America's Most Wanted Recipes [Kindle Edition]

Ron Douglas (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Ron Douglas reveals the secret recipes from America’s restaurants— The Cheesecake Factory™, The Olive Garden™, P.F. Chang’s™, Red Lobster™, and many more—and shows readers how to make them at home for a fraction of the price.

The average American family eats out three or more times per week, which translates into hundreds of dollars spent on food each month. In these hard economic times, families simply can’t afford to keep paying these high prices. And Ron Douglas has spent the past five years of his life ensuring that we won’t have to. With the help of a test kitchen and more than 45,000 tasters, he uncovered the carefully guarded recipes of the most popular meals at restaurants across the country. With his easy-to-follow steps, families can now enjoy the meals they love most at a price they can actually afford.

KFC’s Famous Fried Chicken, Chili’s Southwest Chicken Chili, Olive Garden’s Breadsticks, and Cheesecake Factory’s Oreo Cheesecake are just a few of the many famous and delicious recipes included. And because each recipe has been tested by Ron’s incredible network of tens of thousands of testers, they are indistinguishable from the originals.

These best-kept secrets can save you thousands of dollars a year and will put delicious meals on the table that the whole family will enjoy.

About the Author

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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 485 KB
• Publisher: Atria Books; Original edition (July 7, 2009)
• Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002ENBLRC
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

275 of 287 people found the following review helpful:

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

By 

Denise "Nisy" (New York) - See all my reviews

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

Table of contents:

Applebee's:
-baby back ribs
-bacon green onion mashed potatoes
-chicken quesdilla grande
-crispy orange chicken skillet(good)
-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(didn't like)

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(really good!)
-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(good)
-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. :)

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mistakes!!!, October 31, 2010

By 

Elaine Ayers - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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

I'm actually trying these recipes, and of 2 in progress, there are serious erros in each. Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf calls for "8 tablespoons(1/2 stick) butter". So which is it? 8 tablespoons(1 stick) or maybe it really means 1/2 stick,and it should be 4 tablespoons? (Seems to really be the 8 tablespoons). Baking time calls for 40-50 minutes; it took 60 minutes (my oven is reliable)Luckily, I'm a seasoned enough cook that I could reason these errors out.
Speaking of seasoned... I also have The Soup Natzi's Mexican Chicken Chilli on cooking. The recipe doesn't include one ounce of seasoning. No salt, no pepper, no chilli powder. Nothing. I'll make something up,but it's guaranteed that it won't be a clone of the original.
Oh, and I really bought this book for the Red Lobster cheese biscuit recipe. I've seen the version in this book many times. Much to my dissapointment, there's nothing new or different in this recipe.
This book gets 2 stars instead of 1, because the loaf and the 'chilli' (well, so far it's more chicken soup than chilli) both smell really great.
If you're a new cook, I'd advise you to stay away from this book. You'd get really bummed out when after all your hard work, the investment of all the ingredients and following a new recipe exactly, you end up with a end result that's not what you're expecting - and deserve!

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hold the cayenne, September 9, 2009

By 

Peg B (CT) - See all my reviews

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

I have now made a few recipes from this book and would caution others: use your common sense when cooking these recipes. For instance, the author recommends 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in the mushroom tomato topping for Applebees's spinach pizza. I LOVE spicy food, but this could kill someone. The orange glazed chicken has twice as much sugar in the glaze as needed. It is cloying. Most of you out there will adjust other things I am sure. My advice: go with care.