M.H.

I am not a big fan of bottled ranch dressings, and I love the ranch dressing at Texas Roadhouse, but cannot find a copy cat recipe for it. Does anyone have a good recipe or one similar to Texas Roadhouse's that they have actually tried not just cut and paste from a site?

Thanks and Happy Saturday!!!!

I am down to my last few packages of chicken that I bought that was on sale (my family is soo happy...no chicken for a while LOL). With the remaining breasts I want to make grilled (actually pan-fried) chicken breast with a marinade for sandwiches. No Italian dressing ones, I'm not a big fan of those. Also, no breaded ones either. I really like the ones that are at waffle house, so if anyone knows how to replicate that I would appreciate it! Thanks for your help!!

I received an awesome recipe to a previous question of mine for a seafood dish, but hubby wants shrimp scampi instead - so in the freezer the scallops will go. I have my usual way of making scampi using the Old Bay recipe, which is good. However, I just want to try out someone else's recipe. Does anyone else have a scampi recipe you have tried and would like to share with me? Thanks!

I just want something new for dinner and don't really want to do a big search on my own, so I'm asking for your help. This will be for dinner tonight. I will be going to the store so any ingredients is fine. Seafood, beef, pork, chicken, etc. I just want something different - no spaghetti, meatloaf, etc. Also, since this is for dinner tonight - no marinading or crockpot. I'm not a beginner cook, so it doesn't have to be a real simple easy dish. Thanks for your help!

I have overstocked my fridge with chicken breast that was such a good price that I bought quite a bit. I have made so many chicken dishes this past couple of weeks (my usual ones), now my family is tired of chicken. I need to use up the chicken rather than just buy other meats right now. Are there any recipes that you may have that would be different than the usual stuff? I'm not a beginner cook, so it can be difficult and daring recipes as well. I love to try new things. Thanks!!

I love mussels, but if I had to say there was a food that I was afraid to cook it would be mussels.

1. How do I buy them - I mean how can I tell they are fresh/good quality? What kind (species) is the best, etc

2. How in the heck do I clean them? Detailed would be nice as I have never done this before in my life. Can I buy them already cleaned, like you can buy deveined & shelled shrimp (I hate deveining shrimp too)? Any brands?

3. A recipe. I do not want them in a marinara sauce. I really like the appetizers you get at restaurants where they are in some sort of butter, garlic, maybe lemon. Any tried and true recipes?

Thanks for your help!!!!

I have 6 pork chops bought from a local farm market. I love the meat there, so whenever mom goes there she always picks me up something. She brought home pork chops this time. I have my usual way of cooking it, but everytime I cook porkchops they turn out so dry. How do I get those restaurant styled ones where they are flavorful and moist. Does anyone have good recipes for tips? I don't want to use the crockpot, so no crockpot recipes. Thanks!

I have 4 really nice thick pork chops I bought yesterday from the local farmer's market, and I love condensed Campbell's French Onion soup with my pork roast. I do not want to use my crockpot. I was thinking about searing the pork on both sides then letting it simmer in the French Onion soup, but I just wanted to see what my fellow posters can come up with. Also, I would like a new veggie side dish to go with the pork too. We like all veggies so be as creative as you want :o)

I have lots of ground beef in the freezer, it was on sale and I stocked up. I'm going to make a meatloaf this week. I have a good recipe that we like, but I want to try something different. Does anyone have a recipe that is a good old tried and true family recipe?

There was a very good sale on boneless chicken breast, and since we're down to 1 income, I bought a bunch and froze them. I have made many different chicken dishes, but now in the mood to make just a regular chicken breast in a marinade. I have used the Italian dressing one, which is my regular one, but I want something different. I don't want to go to the store, so no really off the wall ingredient. I have many ingredients at home - lemon juice, oils (olive, vegetable, sesame), soy sauce, vinegar, and many spices -- no wine or beer. I also don't want anything sweet, a savory one is preferred. Recipes that you have tried would be nice, but on-line ones you fine are good too.

Also, if I choose to bake chicken instead of grill/fry - what temp and how long?

My 2 year old husky/lab mix is going through a very extreme shedding the last few days. I know they shed, but he has never shed this badly this before. By extreme, I mean you can just pet him or gently pull his hair and clumps come out. He does not have any bald spots, excess dander, itching, etc. or any other signs of skin problems. He also has bright eyes, soft & shiny coat, very energetic, etc. So I really don't think it's a health issue. I haven't changed his diet. I know husky's go through a "blowing their coat" phase 2 times a year. Could this be what he is going through? What do you do to help get rid of the excess hair? I have been brushing him. How long does this last? Would it be normal not having this in the puppy stages, but when they are adults? He just turned two and I did not notice this at all when he was a pup.

