Their delicious buffet contains an array of food choices including hot meat options, pasta, pizza, fresh vegetables, salad bar and a selection of carved meats (their Carving Station is a would-be chef’s delight) at dinner and on Sundays.

During breakfast service, choices range from traditional breakfast items, like omelets made-to-order, scrambled eggs (usually egg product), bacon, and biscuits and gravy; to childhood favorites, like chocolate chip pancakes and French toast with powdered sugar.

Other items include rotisserie chicken, made from scratch mashed potatoes, Bourbon Street chicken, grilled sirloin steak, their popular home-style yeast rolls, fried chicken, their signature “Awesome” pot roast, meatloaf, pizza, seafood salad, and carrot cake.

Restaurant & Institution Magazine’s Consumers’ Choice in Chains Awards recognizes Golden Corral for Best Buffet Restaurant in Customer Satisfaction.

The restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, is famous for its three-year “Frying Pan Man” advertising campaign in which a person is hit on the head with a frying pan resulting in a craving to go to the restaurant.

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill’s most recent restaurant concept, called “Strata,” was rolled out during the early 2000′s in an effort to bring more of the food preparation into view of the guests.

So – here we go again: You’ve met someone special – maybe through friends – maybe on one of those Romance relationship sites like eHarmony or WUVING.com – and you want to whip up a truly romantic dinner!

You’re looking for some great romantic dinner recipes to sweep that special guy or girl off his or her feet.

>>> Here is the recipe for their excellent GOLDEN CORRAL’S SEAFOOD SALAD — and Golden Corral’s BOURBON STREET CHICKEN served with their Brass Bakery Bread Rolls…

–Golden Corral’s Seafood Salad–

1 lb. imitation crab meat, shredded

1 cup diced celery

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sliced green onions (with the green too)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped.

Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to blend. Serve either a salad, on lettuce, or on split croissants.

–Golden Corral’s Bourbon Street Chicken–

1 Pound Chicken leg or thigh meat

Cut in bite size chunks

4 oz Soy sauce

1/2 cup Brown sugar

1/2 tsp. Garlic powder

1 tsp. Powdered ginger

2 tbs. Dried minced onion

1/2 cup Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey

2 tbs. White wine

Mix all the marinade ingredients and pour over chicken pieces in a bowl.

Cover and refrigerate (stirring often) for several hours (best overnight).

Bake chicken at 350 for one hour in a single layer, basting every 10 minutes. Remove chicken. Scrape pan juices with all the brown bits into a frying pan.

Heat, and add 2 Tbs. white wine. Stir and add chicken. Cook for 1 minute and serve.

–Golden Corral’s Brass Bakery Yeast Rolls–

 1 envelope Active dry yeast

1/4 cup Very warm water

1/3 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Butter or margarine

1 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Scalding hot milk

1 Egg — lightly beaten

4 1/2 cups Sifted all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons Melted butter or margarine — for brushing rolls.

Sprinkle the yeast over very warm water in a large bowl (Very warm water should feel comfortably warm when dropped on wrist.)

Stir until yeast dissolves.

Add sugar, the 1/4 cup butter or margarine and salt to hot milk and stir until the sugar dissolves and butter or margarine is melted. Cool mixture to 105 to 115 degrees.

Add milk mixture to yeast, then beat in egg. Beat in 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Use some of the remaining 1/2 cup of the flour to dust a pastry cloth.

Knead the dough lightly for 5 minutes, working in the remaining flour (use it for flouring the pastry cloth and your hands). Place dough in a warm buttered bowl; turn greased side up.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and knead 4 to 5 minutes on a lightly floured pastry cloth.

Dough will be sticky, but use as little flour as possible for flouring your hands and the pastry cloth, otherwise the rolls will not be as feathery light as they should be.

Pinch off small chunks of dough and shape into round rolls about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Place in neat rows, not quite touching, in a well-buttered 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan.

Cover rolls and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter or margarine, then bake in a 375 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned.

Serve warm with plenty of butter. This recipe yields about 2 dozen rolls.

 Bon Appetit!

- Brian Alan Burhoe brianalanburhoe.com.

