
1 egg
1 C milk
1 ½ C breadcrumbs
2/4 t salt
1 C flour
Oil for frying

Instructions

In a large saucepan, place the milk, beer, and 7 ½ T flour. Whisk well and heat on medium heat. Add the cheese, bacon drippings, and salt. Stir and heat, allowing to thicken, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove 1 cup of sauce and reserve for later.
While cheese sauce is thickening, in another saucepan, 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and boil until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.
Add to cheese sauce and stir until incorporated.
Chop 4 slices of bacon finely. Add to macaroni and stir well.
Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Pour the macaroni mixture into the pan and freeze for several hours.
In a bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Set aside.
In a second bowl, place the breadcrumbs and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a third bowl, place the flour.
Heat the oil over medium high heat, to about 350 degrees F.
Scoop the macaroni mixture into balls.

Place first in the flour, turning to coat, then in the egg mixture. Coat with breadcrumbs, then double coat by placing back in the egg and a final coating of breadcrumbs.
Gently place in oil and fry until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Allow to drain for 1 minute.
Heat remaining sauce in a small saucepan, adding more milk or beer to thin it out if needed.
Serve Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites hot, drizzled with sauce and remaining bacon.

http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/copycat-tgi-fridays-bacon-mac-cheese-bites-recipe/

Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites as a Party Appetizer

If you’d like to make Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites as an appetizer for a party, first off, make them a bit smaller so you get more of them. Fry them, as instructed, ahead of time and then freeze them. When you are about ready to serve them, bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 425 degree F oven until heated through. They will retain their crispiness and taste like you just made them!

6 strips bacon, cooked crispy, drippings reserved

1 C milk

½ C beer

7 ½ T flour

1 C mild cheddar, shredded

1 C sharp cheddar, shredded

1 C extra sharp cheddar, shredded

2 T bacon drippings

¼ t salt

¾ C elbow macaroni

1 egg

1 C milk

1 ½ C breadcrumbs

2/4 t salt

1 C flour

Oil for frying

In a large saucepan, place the milk, beer, and 7 ½ T flour. Whisk well and heat on medium heat. Add the cheese, bacon drippings, and salt. Stir and heat, allowing to thicken, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove 1 cup of sauce and reserve for later.

While cheese sauce is thickening, in another saucepan, 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and boil until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Add to cheese sauce and stir until incorporated.

Chop 4 slices of bacon finely. Add to macaroni and stir well.

Spray an 8×8 pan with cooking spray. Pour the macaroni mixture into the pan and freeze for several hours.

In a bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Set aside.

In a second bowl, place the breadcrumbs and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a third bowl, place the flour.

Heat the oil over medium high heat, to about 350 degrees F.

Scoop the macaroni mixture into balls.

Place first in the flour, turning to coat, then in the egg mixture. Coat with breadcrumbs, then double coat by placing back in the egg and a final coating of breadcrumbs.

Gently place in oil and fry until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Allow to drain for 1 minute.

Heat remaining sauce in a small saucepan, adding more milk or beer to thin it out if needed.

Serve Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites hot, drizzled with sauce and remaining bacon.

Tired of tiny appetizers? Make Copycat TGI Friday’s Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites at home!

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Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro Recipe

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Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro

Olive Garden is one of my family’s favorite places to grab a bite and we love to share appetizers. Besides their fabulous stuffed mushrooms, our favorite is Bruschetta al Pomodoro. Fresh tomatoes and basil, garlic and just a touch of olive oil, come together for simple salad that is spooned over crispy toasted bread. Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro is a fantastic starter to any meal, and is perfect for a summer meal, with a few deli meats and a salad.

Fresh Tomatoes Make Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro

The best Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro starts with fresh garden tomatoes. Romas make the best bruschetta, as they are meaty with a low amount of seeds. Look for tomatoes that are uniformly red, and yield to gentle pressure. The flavor will be amazing. If you have a local farmer’s market, check to see if they have some Romas.

Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro Recipe

Ingredients

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4 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 basil leaves, chopped
4 T olive oil
salt
pepper
1 loaf French bread or baguette
olive oil to brush
1 garlic clove, cut in half

Instructions

In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, minced garlic, and chopped basil.
Drizzle the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Refrigerate 1 hour, until chilled.
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice bread into ½ inch slices.
Brush with olive oil and place on baking sheet.

Toast in oven until crispy, 5-7 minutes.
Remove to a serving plate and allow to cool slightly.
Top with tomato mixture and serve.

http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/copycat-olive-garden-bruschetta-al-pomodoro-recipe/

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Making Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro for a Crowd

Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro is perfect for a gathering! You can double, triple, or more the recipe. Leave the salad in a bowl, and place it on a plate with the bread around it, or in a bowl beside it. Guests can top their bread and enjoy the crisp crunch and tangy cool of Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro!

