KFC Cole Slaw Fat Free

It doesn't get much easier than this. If you like the taste of KFC Cole Slaw, but don't like the 10.5 grams of fat per 3/4 cup serving, you're going to love this recipe. Using fat free Miracle Whip and sugar you can make a guiltless dressing to recreate the taste of the world's most famous cole slaw. The most work you'll do on this one is chopping the cabbage, carrot and onion into tiny, rice-size bits.

That's an important step, if you want the texture of the original. Plus, the chopping action may help burn off what little calories you consume eating this original Top Secret Recipes fat free conversion of a fast food favorite.

Recipe Ingredient

1 cup fat free Miracle Whip

1/4 cup sugar

8 cups cabbage, finely minced

1/4 cup carrot, shredded then minced

2 tablespoons minced onion

1. Combine Miracle Whip with sugar in a large bowl. Mix well with electric beater until sugar is dissolved.

2. Add cabbage, carrot, and onion, and toss well. Be sure cabbage and carrot are chopped into very small pieces, about the size of rice.

3. Cover and chill for at least two hours before serving.

Serves 8.

KFC Bean Salad

Recipe Ingredient

1 16-oz can green beans (Blue Lake or some good quality)

1 16-oz can wax beans

1 16-oz can kidney beans

1 medium green pepper, sliced and chopped

1 medium-sized white onion sliced and cut up

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Drain and rinse kidney beans well. Drain additional beans and combine all ingredients together. Marinate and refrigerate overnight. Bean salad tastes better after 3 or 4 days.

Makes about 7 cups.

Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix-dressing

Categories:Salads, Dressings
Yield: 1 pint

Powder Mix recipe

15 2" square saltines
2 c Dry minced parsley flakes
1/2 c Dry minced onions
2 tb Dry dill weed
1/4 c Onion salt
1/4 c Garlic salt
1/4 c Onion powder
1/4 c Garlic powder

Salad dressing
1 tb Mix
1 c Mayo
1 c Buttermilk

Put crackers through blender on high speed until powdered. Add parsley, minced onions and dill weed. Blend again until powdered. Put into bowl. Stir in onion salt, garlic salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Put into container with tight-fitting lid. Store at room temp for 1 year. Makes 42- 1 tablespoon servings. TO USE MIX-Combine mix, mayo and buttermilk.

Harley Davidson Cafe Harley Hog Sandwich

In late September 1997, the Harley Davidson Cafe celebrated its grand opening in Las Vegas. This is the second Harley Davidson Cafe, with the first one located in New York City, just a short walk from the first Planet Hollywood. Both locations serve up some delicious "road food" amongst the awesome collection of vintage Harley's and Harley Davidson paraphernalia.

I think this sandwich is one of their best, and this recipe comes right from the source. The Pork Producers Council got the recipe from the cafe's chef, and featured it in a promotional pull-out that ran in a restaurant trade magazine in 1995. Now the secret can be shared with you.

Recipe Ingredient
6 to 8 lb. boneless pork butt, tied

Rub

1 cup Kosher salt

1 cup course ground black pepper

1 cup paprika (sweet Hungarian is best)

2 cups hickory wood chips

1 cup apple wood chips

Hog Sauce

2 large onions, chopped

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

5 1/4 cups (42 ounces) canned tomatoes, with juice

3 cups cider vinegar

1 3/4 cups ketchup

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup brown mustard

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
12 large round rolls

1. Combine all of the rub ingredients. Coat the pork butt evenly with mixture, shaking off any excess.

2. Soak wood chips in water 30 minutes. Place pork butt in a smoker on rack at 220 degrees for 8 hours, with smoke going for 2 hours. Let it cool slightly. Break the meat apart with your hands.

3. Saute onions in oil in heavy saucepan until translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Puree the sauce and let it cool. (Sauce can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.)

4. Combine the pork and the sauce (to taste) in a heavy saucepan. Cook until it is heated through.

5. To serve: Pile the pork on the rolls. Serve with french fries and cole slaw if desired. Yields 12 servings.

Todd's Tidbits
You can also smoke your pork in a charcoal barbecue, such as a round Weber Grill. Just arrange the charcoal around the edge of the inside of the grill. When the coals are hot, place the soaked wood chips on them, and then place the pork on the center of the rack above the coals. Cover. Cook the meat for 2-4 hours or until the internal temperature comes to 150-165 degree

Hard Rock Cafe Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

It's the chunkiest dang chicken soup you'll ever slurp down and it comes from the first worldwide theme eatery and hip hangout. Crank up the rock 'n roll and throw all this good stuff into a pot and enjoy this final secret recipe in our series of mouth-watering soup clones. Bah-bye winter!