Momma likes to have some meals that are quick but satisfying. You can start from scratch or use some prepared items such as a rotisserie chicken.
Momma Explains: Store prepared rotisserie chickens are packed with tender juices and flavors. They are the real thing, not processed, only you get the advantage of no prep time. So, Momma will often pick up a chicken and make some quick meals. If you do not want to buy a precooked chicken, then by all means, just cook the chicken breasts in advance. Pull the meat from the frame and use the recipe. This Alfredo sauce cooks up quickly so put your pasta water on first. Make sure that you have removed the chicken from the frame and cut or broken into chunks. Then start your pasta water, lots of salt remember. While your pasta water heats up, you may put together the Alfredo sauce.

Momma’s Chicken and Pasta Alfredo: While your pasta water is heating, take a large pot and add 1/2 stick of butter, melt the butter and add one quart of heavy whipping cream. Stir together the butter and cream, cooking on low heat. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Go light on the salt until you add the Romano. Romano is salty and you do not want to over salt the dish. You can add more salt after you add the Romano, if it needs more. Let the sauce heat up and add one small bag of frozen peas. This will drop your temp so get it back up to a simmer by slowly increasing the heat. This happens quickly so stay by the stove and stir occasionally. As soon a s the mixture begins to boil or pop, add a cup of Romano grated cheese. Stir often and lower heat. The cheese will stick to the pan if you do not keep the sauce moving, add your chicken chunks and simmer on low just to allow the sauce to meld with the chicken. This whole process actually takes less than 30 minutes. When you have cooked your( one pound ) pasta al dente, dump the drained pasta into the pot and stir for a minute. Let it rest while you set the table and make a sald from iceberg lettuce. Just wash and quarter the lettuce. Leave in a big wedge and put your favorite dressing on top. Serve this with Simi Chardonnay.

Momma likes to have some meals that are quick but satisfying. You can start from scratch or use some prepared items such as a rotisserie chicken.
Momma Explains: Store prepared rotisserie chickens are packed with tender juices and flavors. They are the real thing, not processed, only you get the advantage of no prep time. So, Momma will often pick up a chicken and make some quick meals. If you do not want to buy a precooked chicken, then by all means, just cook the chicken breasts in advance. Pull the meat from the frame and use the recipe. This Alfredo sauce cooks up quickly so put your pasta water on first. Make sure that you have removed the chicken from the frame and cut or broken into chunks. Then start your pasta water, lots of salt remember. While your pasta water heats up, you may put together the Alfredo sauce.

Momma’s Chicken and Pasta Alfredo: While your pasta water is heating, take a large pot and add 1/2 stick of butter, melt the butter and add one quart of heavy whipping cream. Stir together the butter and cream, cooking on low heat. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Go light on the salt until you add the Romano. Romano is salty and you do not want to over salt the dish. You can add more salt after you add the Romano, if it needs more. Let the sauce heat up and add one small bag of frozen peas. This will drop your temp so get it back up to a simmer by slowly increasing the heat. This happens quickly so stay by the stove and stir occasionally. As soon a s the mixture begins to boil or pop, add a cup of Romano grated cheese. Stir often and lower heat. The cheese will stick to the pan if you do not keep the sauce moving, add your chicken chunks and simmer on low just to allow the sauce to meld with the chicken. This whole process actually takes less than 30 minutes. When you have cooked your( one pound ) pasta al dente, dump the drained pasta into the pot and stir for a minute. Let it rest while you set the table and make a sald from iceberg lettuce. Just wash and quarter the lettuce. Leave in a big wedge and put your favorite dressing on top. Serve this with Simi Chardonnay.

Momma likes to have chicken but it is bland unless you can release those hidden flavors.

Momma Explains: Chicken is a meat that is best juicy but the trick is cooking it until it is safely done with out drying it out. A meat thermometer is essential when cooking any meat but especially chicken and pork which can make you seriously ill if under done. I like to marinate chicken for several minutes or an hour if I have the time. Since most of my family prefers white meat, I make this recipe with breasts. Breasts that have the bone in and skin on will stay more moist. If you use boneless and skinless cook them just until done and check them often. This chicken dish is great with a Riesling from Germany, especially a 2006, it was a good year.

