Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2-3 large chicken breasts

For marinade:

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Dash of hot sauce (Crystal or Louisiana)

1 Tblsp. dill pickle brine mix (powder)

For dipping:

2 eggs + leftover buttermilk marinade

For batter coating:

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 Tblsp Ranch powder

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tblsp. powdered milk

1 tsp. salt

For sandwiches:

8 hamburger buns

1/2 stick melted butter

16 pickles

Preparation:

1. Slice chicken breasts into sandwich-size pieces and place in marinade. Shake to mix, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

2. Mix together batter coating, set aside in bowl to coat chicken.

3. Remove chicken from marinade, and pat dry.

4. Add two eggs to marinade mixture, and whisk well.

5. Put oil in saucepan on stove and heat to 350 degrees. Be sure oil is deep enough that chicken breasts can be fully submerged for cooking.

6. Drizzle 3 Tblsp. of marinade/egg mixture into batter/flour mixture. Rub with fingertips until the batter/flour mixture is coarse like wet sand.

7. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in batter mixture. Shake off excess batter, then slowly lower into hot oil.

8. Cook, turning breasts occasionally until golden brown and crisp on all sides and chicken is cooked through.

9. Transfer to towel-lined plate or pan.

10. While chicken is cooking, prepare buns. Open each bun on a small sheet of aluminum foil. Brush each side of the bun with melter butter. Place 2 pickle slices on each bun. Top with cooked chicken, then close up sandwich and wrap well in foil. Let sit for at least 2-3 minutes before serving.

Katie's Mint Chocolate Chip Icing

Ingredients:

5 large egg whites, or meringue powder equivalent
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed
1 tsp mint extract
3 oz chocolate, chopped

Green food coloring gel

Preparation:

1. Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk until combined.

2. Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3 mins).

3. Place bowl back on mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch -- approx. 5-10 mins).

4. Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth. 

5. Add peppermint extract.

6. Stop the mixer. Add desired amount of green food coloring gel and whip until smooth and evenly green. Add more color gel if desired.

7. Fold in chopped chocolate.

Katie's High Humidity Buttercream Icing (good for decorating)

Ingredients:

3 cups vegetable shortening 
9-10 cups confectioner's sugar
2 Tblsp. meringue powder 
1/2 tsp salt
6-8 Tblsp. milk or cream
2 tsp clear vanilla extract 
1/2 to 1 tsp butter extract

Preparation:

1. Mix shortening until smooth.

2. Add salt, 4 cups of the sugar, 3 Tblsp. of the milk and the meringue powder. Mix well.

3. Add in 5 cups of the sugar, plus another 3 Tblsp. milk and mix well.

4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in a Tblsp. or two of milk or cream if the buttercream is too thick.

5. Add the extracts and mix more.

6. Add in a Tblsp. at a time of milk if the icing is too thick.

7. Finish by mixing by hand with a rubber spatula to help press out any air bubbles.

NOTE: Makes enough to cover two 8" round cakes. Keep covered when not using.

Copycat Pizza Hut Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust

1 package dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder
1 1/3 cup warm water (105 degrees F)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for dough)
4 cups all-purpose flour

Pizza Sauce
1 can (8 ounce size) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Assembly
9 ounces vegetable oil 
butter flavored cooking spray
mozzarella cheese
pizza toppings as desired

1. Combine the yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a 2-quart size mixing bowl. 

2. Add the water and stir to mix. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes or until the yeast starts to bubble.

3. Add the oil to the dough mixture, and stir to combine.

4. Add the flour in one cup increments, stirring after each addition, until a dough forms and the flour is all combined.

5. Turn the dough out onto a flat, lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes.

6. If making one large pizza, roll the dough into a ball. If you want to make 9" personal pan pizzas, divide the dough into three equal balls.

7. Place about 9 ounces of oil in a 12" cast iron skillet (or 3 ounces of oil in the bottom of each 9-inch cast iron skillet). Tilt the pan(s) to spread the oil evenly.

8. Using a rolling pin, roll out the ball of dough to a circle that is roughly the size of the skillet (s) and place in the prepared pan(s).