Recipe Ingredient
1 pound chicken breast fillets

1 pound chicken thigh fillets

vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup diced celery

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1 cup sliced carrot

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

2 cups egg noodles

Garnish

minced fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Rub a little vegetable oil over the surface of each piece of chicken and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven when it's done and set it aside to cool.

3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Saut?the onion and celery in the saucepan for just 4 to 5 minutes. You don't want to brown the veggies.

4. Dice the chicken and add it to the pot along with the remaining ingredients, except the noodles.

5. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are soft.

6. Add the noodles and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Serve with a pinch of minced fresh parsley sprinkled on top.

Makes 6 servings.

Hard Rock Cafe Bar-B-Que Beans

If you love baked beans you'll go nuts over this clone recipe from the world's first theme restaurant chain. It's real easy to make too, since you just pour all of the ingredients into a covered casserole dish, stir, and bake for an hour and a half. The only element that may give you pause is the pulled pork from last week's recipe. It's an effortless addition if you've got some of that pork on hand.

If not, just leave that ingredient out. Or you could add some cooked bacon to the mix. Either way the beans will still come out awesome as a nosh-worthy side dish or snack.

Recipe Ingredient
2 15-ounce cans pinto beans (with liquid)

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons diced onion

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded pork

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pour entire contents of the can of pinto beans into a casserole dish (with a lid).

3. Dissolve the cornstarch in a small bowl with the 2 tablespoons of water. Add this solution to the beans and stir.

4. Add the remaining ingredients to the dish, stir well and cover.

5. Bake for 90 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir every 30 minutes. After removing the beans from the oven, let the beans cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.

Hard Rock Cafe Baked Potato Soup

Recipe Ingredient
8 Bacon slices - fried & crumbled
1 cup Yellow onions - diced
2/3 cups Flour
6 cups Chicken stock - hot
4 cups Potatoes - baked, diced & Peeled
2 cups Heavy cream
1/2 cup Parsley - chopped
1 1/2 tsp Granulated garlic
11/2 tsp Salt
11/2 tsp Red pepper sauce
11/2 tsp Coarse black pepper
1 cup Cheddar cheese - grated
1/2 cup Green onions - diced

Chop bacon; reserve. Cook onions in remaining drippings over medium high heat until transparent, about 3 minutes. Add flour, stirring to prevent lumps; cook for 3-5 minutes, until mixture just begins to turn golden. Add chicken stock gradually, whisking to prevent lumps until liquid thickens.

Reduce heat to simmer and add potatoes, cream, chopped bacon, parsley, garlic, basil, salt, pepper sauce and plack pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes; do not allow to boil. Add grated cheese and green onions, heat until cheese melts smoothly. Garnish each serving as desired with chopped bacon, grated cheese andchopped parsley.
Makes 8 Servings.

Fatburger

Southern California - the birthplace of famous hamburgers from McDonald's, Carl's Jr., and In-n-Out Burger - is home to another thriving burger chain that opened its first outlet in 1952. Lovie Yancey thought of the perfect name for the 1/3-pound burgers she sold at her Los Angeles burger joint: Fatburger. Now with over 41 units in California, Nevada, and moving into Washington and Arizona, Fatburger has become the food critics' favorite, winning "best burger in town" honors with regularity. The secret is the seasoned salt used on a big 'ol lean beef patty. And there's no ketchup on the stock version, just mayo, mustard, and relish. Replace the ground beef with ground turkey and you've got Fatburger's Turkeyburger all up and cloned.

Recipe's Ingredients:
1/3 pound lean ground beef

seasoned salt

ground black pepper

1 plain hamburger bun

1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped iceberg lettuce

1 tomato slice

1/2 tablespoon mustard

1/2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon chopped onion

3 dill pickle slices (hamburger slices)

Optional

1 slice American cheese

Grill the unsuspecting beef patty in a hot frying pan.
Slap the hot side and the cold side together.
1. Form the ground beef into a patty that is about 1 inch wider than the circumference of the hamburger bun.