Momma’s Chicken in Marinade: This recipe may be adapted for any chicken amount, it is all about coverage. So if you are only cooking two chicken breasts then use less of everything, if you are cooking more than 4, use more. I place the bone in, skin on, breasts in a plastic seal able bag, add enough orange juice mixed equally with Italian dressing to cover the chicken. You should premix the OJ and Italian dressing in a bowl or pitcher and then dump in the bag. I add about 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp oregano to the mixture as well. Let marinate for about 30 minutes if possible. After the chicken marinates, coat a roasting pan with olive oil, there should be a layer of olive oil in the bottom of the pan, just enough to cover the very bottom of the chicken. Take the chicken out of the marinade and place in the olive oil. I spoon some of the marinade onto the top of the chicken and then grate orange rind to sprinkle on the top as well. Just a sprinkling will do. Bake the chicken at about 350 F for 40 minutes. ( Boneless breasts may take a shorter amount of time) Your oven cooking speed and chicken breast size will vary so check the chicken, it may be done sooner or later. Use that meat thermometer. Some people find that cooking the chicken at a lower temp helps retain the moisture. You know how your oven functions, so adjust the temperature accordingly. Side dishes often include rice and steamed veggies or a salad. Enjoy this simply refreshing chicken dish.

Chef Philip Chiang was born in Shanghai and grew up in Tokyo, before relocating to San Francisco.

In the early 1960s, his mother opened The Mandarin, one of the first Chinese restaurants in the United States to serve Chinese food from regions other than Canton.

The Mandarin became widely known for its high-end cuisine and eventually led to a second location in Beverly Hills…

From this beginning, came P.F. Chang’s Chinese restaurants.

At P.F. Chang’s you are surrounded by a unique environment combining influences of Chinese and American cultures.

A panoramic, hand-painted mural depicting 12th century China, is visible from the main dining room and commands attention as the restaurant’s centerpiece, while several terra-cotta warriors stand guard.

P.F. Chang’s majestic 11 ft. tall horses grace the entrance to many of their restaurants. The horse symbolizes the original Forbidden City in China, which was built for China’s first emperor Qin Shi Huangdi.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro believes the best way to keep their guests and each other happy is through living The Message: “We are truly glad you are here and we will do everything we can to make you want to come back.”

P.F. Chang’s is often mentioned by Howard Wolowitz, a character in the sitcom THE BIG BANG THEORY.

Its menu is focused on select dishes created to capture the distinct flavors and styles of the five major culinary regions of China – Canton, Hunan, Mongolia, Shanghai and Szechwan.

>>> If you want to prepare a delicious meal to impress family, friends or even a hot date you met at one of the hot new Romance sites like WUVING.com – here are the P.F. Chang’s China Bistro’s most popular recipes of all time…

–P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Gluten Free Shanghai Cucumbers–

12 oz. Peeled and Seeded Cucumbers, cut into 1″ pieces
1.5 oz. Gluten Free Soy Sauce
1 tsp. White Vinegar
¼ tsp. Sesame Oil
½ tsp. Toasted Sesame Seeds

1. Mix together the sauce ingredients
2. Mix sauce together with the cucumbers
3. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top

*

–P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry Romaine Wraps with Citrus Soy–

1 pound chicken
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dry chili flakes
3 tablespoons soy bean oil or vegetable oil
2 heads romaine lettuce, cleaned
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 ounce scallions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Dice the chicken into tiny pieces. Place the chicken in a mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoons soy
bean oil, ginger, garlic, chili flakes and 2 tablespoons soy sauce.

Mix together in circular motion until well mixed. Let marinate in refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Mix together the citrus juices, soy, and hoisin sauce with a whisk. Reserve until needed. Clean the romaine lettuce, chopping off the stem, peeling each ‘spear’ and running under clean cold water.

Reserve in refrigerator until ready to use. Chop scallions into rings and reserve chilled.

Coat a very hot sauté pan lightly with soy bean oil. Lay the chicken around the sauté pan being
careful not to lay too many on top of each other.

Sear the chicken until crispy and golden brown, about 2 ½ minutes.

Once chicken is brown, toss gently in pan and sear another 2 ½ minutes. The
pan will appear to “burn”, but that is the carmelization and where all the flavor comes from.

