America's Most Wanted Recipes: Delicious Recipes from Your Family's Favorite Restaurants (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Discover the recipes from America's most popular family restaurants and cook them at home for a fraction of the price!

Wouldn't it be nice if you could treat yourself to dishes from your favorite restaurants anytime? Now you can -- at home! In America's Most Wanted Recipes, Ron Douglas reveals copycat versions of carefully guarded secret restaurant recipes and shows family chefs how to prepare them at home, saving time and money. With these easy and mouth-watering recipes, families can enjoy a night out in their very own kitchens.

- Great selection: With more than 200 recipes from 57 of America's most popular restaurants -- including The Cheesecake Factory, KFC, Olive Garden, P.F. Chang's, Red Lobster, Outback Steakhouse, and many more -- no taste or craving will be left unsatisfied.

- Cut the cost: Watch your wallet without giving up restaurantquality food! You can save your family thousands of dollars each year by preparing these recipes just once a week.

- Skip the lines: Forget about waiting to be seated. You can have your favorite meals "on demand" from the comfort of your own kitchen. Time-saving tips and shortcuts will have dinner on the table in no time.

- Eat healthy: Low-fat alternatives and waist-slimming suggestions make these dishes delicious -- and nutritious.

- Impress your family and friends: These recipes are all fast, simple, and virtually indistinguishable from the originals. We bet your family and friends won't be able to tell the difference!

About the Author

Ron Douglas is a former finance director at JP Morgan and founder of the #1 copycat recipe website, www.recipesecrets.net. He lives in New York with his wife and two children.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Atria (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 143914706X
• ISBN-13: 978-1439147061
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Update!, July 22, 2009

By	Denise "Niecy" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

Table of contents:

Applebee's:
-baby back ribs
-bacon green onion mashed potatoes
-chicken quesdilla grande
-crispy orange chicken skillet
-fiesta lime chicken (this one taste good and I like this version better than Todd Wilbur)
-garlic mashed potatoes
-low fat grilled tilapia w/ mango salsa
-santa fe chicken
-spinach pizza
-tomato basil soup
-walnut blondie w/ maple butter sauce

Arby's:
-apple turnovers
-barbecue sauce

Arthur Treacher's:
-fried fish (didn't like at all)

Bahama Breeze:
-jamaican jerk grilled chicken wings (pretty good)

Baskin-Robbins:
-cheesecake ice cream

Benihana:
-hibachi steak
-japanese fried rice(Todd Wilbur is better, imo)

Bennigan's:
-broccoli bites
-honey mustard dressing
-hot dressing dressing
-linguine diablo
-onion soup

Boston Market:
-creamed spinach
-cucumber salad
-dill potato wedges
-macaroni & cheese
-meatloaf
-spicy rice
-squash casserole
-stuffing

Brooklyn Cafe:
-sun dried tomato seared scallops

Bullfish Grill:
-shrimp & cheese grits

California Pizza Kitchen:
-bbq chicken pizza (didn't like)
-chicken tequila fertuccine (good)

Carrabba's Italian Grill:
-italian butter (this recipe was a waste imo)
-meatballs

The Cheesecake Factory:
-avocado egg rolls (like T. Wilbur better)
-banana cream cheesecake
-cajun jambalaya pasta
-chicken fettuccine
-crab cakes
-oreo cheesecake
-pumpkin cheesecake

Chi-Chi's:
-baked chicken chimichangas
-pork tenderlion w/ bourbon sauce
-salsa verde chicken kabobs
-steak & mushroom quesdillas

Chili's:
-baby back ribs
-beef fajitas
-chicken enchilada soup
-chocolate chip paradise pie (Todd Wilbur is way better)
-margarita grilled chicken (good)
-salsa
-southwestern chicken chili
-sounthwestern vegetable soup

Church's:
-fried chicken (horrible)

Cracker Barrel:
-baby limas
-banana pudding
-cherry chocolate cobbler(very good!)
-fried apples

Dairy Queen:
-heath blizzard
-ice cream
-onion rings

Denny's:
-country fried steak (not good)
-country gravy (not good)

Dollywood:
-dipped chocolate chip cookies

El Pollo Loco:
-beans
-pollo asada

Hard Rock Cafe:
-baked potato soup
-bbq beans
-bbq ribs
-homemade chicken noodle soup
-pulled pork
-shrimp fajitas

Hardee's:
-cinnamon "flake" biscuits

Hooter's:
-buffalo shrimp
-buffalo wings

Houston's:
-buttermilk garlic dressing
-spinach & artichoke dip (didn't like this version, once again T. Wilbur is better imo)

IHOP:
-banana nut pancakes
-colorado omelet
-cream of wheat pancakes
-pancakes
-swedish pancakes

Joe's Crab Shack:
-crab cakes(really good)
-etouffee
-rice pilaf
-seafood stuffed mushrooms
-seafood stuffing
-stuffed shrimp en brochette

Johnny Carino's:
-5 cheese chicken fettuccine

Junior's:
-famous no. 1 cheesecake (this is the same recipe in juniors cookbook, he just copied)

KFC:
-buttermilk biscuits
-honey barbecue wings
-original recipe fried chicken (not even close, sorry!)