Ingredients:

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 basil leaves, chopped

4 T olive oil

salt

pepper

1 loaf French bread or baguette

olive oil to brush

1 garlic clove, cut in half

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, minced garlic, and chopped basil.

Drizzle the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Refrigerate 1 hour, until chillded.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice bread into ½ inch slices.

Brush with olive oil and place on baking sheet.

Toast in oven until crispy, 5-7 minutes.

Remove to a serving plate and allow to cool slightly.

Top with tomato mixture and serve.

Cruise your local farmer’s market and find some tasty tomatoes and garlic for a homemade batch of Copycat Olive Garden Bruschetta al Pomodoro!

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Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

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Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms at Home

From the first time I visited Olive Garden, I’ve loved their Stuffed Mushrooms. They are tender, with just the right amount of garlic to them, making them the perfect appetizer to any meal. I found that I could make these at home, pretty easily, from some pretty common ingredients, so now I don’t have to wait for a trip to have Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms at home.

What Makes Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms Different

There are a few secret ingredients in Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms. The first is not only minced clams, but also the juice they were canned in. These two things set Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms apart from other similar recipes. The flavor is rich and succulent, without having a strong fishy taste like you would expect. Another thing that makes Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms amazing is the mix of Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. It adds another level of flavor that really makes the mushrooms taste fabulous.

Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients

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8-12 large white mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and discarded
1 6 oz can minced clams, ¼ C of juice reserved
1 egg
¾ t garlic, minced
? t garlic salt
1 t oregano
1 T butter, melted
½ C bread crumbs
3 T Parmesan cheese, grated
2 T mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
¼ C butter, melted
¼ C mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place mushrooms in a shallow, oven proof dish, stem opening up.
In a bowl, mix the clams, ¼ C reserved clam juice, egg, garlic and garlic salt, oregano, 1 T butter, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 2 T mozzarella cheese. Mix well.
Fill each of the mushroom caps equally.
Pour the ¼ C butter over the mushrooms evenly.
http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Copycat-Olive-Garden-Stuffed-Mushrooms-Ready-to-Bake.jpg
Bake 20-25 minutes, until filling is golden brown.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Serve hot.

http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/copycat-olive-garden-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe/

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Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms as an Appetizer for a Crowd

It’s easy to make Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms as an appetizer for a party. Instead of the larger stuffing mushrooms, purchase the smaller, more “button” mushrooms. They will take less stuffing per mushroom, and you can make a whole tray full in minutes. People will love the flavor and surely ask for the recipe for your Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms.

Ingredients:

8-12 large white mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and discarded

1 6 oz can minced clams, ¼ C of juice reserved

1 egg

¾ t garlic, minced

⅛ t garlic salt

1 t oregano

1 T butter, melted

½ C bread crumbs

3 T Parmesan cheese, grated

2 T mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

¼ C butter, melted

¼ C mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place mushrooms in a shallow, oven proof dish, stem opening up.

In a bowl, mix the clams, ¼ C reserved clam juice, egg, garlic and garlic salt, oregano, 1 T butter, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 2 T mozzarella cheese. Mix well.

Fill each of the mushroom caps equally.

Pour the ¼ C butter over the mushrooms evenly.

Bake 20-25 minutes, until filling is golden brown.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Serve hot.

Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms are the perfect appetizer for any night!

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Homemade Egg Rolls

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MakeEgg Rolls at Home:

Fried or Baked

Egg Rolls are a common staple at Asian restaurants in the US. Why limit them to just restaurants? Make Egg Rolls at home ; it is fun and easy, and a great way to connect with your kids. A few simple ingredients from your local grocery can simply be combined to make egg rolls that are one of the best you’ve ever eaten. And the best part: you can make baked or fried egg rolls to eliminate fat and calories.

Anatomy of an Egg Roll

Simply put, an Egg Roll is a thin wrapper that is filled with veggies and protein, that is cooked crispy. I love to fill my Homemade Egg Rolls with bok choy, a Chinese cabbage. It looks a bit like cabbage and celery combined and you can find it in most produce sections. Typically the egg roll wrappers are in the produce section near the tofu. I love a sprouted firm tofu for just about anything I use tofu for, including egg rolls. The enoki and shitake mushrooms are found with the more common white mushrooms in the produce section. They are wonderful additions to many asian dishes including your Homemade Egg Rolls.

Homemade Egg Rolls ~ Why Buy Them Boxed?