Add ½ of the citrus soy mixture to the sauté pan and coat well. Let the sauce coat the chicken
until it is glazed, and thickens on the chicken. Add more or less depending on how “wet” you want your mixture.

Spoon chicken onto a plate.

Wrap the chicken mixture in romaine lettuce and top with scallion rings. And serve!

*Fun fact: this recipe can also be done with baby shrimps, fish or beef.

*

–P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Gluten Free Mongolian Beef–

12 oz. Sliced Beef Tenderloin
1 tbsp. Soy Bean Oil
½ tsp. Garlic
2 fl oz. GLUTEN FREE soy sauce
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Rice Wine
2 oz. Green Onion

1. Heat oil in a sauté pan. Add the beef and cook for 30-60 seconds or until cooked.
-Beef should be lightly browned around the edges and gray throughout the rest of the surface.
2. Add your garlic and toss.
3. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
4. Cook and reduce the sauce around the beef until all sauce has caramelized onto the beef.
-The sauté pan should be “dry” (no flowing sauce) before proceeding onto the next step.
5. Add the green onion sticks and toss to incorporate into the beef.
A few tosses are all that are needed; do not wilt the green onion sticks!
6. Finish with sesame oil.
7. Serve on a plate.

*

–P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Shanghai Noodles with Grilled Rib Eye and Broccoli–

1 pound Shanghai noodles, egg-based
4 – 8 ounce Rib Eye Steaks, 1″ cut
1 pound broccoli florets
1 large white onion, julienned
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup dry white wine
3 ounces butter,unsalted
4 tablespoons soy bean oil
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange

Combine the hoisin, orange juice and soy sauce with a whisk and reserve. In a small bowl, combine ginger, chili flakes and garlic with 2 tablespoons soy bean oil.

Add salt and pepper to the mixture and combine well.
Add rib eye steaks to marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours.

While steaks are marinating, blanch the noodles and broccoli. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Place the broccoli in a wire basket and cook for about 4 minutes at a slow boil.

Remove from pot and place in ice water to stop the cooking process. Let sit in ice bath for a couple minutes until chilled.

In the same pot, cook Shanghai noodles until al dente, about 5 or 6 minutes. Remove and pour into colander.

Once the excess water is removed, place the noodles on a sheet tray, and lightly coat with soy bean oil, being sure to move the noodles to prevent them from sticking.

Let cool to room temperature, moving occasionally.

Remove beef from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for about 5 minutes before cooking.

Season with salt and pepper. In a very hot oiled sauté pan, place the steaks and let cook for 5 minutes on each side (to medium-rare).

While the steaks are cooking, place 1 tablespoon of soy bean oil in a warm sauté pan and sweat the onions with 1 teaspoon of garlic, ginger and chili flakes. Once the onions are translucent, add the white wine and allow to reduce by ¾. Add hoisin mixture and stir. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes then add noodles.

Toss the noodles with the sauce and allow the noodles to get hot, about 4 minutes. Add the blanched broccoli and continue to cook until noodles and broccoli are hot. Add the butter and continue to toss until noodles and broccoli are coated.

Divide the noodles unto four separate plates. Place the beef on a cutting board and cut into thin strips. Lay the rib eye slices on top of the noodles and serve.

Source: The great chefs at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro – Thanks, Guys!

A Graduate of the Holland College Culinary Course, Brian Alan Burhoe has cooked in Atlantic Coast restaurants for over 30 years. He is a member of the Canadian Culinary Federation. Brian’s articles reflect his interests in food service, dreamstudy, imaginative literature and our best friends — our dogs.

His Home Page is A CULINARY MYSTERY TOUR – A Literary Chef. His articles have been reprinted on numerous culinary websites and various Blogs, including the popular romance siteWuving.com.