Luby's Cafeteria:
-spaghetti salad

Macaroni Grill:
-chocolate cake w/ fudge sauce
-focaccia
-insalata florentine
-pasta gamberetti e pinoli
-reese's peanut butter cake
-sesame shrimp
-shrimp portofino

Olive Garden:
-angel hair & 3 onion soup
-beef fillets in balsamice sauce
-bread sticks
-brushetta al pomodoro
-chicken crostina
-chicken san marco
-chocolate lasagna
-fettuccune alfredo
-fettuccine assorito
-5 cheese lasagna
-fried mozzarella
-lemon cream cake
-oven roasted potatoes
-pasta e fagioli
-pizza bianco
-pork filettino
-salad dressing
-sangria
-tiramisu
-tuscan tea
-zuppa toscana

Outback Steakhouse:
-cyclone pasta
-honey wheat bushman bread
-key lime pie
-marinated steak
-walkabout soup

Panda Express:
-orange flavored chicken

Panera Bread:
-asian sesame chicked salad
-broccoli cheese soup

Pat's King Of Steaks:
-philly cheesesteak

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery:
-pancakes

P.F.Changs:
-chicken lettuce wrap
-chicken w/ black bean sauce

Pizza Hut:
-cavatini

Planet Hollywood:
-cap n' crunch chicken (this was very good!)

Popeye's:
-cajun rice
-dirty rice

Rainforest Cafe:
-blue mountain grilled chicken sandwich
-crab cakes
-safari sauce

Red Lobster:
-batter fried shrimp
-casear dressing
-cajun shrimp linguine
-cheddar biscuits (sorry, Todd Wilbur is better)
-clam chowder
-deep fried catfish
-dungeness crab bisque
-fried chicken tenders
-grouper siciliano
-hush puppies
-lobster fondue
-shrimp diablo
-south beach seafood paella
-trout veracruz

Roadhouse Grill:
-roast beef & mashed potatoes

Ruby Tuesday:
-chicken quesdillas
-shrimp pasta parmesan(good)
-sonoran chicken pasta
-super salad bar pasta

Ruth Chris's Steak House:
-barbecued shrimp

Shoney's:
-marinated mushrooms
-pot roast
-tomato florentine soup

The Soup Nazi:
-crab bisque
-cream of sweet potato soup
-indian mulligatawny soup
-mexican chicken chili'

Starbucks:
-chocolate fudge squares w/ mocha glaze
-ginger bread n loaf

Subway:
-sweet onion sauce

Taco Bell:
-beef chalupa supreme
-burrito supreme(same recipe as Todd Wilbur)
-enchirito
-mexican pizza

T.G.I. Friday's:
-baked potato skins
-broccoli cheese soup
-honey mustard dressing
-jack daniels dipping sauce
-orange cream
-shrimp mainara
-sizzling chicken & cheese

Union Pacific:
-apple pancakes
-grilled white pekin duck breast

I don't feel this is a bad book. I didn't appreciate that he copied the recipe from Junior's cookbook. Besides that, the book is only $[...] and it will pay for itself within two meals and you will enjoy it. :)

30 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Kids Love It, July 23, 2009

By	Peter Samuel Jr. "Jahrasta19" (Laurel, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My kids love these recipes. They can't tell the difference. They use the cook book like a menu now. Its fun going through the book with the kids and searching for some of your favorite orders. Not only do they love the recipes but they want to learn to cook themselves. I always try to teach them a thing or two while I cook so that they know how to make more than cereal when there out on there own. This is the first cookbook that seems to grab and keep there attention. There are a bunch of great recipies, I recommend KFC chicken and the Red Lobster biscuits.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cool concept! Recreating restaurant recipes. . . ., August 7, 2009

By	Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This is an interesting book. I have read others years ago that make a similar effort--to recreate restaurant recipes. I recall reading of efforts to recreate, for instance, the Big Mac some years back. But this volume stands on its own pretty doggone well.

The book begins by noting its approach--trying to reproduce recipes that people really like. The author, Ron Douglas, notes a benefit of this book--by providing recipes to readers, people can make their favorite dishes and save money in the process. I have eaten Fettuccine Alfredo at Olive Garden. The author notes that one would pay $11.95 for this at the restaurant, but only $4.28 if one makes it at home, quite a saving!

The book opens with helpful cooking tips, with guidelines for buying veggies, and laying out how long one can hold on to herbs/spices before they go stale or bad. But it is the recipes that are at the heart of this book. For example, Applebee's Baby Back Ribs. Ingredients: Ribs, ketchup, cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire Sauce, liquid smoke, and salt. Why just list ingredients? To compare with other rib recipes in this volume! Hard Rock Cafe's BBQ Ribs ingredients: water, liquid smoke, St. Louis ribs, chicken broth, ketchup, maple syrup, pepper, yellow mustard, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire Sauce, bay leaf, white vinegar, and orange juice. Some similarities--but also some interesting differences.

I make fried rice whenever I do a stir fry dinner. Benihana's recipe is different from mine. Many of the ingredients may be similar (e.g., mixed vegetables), but the process is different. I use the "Joy of Cooking" recipe--which is great! It calls for cooling the rice; the Benihana version does not. Thus, similar ingredients but a different process. That's part of the fun of looking at these recipes. Can I try something different and still come up with a good dish?

I make a decent Pasta e fagioli, but when I had a business meeting at Olive Garden, I had to concede that their version was better. How nice to see that recipe listed in this book! Next time I make this dish? I'll use the reconstructed Olive Garden menu.

And on it goes.

In the end, this is a fun concept. It is not original; others have made the effort before. But the recipes are doable and promise to produce good results.