If the forecast says snow is coming your way and you can’t live with out your favorite food – head out and stock up on what you need to make your own copy cat recipes. Hurry, before you get snowed in!

Wendy’s Chili.
2 lbs. fresh ground beef
1 qt. tomato juice
1 (29 oz.) can tomato puree
1 (15 oz.) can red beans, drained
1 medium onion (1 1/2 c.), chopped
1/2 C. celery, diced
1/4 C. green pepper, diced
1/4 C. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin (if you like real flavor, add more)
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. each: black pepper, oregano, sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a frying pan, brown the ground beef; drain. Put the drained beef and the remaining ingredients into a 6-quart pot. Cover the pot; let it simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.

Applebee’s Quesadillas
2 (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 tbl butter softened
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 medium tomato, chopped
2 tsp diced onion or green onion
1 tsp diced canned jalapenos
1 slice bacon, cooked

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Spread half the butter on one side of each tortilla. Put one tortilla, butter side down in the hot pan. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly onto the center of the tortilla in the pan – but not all the way to the edges. Put the tomato, onion, bacon and jalapeno over the cheese, and cover with the other tortilla butter side up (like a grilled cheese sandwich). When the bottom side is browned, about 45-90 seconds, flip the quesadilla and grill the other side.Remove the quesadilla from the pan and, using a pizza cutter, cut through the middle like a pizza. Serve hot with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa.

Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli
3 tsp. Oil
2 lb. Ground beef
12 oz. Onion; chopped
14 oz. Carrots; slivered
14 oz. Celery; diced
48 oz. Tomatoes; canned, diced
2 C. cooked Red Kidney beans
2 C cooked White kidney beans
88 oz. Beef stock
3 tsp. Oregano
2 1/2 tsp. Pepper
5 tsp. Parsley; (fresh chopped)
1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
48 oz. Spaghetti sauce
8 oz. dry pasta Shell macaroni; or other pasta

Sauté beef in oil in large 10-qt. pot until beef starts to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce, and noodles. Add chopped parsley. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Makes 9 qts. of soup! **Just cut the recipe in 1/2 for smaller family needs!

Steak & Ale’s Hawaiian Chicken
4-6 Chicken Breasts
Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup + 2 T. dry sherry
1 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup + 2 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Combine all ingredients and marinate chicken overnight. Remove and grill, saute or bake. Baste with marinade ONLY during the first several minutes of cooking. Top each breast with a slice of munster or provolone cheese and broil just until cheese starts to melt.

I pulled easy vegetable soup recipe off a message board several months back. I made it once and it was very good. It’s a wonderful winter soup.

Peel and cube 3 (or more) potatoes, depending on how many you want.
Use about 2-3 boxes of chicken broth,
Pour the broth into a stockpot, add black pepper, bring to a simmer, add potatoes.
Decide what other types of frozen vegetables you want; green beans, corn, peas, cauliflower, brocolli, etc.
Let the potatoes cook at a simmer for about 10 minutes and then add all the frozen veggies.
Simmer for another 15 minutes or so. You could also add a can of tomato sauce to it also.