2. Preheat a non-stick frying pan to medium/high heat. Fry the patty in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until done. Season both sides of the beef with seasoned salt and ground black pepper.

3. As the meat cooks prepare the bun by spreading approximately 1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise on the face of the top bun.

4. Place the lettuce on the mayonnaise, followed by the tomato slice.

5. When the beef is done place the patty on the bottom bun.

6. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of mustard over the top of the beef patty.

7. Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of relish over the mustard.

8. Sprinkle the chopped onion onto the relish.

9. Arrange the pickles on the chopped onion.

10. Bring the two halves of the burger together and serve with gumption.

Makes 1 burger.

Tidbits

If you want cheese on your burger, put a slice of American cheese on the face of the bottom bun before adding the beef patty. The heat from the meat will melt the cheese.

EL TORITO CHICKEN AND LIME SOUP

Categories: Soups, Mexican
Yield: 4 servings


Recipe Ingredient
1 qt Chicken stock
1 c Julienne-cut tomatoes
2 Limes; (just the juice)
1/2 c Julienne-cut red onion
1 t Dried Mexican oregano
1 T Minced cilantro
1 t Dried basil
4 oz Jalapeno Jack cheese; cubed
1 t Pureed chipotle chile
2 Corn tortillas;cut in strips
1 Bay leaf
1 Avocado*
Salt & White pepper
4 Lime slices
2 Chicken breast halves*
4 Cilantro sprigs

*Note- Chicken breasts should be cooked and shredded. Avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced. Combine stock, lime juice, oregano, basil, pureed chipotle and bay leaf in stockpot. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Bring to boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Add shredded chicken, tomatoes, red onion and cilantro. Bring to boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Ladle very hot soup into warm soup bowls. Drop in cheese cubes. Garnish each serving with a few tortilla strips, avocado slices, lime slice and cilantro sprig.

Makes about 1 quart.

Church's Fried Chicken

Serving Size : 3
Categories : Chicken Sandwiches Salsa


Recipe
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
-----WALDINE VAN GEFFEN VGHC42A-----
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 1/2 cups Self-rising flour
1/2 cup Cornstarch
3 teaspoons Seasoned salt
2 teaspoons Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 cup Biscuit mix
1 Env Italian Dressing Mix
1 Env Onion soup mix

-----TO USE-----
2 Eggs -- mix with
1/4 cup Cold water
1 cup Corn oil

Combine all ingredients in a 4-cup container. Mix to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 3 months. TO USE-Dip the chicken pieces in egg mixture and then into dry coating mix and back into egg to coat the pieces evenly but lightlyand finally back into dry mix. Have oil piping hot in heavy skillet. Brown pieces skin-side down for 4 to 6 minutes. Use medium high heat. Turn and brown underside of pieces a few minutes. Transfer to an oiledor Pam-sprayed 9x12x2 pan. Cover pan in foil, sealing it on only 3 side of pan. Bake 350~ for about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove foil. Bake another5 minutes just to crisp the coating.

Serves 4

Chili's Southwestern Vegetable Soup

If you like a soup that's packed with veggies, that's low in fat, and has some of that Southwestern zing to it, this is the one for you. Just toss all the ingredients in a pot and simmer. Garnish with some shredded cheese and crumbled tortillas, and prepare totake the chill off.

Recipe
6 cups chicken broth (Swanson is best)

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 cup water

1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, with liquid

1 cup frozen yellow cut corn

1 cup frozen cut green beans

1 4-ounce can diced green chilies

1/2 cup diced Spanish onion

1/2 cup tomato sauce

6 corn tortillas, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

dash garlic powder

Garnish
1 cup grated cheddar/jack cheese blend
1 cup crumbled corn tortilla chips


1. Combine all the soup ingredients in a large saucepan or soup pot over high heat. Be sure to mince the corn tortillas intosmall pieces with a sharp knife before adding them to the soup.

2. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the soup has thickened and tortilla pieces have mostly dissolved.