9. Lightly coat the dough disk with cooking spray or oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free location and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until puffy.

10. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients until blended. Let sit at room temperature for at least one hour. The sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.

11. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees, or hotter, if your oven will go hotter.

12. Spoon sauce on the dough and spread to within 1 inch of the edges. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place toppings of choice in the following order: thin meats like pepperoni or canadian bacon, vegetables, ground or cubed meats, additional mozzarella cheese.

13. Cook until the outer crust is brown and the cheese is bubbly in the center (11-15 minutes, depending on how many toppings you use). If the top gets too brown but it appears that the crust isn't done, the pizza can be finished on a stovetop to cook the bottom of the crust.

14. Remove from the oven. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before cutting.

Hawaiian Bread Rolls

Ingredients:

7 to 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup mashed potato flakes

2/3 cup sugar

2 pkgs yeast

1 tsp sale

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup pineapple juice

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of the flour, potato flakes, sugar, yeast and salt.

2. Heat water. milk, butter and juice to 120 degrees. Add to dry ingredients.

3. Mix with paddle attachment on stand mixer until just poistened.

4. Add eggs, then beat until smooth.

5. Add vanilla and beat until mixed in.

6. Add enough flour to form a soft dough. Swap to dough hook on mixer and mix until dough begins to come together and pull away from side of bowl.

7. Turn onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.

8. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour or so until doubled.

9. Punch dough down and put on a lightly floured surface. Divide into roll-sized pieces and shape each into a ball. 

10. Place dough balls in greased pan(s). 

11. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

12. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Can pour melted butter over the tops if desired. Cover loosely with foil if tops brown too quickly.

13. Recipe will make roughly 3 dozen rolls. Rolls can be frozen before their second rise on a cookie sheet and then placed in a Ziploc bag to use as needed. Let frozen rolls rise before baking.

Homemade Ice Cream Cake (just like Dairy Queen)

Ingredients:

1.5 quart container vanilla ice cream

1.5 quart container chocolate ice cream

3/4 cup hot fudge sauce

20 OREO thins, crushed

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

1. Remove ice cream from the freezer and let soften until it is somewhat spreadable, but not melted.

2. Line two 8-inch springform pans with plastic wrap, leaving about 6" inches of overhang on all sides.

3. Spread softened ice cream into each pan, vanilla in one, chocolate in the other, pressing down to remove air bubbles. Cover with plastic wrap and press down evenly to smooth the top. Freeze for 8-12 hours or until hardened.

4. Once the layers have frozen, in a bowl, mix crushed cookies with hot fudge. 

5. Remove chocolate layer from freezer. Take plastic wrap off the top, but leave the overhang wrap on the sides.

6. Spread fudge and cookies over entire top of chocolate layer.

7. Remove vanilla layer from freezer. Open springform pan, and remove vanilla layer. Turn it over and press it down firmly on top of the chocolate layer, but be careful not to split/crack the vanilla layer. This will leave you with a double layer cake in your springform pan.

8. Place cake back in freezer.

9. About 2 hours before serving, place cream, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until next step is completed.

10. Remove cake from freezer. Open springform pan, and use plastic wrap to lift up cake. Place cake on freezable platter or marble slab that can be placed into the freezer. 

11. Ice cake with whipped cream frosting.

12. Place cake back in freezer until ready to serve. Traditional frosting can be added, as can sprinkles, if decorations are desired.

13. Use a large, sharp knife warmed under hot water to cut when ready to serve.

Copycat Dot's Pretzels

Ingredients:

1 bag cheddar twist pretzels

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. garlic salt

2 tsp. onion powder

3 Tblsp. Ranch seasoning powder

1 tsp. lemon pepper

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 cup butter-flavored popcorn oil

NOTE: Can add 1 tsp. dill weed for a stronger flavor.

Preparation:

1. Mix all seasoning ingredients in a large Ziploc bag, then add pretzels, turning to coat all pretzels.

2. Let pretzels soak for 45 minutes, turning bag and mixing every 5 minutes.

3. Bake pretzels on parchment-lined baking sheet at 200 degrees for 40 minutes, turning pretzels every ten minutes.