Mr. Prof designer home

I have fond memories of Red Lobster. There, I said it.

When I was growing up my grandmother loved Red Lobster. It was one of the special meals we'd have when I'd visit her after she moved down South. At that time we had to drive about an hour to the closest store whereas now there's a Red Lobster less than 5 minutes from her apartment. I would always get a Caesar salad with my lunch so I could dip the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, hot from the oven, into the leftover dressing. Delicious.

I've see a lot of knockoff recipes floating around but this one for Cheese and Garlic Biscuits claims to be straight from the Red Lobster kitchens so I thought I'd give it a try.


Every time I've made a version of these I kick myself for not getting the yellow cheddar because the color is always wrong with the white cheddar. I must make a mental note to buy yellow cheddar soon. Unfortunately my biscuits weren't as crispy as Red Lobsters. I'm not sure why. Maybe they needed to bake longer? SP got me a huge box of buttermilk baking mix so I'll definitely try these again, upping the cooking time to 12 minutes. I only made half a batch since we were going out of town (to visit my grandmother, actually) and we ate all 6 in one sitting. Oops!

Cheese Garlic Biscuits
Red Lobster, Myrtle Beach via The Way to His Heart

2 cups buttermilk baking mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Combine buttermilk baking mix, milk and cheese with a wooden spoon until soft dough forms. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds.

Drop dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, approximately two tablespoons per biscuit.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

Combine melted butter and garlic powder: brush over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

Serve warm.

Makes 10 to 12 biscuits.

My friend Heather, the one who brought you Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeno-Ranch Sauce, is at it again. Her husband asked her to recreate a pasta dish called Billy's Favorite from Vito's on 42nd, a restaurant he loved growing up. I've never been to Iowa, let alone this restaurant, but if Heather recommends it I make it. I mean really, just read this description - Pine nuts, fresh spinach & garlic, cooked in a light Gorgonzola cheese cream sauce with marinated tomatoes on fussili pasta with grilled chicken. YUM!!!


The smell of the tomatoes marinating all day drove me crazy. I couldn't wait to eat dinner and I may or may not have been sneaking bites of pasta from the skillet as I waited for SP to get home from work. I loved the tang of the balsamic and the tomatoes and spinach cut the richness of the cream sauce.

A word of warning - this dish produces quite a few dishes, but it's definitely worth it. I cooked the chicken in a skillet instead of on the grill to save time (we use charcoal and it takes awhile to get it ready). The Gorgonzola was a tad overpowering for my tastes, so next time I'll use a little less of it. SP loved it so it's definitely a matter of personal preference. Taste the sauce and adjust as needed. I think this would also be delicious with Ranch flavoring, similar to the Ranch Pasta with Bacon, Spinach and Tomatoes.

Thanks for another winner, Heather!

Billy's Favorite Pasta
From Heather, based on Vito's on 42nd

1 lb fussili pasta
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced and divided
salt and pepper
3 tomatoes, diced
1 stick of butter
1 pint heavy cream
4-8 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, to taste
2 chicken breasts
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 bag baby spinach

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Combine vinegar, oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add tomatoes and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Off heat, add the Gorgonzola cheese and stir to melt.

Marinate the chicken in salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and then grill. Once the chicken is cooked, allow it to rest and then cut into slices on a bias.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, add some oil and the rest of the minced garlic. Cook until fragrant then added in the marinated tomatoes, pine nuts and spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt, and then add in the Gorgonzola sauce, pasta and the sliced chicken. Serve immediately.

I've been in a side dish rut lately. I asked the ladies on my cooking board what they usually make and now I have a ton of recipes to try. First on my list were these Texas Roadhouse Green Beans. We love Texas Roadhouse. Our first experience at the chain was with my grandmother during a visit to West Virginia almost 10 years ago. I'd been there at least once before for some relative's birthday, but this was the first meal I remember. In addition to the delicious steak, I fell in love with their green beans. These aren't your usual steamed green beans. These came in a delicious broth with onions and bacon. They were kicked up green beans and ever since, whenever we eat at a Texas Roadhouse I have to order them.


I was excited to see how these would compare to the ones in the restaurant. They were absolutely perfect, exactly the same as what I get at the restaurant, although they needed a little salt. I added it to the ingredient list below. I'm really excited to have an at-home version for the next time we grill up some steaks. Here they are simmering away on the stove.