3. To serve soup ladle 1 1/2 cups into a bowl. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the grated cheddar/jack cheese blend over the top of the soup, and then a heaping tablespoon of crumbled corn tortilla chips over the cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls

Many people have hopped on the cloning bandwagon for this recipe. Unfortunately the "clone" recipes that are floating around out there for this dish are pretty lame. So into the TSR test kitchen we go, and out comes the closest thing you'll ever savor next to actually eating the real thing.

These "eggrolls" are made with flour tortillas, stuffed with a spicy blend of corn, green onions, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, monterey jack cheese and spices. When you add the creamy avocado ranch dipping sauce, you're tastebuds will beginto party.

Make these several hours before you plan to serve them so that they can freeze solid before frying. This will help to make the outside a dark golden brown, and the eggrolls will stay folded without letting any oil seep into the filling. This is how they cook 'em at the restaurant chain. And now you can check out the video for a hands-ondemonstration.

Recipe
1 chicken breast fillet

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons minced green onion

1/3 cup frozen corn

1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2 tablespoons diced, canned jalapeno peppers

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash cayenne pepper

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheesefive

7-inch flour tortillas

Avocado-ranch dipping sauce

1/4 cup smashed, fresh avocado (about half of an avocado)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

dash dried dill weed

dash garlic powder

dash pepper

Garnish

2 tablespoons chopped tomato

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1. Preheat barbecue grill to high heat.

2. Rub the chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on the barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken while it cooks. Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle.

3. Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and saut?for a couple minutes until tender.

5. Dice the cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to the pan. Add the corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pan. Cook for another 4 minutes. Stir well so that the spinach separates and is incorporated into the mixture.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.

7. Wrap the tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot.

8. Spoon approximately one-fifth of the mixture into the center of a tortilla. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture. Roll the tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls. Arrange the eggrolls on a plate, cover the plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

9. While the eggrolls freeze prepare the avocado-ranch dipping sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

10. Preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375 degrees.

11. Deep fry the eggrolls in the hot oil for 12-15 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes.

12. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate around a small bowl of the dipping sauce. Garnish the dipping sauce with the chopped tomato and onion.

Serves 3-4

Chili's Nacho Burger

Here's a clone recipe for a delicious new burger from Chili's unlike any you may have tasted before. It was designed by the folks at this popular chain to incorporate several of restaurant's prepared sides -- all of which you will now have clones for -- including Chili's chili queso, Chili's pico de gallo, and Chili's guacamole. Stack it all onto abun with a juicy 1/4-pound ground beef patty and some crumbledtortilla chips for crunch, and you've got a slightly spicy, South-of-the-border taste. Muy bien, amigos!

List of recipes...
Pico de Gallo

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup diced Spanish onion

2 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and de-ribbed

2 teaspoons finely minced fresh cilantro

Pinch of salt

Guacamole

2 small or 1 large Haas avocado

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/4 cup diced tomato

1/2 teaspoon diced jalapeno

1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Chili Queso

3 ounces ground beef

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

pinch of ground black pepper

16-ounce bottle Cheez Whiz

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 pounds ground beef

4 large sesame seed buns

2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded or chopped thin

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 green onion, chopped

16-20 tortilla chips

2-3 fresh jalapenos, sliced

1. First make the pico de gallo. This is easy. Just combine all of the ingredients for the pico in a small bowl and mix well. Cover bowl and chill in the refrigerator.

2. Now we'll make the guacamole. In a small bowl, smash up most of the avocado, but be sure to leave several unsmashed chunks. Add the remaining ingredients for the guacamole to the avocado and mix well. Cover bowl and chill in the refrigerator, next to the pico.

3. Next we'll make the chili queso. In yet another small bowl, mix together ground beef, flour, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of chili powder. Use your hands to work the dry ingredients into the ground beef. Brown the beef in a small skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Use a spoon or spatula to crumble the beef as it cooks. Cook until it's brown, then set aside.

4. Melt the Cheez Whiz with 2 tablespoons of milk over low heat. When milk and cheese has been combined, add the remaining queso ingredients. Heat while stirring often until cheese is smooth and creamy, then cover saucepan and remove it from the heat.

5. Pre-heat a griddle or large frying pan over medium heat. Lightly butter the face of each bun and brown the buns face-down on the heat.

6. Separate the ground beef into four 1/2-pound portions. Roll each portion of meat into a ball and then pat the meat down into a circular patty slightly larger in diameter than the hamburger buns. Cook the hamburger patties for 5-10 minutes per side, until done. Lightly salt and pepper each burger patty.