Ingredients

1 head bok choy, sliced thin
4 oz Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and tops diced
3 oz Enoki mushrooms, diced
1 block tofu (optional), diced fine
3 T olive oil
1 handful bean sprouts
1 pkg egg roll wrappers
qt peanut oil

Instructions

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the olive oil and fry the tofu until it's slightly crispy. Remove from the pan.
Add the remainder of the olive oil and stir fry the bok choy, mushrooms, and bean sprouts until slightly wilted. Remove from the pan and mix with the tofu.
Place an egg roll wrapper on a dry surface. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the wrapper and form a log that runs from corner to corner.
Fold like an envelope, long corner over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll to close, using a bit of water to seal the edge.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-high heat, filling the pan only about halfway up.
Carefully lower egg rolls into the oil gently, being careful of splatter. Fry, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden brown.
Serve hot with duck or sweet and sour sauce.
If baking, spray a baking sheet with baking spray. Place egg rolls on the sheet and bake at 425 degrees F until the egg rolls are browned and crispy.

http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/homemade-egg-rolls-buy-boxed/

Egg Rolls Make Great Appetizers

If you’d like to make Egg Rolls as an amazing appetizer, instead of using egg roll wrappers, use wonton wrappers. Your Egg Rolls will be a smaller, daintier version, which is perfect for finger foods and your company will be delighted that you made them from scratch. The taste of your egg rolls will be completely different from the ones you buy in a box, and it will really show!

Homemade Egg Rolls Recipe

1 head bok choy, sliced thin

4 oz Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and tops diced

3 oz Enoki mushrooms, diced

1 block tofu (optional), diced fine

3 T olive oil

1 handful bean sprouts

1 pkg egg roll wrappers

qt peanut oil

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the olive oil and fry the tofu until it’s slightly crispy. Remove from the pan.

Add the remainder of the olive oil and stir fry the bok choy, mushrooms, and bean sprouts until slightly wilted. Remove from the pan and mix with the tofu.

Place an egg roll wrapper on a dry surface. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the wrapper and form a log that runs from corner to corner.

Fold like an envelope, long corner over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll to close, using a bit of water to seal the edge.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-high heat, filling the pan only about halfway up.

Carefully lower egg rolls into the oil gently, being careful of splatter. Fry, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden brown.

Serve hot with duck or sweet and sour sauce.

If baking, spray a baking sheet with baking spray. Place egg rolls on the sheet and bake at 425 degrees F until the egg rolls are browned and crispy.

Next time you’d like Egg Rolls, skip the box and forget the takeout!

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Tasty Potstickers Recipe ~ Perfect for Super Bowl Parties!

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Potstickers are a great snack for kids coming home from school, as a party appetizer, or an anytime treat. You can make these ahead of time and even freeze them (before cooking) for an easy on-hand dish. I love to have a bag of them in the freezer for that “what to have for dinner” moment.

Tasty Potstickers Recipe ~ Perfect for Super Bowl Parties!

Ingredients

1 pkg wonton wrappers (found in the produce or fresh food section)
1 lb ground pork
4 green onions, sliced
1 t black bean garlic sauce
1 t hoisen sauce
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
water for sealing wontons (in a small bowl works perfectly)

Instructions

Mix the pork, onions, sauces, and seasonings well.
On a flat surface, place a wonton wrapper. Place about 3/4 of a teaspoon of meat mixture in the middle.

Wet your fingers with the water and run around the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold in half to make a triangle, point to point. Set aside and continue with the rest of the wonton wrappers.

At this point, you can freeze the potstickers, or continue to steam or fry them.

To steam: fill a saute pan or skillet with a half an inch of water or broth. Bring to a simmer. Place the potstickers in the pan and cover, simmering for about 4 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through.
To pan fry: add 1/4 C olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium high heat. When hot, carefully add the potstickers. Turn over when the first side is browned. Remove from pan when evenly brown.

Serve with a commercially prepared plum or sweet and sour sauce.

http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/tasty-potstickers-recipe-perfect-for-super-bowl-parties/

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Chili’s: FREE Coupon Special EVERY DAY (FREE Appetizer or Dessert Today)

This Raining Hot Coupons deal was posted on November 23, 2012 at 8:34 am MST Leave a Comment

Celebrate the holiday season at Chili’s with a special offer every day from now until December 24. Just print your coupon, head to Chili’s, and enjoy! Just click the image above to print yours.

Today’s coupon is for a FREE Appetizer or Dessert!

I will update you with tomorrows coupon. 😉

P.S. – *Added bonus…Hurry over HERE to this page on Amazon and enter this code for FREE Amazon credit (*trick to make it so machines don’t swipe the code – take out the 3rd letter in the code then paste it into your account and let us know on Facebook if you got it!!!): XCPR-7VGHQ7-5YUN

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