I had an excellent clam chowder when I went to Boston and could never find it here (I live in Ohio) of course. The clam chowder at the cafeteria at work is usually not very good, except the other day. They tried a new one and it was almost as good as the one I had in Boston. Now, I am craving it and they are not planning on serving it again until the end of the month. I would like to make this at home, but there are so many recipes and I really don't know which one is good or not. Does someone have a really good recipe for clam chowder like the kind they serve in Boston or on the east coast that it a tried and true recipe. Thanks for your help!!

I made a turkey yesterday, and I have quite a bit of leftovers. I don't want to make soup now (froze the carcass for soup later on) since we have been having lots of soups lately. I would like some casserole recipes that are tried and true. Thanks!!

We ate at an Italian restaurant here and my son had this spaghetti dish that was wonderful. I would like to make this for him, but cannot find a recipe. I asked and the restuarant said it is family recipe and would not give it out.

It did not have your typical tomato sauce for spaghetti.

It had oil, garlic, italian sausage, mushrooms, and other spices. It did have egg in it according to the menu, but you couldn't tell at all. It did not have any egg flavor whatsoever.

I tried a carbonara recipe on allrecipes.com which I thought was similiar, but it was no where near the same. So I don't think this was a carbonara.

Just wondering if anyone happen to ever hear of this and knows how to make it. Thanks for your help!!

We ate at an Italian restaurant here and my son had this spaghetti dish that was wonderful. I would like to make this for him, but cannot find a recipe. I asked and the restuarant said it is family recipe and would not give it out.

It did not have your typical tomato sauce for spaghetti.

It had oil, garlic, italian sausage, mushrooms, and other spices. It did have egg in it according to the menu, but you couldn't tell at all. It did not have any egg flavor whatsoever.

I tried a carbonara recipe on allrecipes.com which I thought was similiar, but it was no where near the same. So I don't think this was a carbonara.

Just wondering if anyone happen to ever hear of this and knows how to make it. Thanks for your help!!

We were just watching "How I Met Your Mother" and their "perfect burger search, and it made me want a good burger. So know I just want to know what is a very "the best" burger recipe you have made that's tried and true. What do you put on it?

My oven is broke, so I am down to cooking on the stove top or microwave. Does anyone have any good recipes they are willing to share? (links are helpful too) We are not a picky family - we like all kinds of meals (fish, beef, chicken, pork, etc.) and ethnic meals too. Thanks!!

Does anyone have a copycat recipe for Chichi's hot salsa - not the mild? The mild one reminds me of jar salsa, which I'm not a big fan of. The hot had a fresher taster to it. Thanks!!

I have a recipe that calls for lobster base. I know you can buy it online, but I'm not a big fan on ordering online. I have been to several stores here and cannot find it. I was wondering if there are substitutions for it.

Here is the recipe:

SEAFOOD ENCHILADAS - CANCUN STYLE

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons lobster base

3 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk

1 cup white wine or cooking sherry

8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded

1 (4 ounce) can baby shrimp

2 (8 ounce) packages imitation crabmeat, flake style

10 (6 inch) flour tortillas, old mission restaurant style

paprika

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FOR THE SAUCE.

Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.

Add flour.

Cook and stir for 5 minutes(should have a nutty aroma).

Add 1/2 tsp white pepper.

Stir in 2 tbsps lobster base and cook for an additional minute.

Add milk & wine.

Add 2 oz. of the cheese.

Continue to cook until thickened.

=============================================

FOR THE CRAB MIX.

Lightly chop the flaked imitation crab.

Combine with shrimp in a medium size bowl.

Add 1.5 cups of cold sauce.

Mix well.

=============================================

FOR THE ENCHILADAS.

Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface.

Place 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the crab mix across the center of each tortilla.

Place flap of the tortilla over the crab mix and roll.

Place flap side down onto a plate or in your baking dish.

Ladle warm sauce over the enchiladas.

Top with remaining monterey jack cheese.

Put into a preheated 425 degree convection oven for 12-14 minutes. In a conventional oven you may want to microwave on high for a minute or 2 before placing in the oven.

Watch and do not allow to burn(brown spots).

Sprinkle with paprika.

Thanks!!