I was able to simmer them for probably 30 minutes since I made them on a Sunday afternoon. The recipe indicated the longer they sit the better the flavor so feel free to let them cook as long as you'd like. Canned green beans are already pretty mushy so it's not like you're running the risk of compromising the texture.

Texas Roadhouse Green Beans
Slightly Modified from The Rookie Chef

2 (16 ounce) cans of green beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 strips of bacon, diced
1/2 a medium onion, diced

Drain green beans and set aside. Mix water, sugar, pepper and salt until well incorporated. Set aside.

Preheat a deep pan over medium high heat. Add the diced bacon. Cook until just starting to get crispy. Add the onions and cook until they are tender, then add the green beans and liquid mixture. Stir to incorporate. Bring mixture to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer. Simmer until ready to serve.

I'm really mourning the loss of natural light these days. My photos, which were never that great to begin with, are really suffering from the lack of daylight. I'm thinking it might be time to invest in a light box.

Anyway, on to the biscuits. I admit to loving the Garlic Cheddar Biscuits at Red Lobster. I have very fond memories of going there as a kid with my grandma. It was a special treat and I would eat a bunch of these biscuits with my Caesar salad. Yum!


I used a white cheddar because that's what we had on hand, but I wish I'd thought to buy yellow cheddar for the picture. I guess I'll just have to make these again and retake the photo. Oh darn.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
Sugared Whisk

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (for topping)
4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Seasoned or garlic salt, to taste

Adjust oven rack upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease for easy removal of biscuits.

Whisk together flour, cheddar cheese, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic in a medium bowl. Add milk and stir until ingredients are mixed, be careful not to over mix. At this point the dough should be fairly sticky but not runny or dry. Add more flour or milk as needed to achieve desired consistency.

Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet with a large cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons worth of dough). Top each biscuit with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to brown.

In a small bowl, melt the butter along with the garlic and parsley in the microwave. Brush tops with garlic butter mixture and sprinkle with garlic salt to taste.

Makes 12 biscuits

Back when I was in high school and college I ate at Triumph Brewing Company quite a bit. They had this amazing chicken sandwich on their lunch menu that I was madly in love with. Grilled chicken marinated in lemon and herbs served on sourdough bread with lettuce, tomato, mayo, sliced red onion, roasted red pepper and melted mozzarella cheese. I ordered it every single time I ate there, it was just that good.


And then one day the sandwich was gone from their menu. I asked the waiter what had happened and he didn't know. I rarely eat at Triumph anymore but I periodically check their website to see if the sandwich has made a comeback since I know I'm not the only one who loved it (as evidenced by this conversation on Chowhound back in 2007). If anyone from Triumph happens to read this, please bring back this sandwich!

I don't know why it took me so long to attempt to recreate the sandwich at home. It's a chicken sandwich, afterall; not too difficult to make at home. I have to say, I'm really proud of how it came out. Unfortunately my loaf of sourdough wasn't as large as the bread Triumph used, making for a smaller sandwich, but the flavors were spot on.



Grilled Chicken Sandwich
A Taste of Home Cooking Knockoff from Triumph Brewing Company

2-3 chicken breasts, pounded thin
Olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon dried herbs (mix of parsley, basil, Italian seasoning)
Loaf of sourdough bread
Mayo
Romaine lettuce
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced
3 slices of roasted red pepper (from a large jar)
Thinly sliced red onion

Put chicken in a food storage bag (doubled up in case one leaks) and add a few splashes of olive oil, the lemon juice and herbs. Let marinate a few hours.

Cook chicken either in a pan or on the grill. If using a pan, once the chicken is cooked top it with one slice of roasted red pepper and slices of mozzarella. Cover and allow the mozzarella to melt.

To assemble the sandwich - cut sourdough into thick slices. Spread mayo on both slices of bread, then top one side with slices of red onion, lettuce and tomato. Place the chicken topped with the red pepper and mozzarella on the other side. Assemble sandwich and enjoy!

I love the House Salad at Texas Roadhouse so when I was stumped for what to serve with dinner one night I decided to recreate it at home.


It's a very simple salad made infinitely better by their homemade Ranch dressing and croutons made from their delicious rolls (two things I haven't tried recreating at home yet). It's just greens (romaine), tomato, hardboiled eggs, cheddar cheese and croutons.

Next step - make my own Ranch dressing and find a knock-off for their rolls.