7. Build the burger open-faced in the following order starting with the bottom bun:

On Bottom Bun

1/2 cup shredded lettuce

hamburger patty

2 tablespoons chili queso

4 or 5 crumbled tortilla chips

2 teaspoons green onion

On Top Bun

1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 tablespoons pico de gallo

2 tablespoons guacamole

4 jalapeno slices

Serve burger with extra queso and guacamole. May also serve french fries on the side and use the chili queso for dipping.

Makes 4 burgers.

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

It's an item that you won't even find on the current menu at this national restaurant chain. But ask your server what soups are available and this is a selection that's available every day of the week. The dish is one of Chili's most raved-about items, and a recipe to clone the delicious soup is easily one of the most requested here on the Internet.

Looks like it's time for an official TSR custom clone to answer those many requests. The secret here is the addition of masa harina -- a corn flour that you will find in your supermarket near the other floursor in the Mexican food section. You'll find the recipe for the pico de gallo garnish in the Chili's Nacho Burger clonerecipe from last November. Enjoy, amigos!

Recipe

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb. of chicken breast fillets (approx. 3 fillets)

1/2 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, pressed

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup masa harina

3 cups water

1 cup enchilada sauce

16 ounces Velveeta

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Garnish

shredded cheddar cheese

crumbled corn tortilla chips

pico de gallo (from recipe for November 17, 1997)

1. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken breasts to pot and brown for 4-5 minutes per side. Set chicken aside.

2. Add onions and garlic to pot and saute over medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until onions begin to become translucent. Add chicken broth.

3. Combine masa harina with 2 cups of water in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. Add masa mixture to pot with onions, garlic and broth.

4. Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cheese and spices to pot and bring mixture to a boil.

5. Shred the chicken into small, bite-size pieces and add it to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 30-40 minutes or until thick.

6. Serve soup in cups or bowls, and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled corn tortilla chips, and pico de gallo.

Makes approx. 12 servings.

Chevys Mesquite-Grilled BBQ Chicken Quesadilla

With this secret recipe from the latest TSR low-lat book, it isn't necessary to cook the chicken over a mesquite grill as they do in the restaurant chain. Sure, you could get some mesquite wood chips and throw 'em on your barbecueor you can use that charcoal that has mesquite in it.

But an easier way to get the flavor of mesquite--especiallyif all you've got is a gas grill--is to soak the chicken in a marinade made with mesquite-flavored liquid smoke. In the restaurant these puppies are made with red chili tortillas.

Since these type of tortillas can be a drag to track down, especially in fat-free versions, we'll use plain fat-free tortillas for our tasty reduced-fat clone.

Mesquite Marinade recipe

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon mesquite-flavored liquid smoke

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash ground black pepper
Spicy BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup Bull's-Eye Original BBQ Sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

dash chili powder
1 boneless chicken breast

1/3 cup sliced red bell pepper

1/3 cup sliced green bell pepper

1/3 cup sliced Spanish onion

2 large (12-inch) fat-free flour tortillas

1 1/3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Prepare the marinade by combining the ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken breast fillet to the bowl, cover, and chill for one hour.

2. When the chicken is finished marinating, preheat your grill to high temperature.

3. As grill is heating, prepare the spicy BBQ sauce by mixing the ingredients in a small bowl.

4. Throw the chicken on the grill and cook it for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until it's done. When the chicken is done cooking, chop it into bite-size pieces.

5. Spray a light coating of nonstick cooking spray on a medium skillet over medium heat. Saut?the sliced peppers and onion in the pan for 4 to 5 minutes or until the veggies start to brown.

6. Set a large skillet over medium/low heat.

7. Put one flour tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle 1/3 cup of cheese over half of the tortilla. Spoon half of the vegetables over the cheese, followed by half of the chicken.

8. Spoon a generous portion of the spicy BBQ sauce over the chicken, followed by another 1/3 cup of cheese.

9. Fold the other side of the tortilla over the filling, and press down so that it stays in place.

10. By this time, the cheese on the bottom should be melted. If not, wait another minute or so, then flip the quesadilla over and heat for another couple minutes or until all of the cheese has melted.

11. Slide the quesadilla onto a plate and slice it into 4 pieces. Repeat for the second quesadilla and serve immediately with salsa on the side.Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Total servings 4

Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic

Louisianna chef Paul Prudhomme, America's number one Dom DeLuise look a like, hit it big in supermarkets with his magical brand of Cajun spice blends. Chef Paul developed his seasonings after years of making little batches and passing them out to customers in the restaurants where he worked.

Now his Magic Seasoning Blends come in several varieties and are produced in a whopping 30,000- square-foot plant by 38 employees. Fortunately, it'll take only one of you in a small kitchen to make a clone of one of the most popular versions of the blend.

Use it when you barbecue, roast, grill, or saute your favorite chicken, turkey, duck, or Cornish game hens.

Recipe's Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

dash cumin

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in a covered container. Sprinkle on any poultry to taste.

Makes 4 teaspoons.

Carl's Jr.Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken Sandwich

If you love crispy chicken sandwiches - and especially if you don't live in the West - you'll want to try out this clone of the tasty Carl's Jr. creation. The recipe makes four of the addicting chicken sandwiches from theCalifornia-based chain, but will also come in handy for making a delicious homemade ranch dressing. Try using some lean turkey bacon, fat-free Swiss cheese, and fat-free mayonnaise if you feel like cutting back on the fat.Then you can eat two.

Recipe fo Ranch Dressing
1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon parsley

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

dash dill weed

dash garlic powder

dash ground black pepper

2 teaspoons hot water

1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
6 to 8 cups vegetable shortening

1 egg

1 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

4 chicken breast fillets

4 sesame seed hamburger buns

4 lettuce leaves

4 tomato slices

Kraft Swiss cheese Singles

8 slices bacon, cooked

1. Preheat 6 to 8 cups of shortening in a deep fryer to 350 degrees. If you don't have a deep fryer, you can also pan fry using a large frying pan and just a couple cups of shortening.

2. To prepare the ranch dressing, combine all of the ingredients except the water and gelatin in small bowl. Mix the water with the gelatin in a small cup until all of the gelatin is dissolved. Add this gelatin solution to the other ingredients and stir. Cover and chill the dressing until it's needed.

3. Beat the egg and then combine with 1 cup water in a small, shallow bowl. Stir.

4. Combine the flour, salt, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder in another shallow bowl.

5. Pound each of the breast fillets with a mallet until about 1/4-inch thick. Trim each breast fillet until it is round.

6. Working with one fillet at a time, first coat each fillet with the flour, then dredge it in the egg and water mixture. Coat the chicken once again in the flour and set it aside until all of the fillets have been coated.

7. Fry the chicken fillets for 8 to 12 minutes or until light brown and crispy.

8. As chicken is frying, prepare each sandwich by grilling the face of the hamburger buns on a hot skillet over medium heat. Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the ranch dressing on the face of the top and bottom buns.

9. On the bottom bun, stack a leaf of lettuce and a tomato slice.

10. When the chicken is done frying, remove the fillets from the fryer and drain them on paper towels or a rack for a couple minutes.

11. Stack one fillet on the bottom of the sandwich (on top of the tomato), then stack a slice of the Swiss cheese onto the chicken.

12. Arrange the bacon, crosswise, on top of the Swiss cheese, then top off the sandwich with the top bun. Repeat the stacking process for each of the remaining sandwiches.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Dakota Smashed Pea & Barley Soup

Got one of those cool hand blenders? You know,the kind of gadget that used to be pitched on those annoying yet compelling late-night infomercials? It comes in handy for this recipe, which requires the split peas to be smashed into a smooth consistency,just like the original. If you don't have a hand mixer, a standard blender works just fine. This soup is very tasty and very low in fat. And the barley gives it a special chunky consistency and added flavor that isn't found in most pea soups.

Recipe's Ingredients:
2 cups split peas

6 cups water

2 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth (4 cups)

1/3 cup minced onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon white pepperdash dried thyme

1/2 cup barley

6 cups water

2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)

1/2 stalk celery, diced (1/4 cup)

Garnish

chopped green onion

1. Rinse and drain the split peas, then add them to a large pot with 6 cups of water, chicken broth, onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, sugar, parsley, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 75 minutes or until the peas are soft.

2. While the peas are cooking, combine the barley with 6 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 75 minutes or until the barley is soft and most ofthe water has been absorbed.

3. When the split pea mixture has become a thick soup, use a handheld blender to puree the peas until the mixture is smooth. You may also use a standard blender or food processor for this step, pureeing the soup in batches. Alternately, if you like, you may skip this step, keeping the soup rather chunky. It's still good this way, just not as smooth as the real thing.

4. Drain the barley mixture in a sieve or colander and add it to the split pea mixture. Add the carrots and celery and continue to simmer the soup for 15 to 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat, cover the soup, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with a little chopped green onion.

Makes 8 servings.

Burger King vs Big King

The Burger Wars are becoming the biggest foodfight since that cafeteria scene from the movie"Animal House". The two burger giants, McDonald's and Burger King, have each been cloning the other's top products in the bloody battle for the big burger buck.

Burger King stepped up first with the Big King vs Burger King's version of the McDonald's Big Mac. Yes, it had two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun; although everything was arranged a bit differently, and there's no middle bun in there.

Then McDonald's rolled out the Big N' Tasty, which bore a striking resemblance to Burger King's Whopper, with fresh lettuce, tomato, and onion on top of a huge beef patty. Who's winning this fight by leveraging the popularity of the other company's product? Nobody, really.

McDonald's chose to alter its Big N' Tasty recipe by making it smaller n' cheaper, then changed the name to Big Xtra!, while Burger King bailed out on the Big King altogether. But this food fight is far from over. More recently Burger King tweaked its french fry formula in an unsuccessful attempt to steal away fans from McDonald's winning fried spuds recipe.

And McDonald's has added morebreakfast sandwiches to compete with Burger King's wider wake-up selection. So the war continues. And the battlefield is splattered with ketchup.

Recipe for Spread

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons French dressing

2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 pounds ground beef

dash salt

dash pepper

4 sesame seed hamburger buns

1 1/3 cups chopped lettuce

8 slices American cheese

1 to 2 slices white onion, separated

8 dill pickle slices

1. Prepare the spread by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Set this aside until you are ready to use it.

2. Preheat your barbecue or indoor grill to high heat.

3. Divide the ground beef into 8 even portions (3 ounces each). Roll each portion into a ball, then press each ball flat to form a patty about the same diameter as the bun.

4. Grill the beef patties for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of the patties.

5. As the meat cooks, brown the faces of the buns in a hot skillet, toaster oven, or face down on the grill. Watch the buns closely so that they do not burn.

6. Build each burger by first spreading a tablespoon of the spread on the face of the top bun. Arrange about 1/3 cup of lettuce evenly over the spread.

7. On the bottom bun stack a patty, then a slice of American cheese, another patty, and another slice of cheese.

8. On the top slice of cheese arrange 2-3 separated onion slices (rings), then 2 pickle slices.

9. Turn the top part of the burger over onto the bottom and serve. You may also want to zap the sandwiches in the microwave, individually, for 15 to 20 seconds each.

Serves 4.

Boston Chicken Stuffing

Categories: Dressings, Vegetables
Yield: 8 side dish


Recipe's Ingredients:
10 oz Can sliced carrots; undrain
4 oz Can slices mushrooms;undrain
14 oz Can chicken broth
2 Ribs celery; cut 4-5 pieces
1 tb Rubbed sage
12 ts Poultry seasoning
1 tb Chicken bouillon powder
3 tb Bottled liquid margarine or melted butter or margarine
3 English muffins; cut into 1/2" cubes with crumbs
8 oz Bag unseasoned croutons
1 tb Dry parsley; minced
2 tb Dry minced onion

When you open the can of carrots, run the blade of a paring knife through them right in the can so that you've reduced them to tiny bits without mashing them. Empty it then into a Dutch oven. Add the mushrooms; set aside. Empty the cam of broth into the blender and add the celery along with the sage, poultry seasoning, bouillon powder and margarine. Blend a few seconds on high speed, only until celery is finely minced. Meanwhile, add the English muffin cubes, (crumbs too), croutons, parsley and onion to the Dutch oven. Pour blender mixture over and stir to combine with rubber bowl scraper until completely moist. Cover with a lid and bake at 350~ about 45 minutes to an hour or until piping hot. Refrigerate leftovers to use within a week. Freeze to use within 4 months.