Some P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Menu Entrees:

CHANG’S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS
Quickly-cooked spiced chicken served with cool lettuce cups

SICHUAN CHICKEN FLATBREAD
Chinese scallion flatbread grilled with Sichuan marinated chicken, layered with melted cheese and served with creamy Asian Slaw

EGG ROLLS
Hand-rolled with marinated pork and vegetables. Served as a pair (2), this flavorful tradition is perfect with our special sweet & sour mustard sauce

NORTHERN STYLE SPARE RIBS
Tender wok-braised ribs served with a five-spice salt

CRAB WONTONS
Crunchy wonton filled with rock crab meat and served with a side of spicy plum sauce

SALT & PEPPER CALAMARI
Calamari tossed with scallions and our salt and pepper mix

SESAME CHICKEN
Tender chicken, broccoli, red bell peppers and onions in a spicy sesame sauce

CHANG’S SPICY CHICKEN
Lightly dusted and stir-fried in a sweet Sichuan sauce. Our version of General Tso’s and always a favorite

SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN
Stir-fried with pineapple, bell peppers, onions and candied ginger in a sweet & sour sauce

HUNAN PORK
Tender pork with crisp red and green bell peppers, onions and snow peas; just enough spice to keep you coming back for more

CHENGDU SPICED LAMB
Richly spiced marinated lamb, wok-caramelized then tossed with cumin, mint, tomatoes and yellow onions

SHANGHAI SHRIMP WITH GARLIC SAUCE
Shrimp, broccoli and snow peas stir-fried in a light garlic, white wine sauce

OOLONG MARINATED SEA BASS
A great catch steeped in Oolong tea, broiled and served with sweet ginger soy and spinach

*

- Brian

Cooking chicken fried steak is not too difficult to make. All it requires is a steak, breadcrumbs, oil and a skillet or deep fryer. Simply cover the steak in breadcrumbs, heat the oil in the skillet or deep fryer, and cook the steak until it is done. If it is being made in a skillet, it needs to be flipped every couple of minutes but, otherwise, there is little that needs to be done until the steak is done cooking.

It is very rare for chicken fried steak to be made from a top quality cut of beef. After all, the steak is not being expected to stand entirely on its own, so it is not vital that it be perfect. Additionally, the frying of the steak has a tenderizing effect on the meat, which also permits a slightly lower quality cut of meat to be used. Obviously, there is a limit, but chicken fried steak is more forgiving than steak on the grill.

The part that really makes the difference in chicken fried steak is the mix of spices that are added to the breadcrumbs. These spices are the savor that truly makes the difference in the taste of the steak and makes it distinctive on the palate. By blending just the right combination of flavors, chicken fried steak can come into its own and really shine. But to get the best blend of spices, the best thing anybody can do is experiment. After all, there is only one person who will always be there to judge the results, and that is the person who cooks it. So any cook who wants to master chicken fried steak would be well-served to try a few new things, take a few notes, and figure out just how to make it just right.

No matter how you make chicken fried steak, it is almost always a welcome addition to the menu. Whether for dinner after work, a Sunday brunch, a picnic, or a get-together with friends, chicken fried steak can be a fun addition to the menu. Unusual, yet familiar, it is a meal that is easy to enjoy and always welcome.

Though it has only recently joined the mainstream, chicken fried steak is an increasingly popular meal both at home and when going out to eat. A distinctive blend of different flavors, it is a meal that is starting to receive its proper due as a dish that is well worth the effort. So give chicken fried steak a try and see why it is becoming the new recipe of choice for people who love steak.

Outback Restaurant chicken recipes are some of the best entrees in the restaurant industry. I know what you are thinking. Isn’t Outback a steak house? Well, it is a steakhouse, but Outback Restaurant Chicken recipes are just as good as their steaks. My wife is not a big steak person, so I can take her with me to Outback to order their chicken recipes. I order a steak, and she orders a chicken recipe. Recently I tried an Outback chicken recipe, and I was amazed at how great it was. Now I am trying all of their chicken recipes.

There are three recipes that I recommend. If you are not going to order steak at Outback, you MUST try the Alice Springs Chicken. This is one of the most popular items on the menu. The Alice Springs chicken is grilled and it includes bacon, sautéed mushrooms, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese smothered with honey mustard sauce. To top it off, you get a heaping serving of Outback mashed potatoes. You can not go wrong with this entrée (unless you are on a diet!) Even if you are planning to order steak, you can order the appetizer version of this dish, the Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla appetizer.

Outback has other chicken entrees if you want to watch the calories. Try the Chicken on the Barbie. This delicious recipe includes BBQ sauce instead of honey mustard and it includes veggies instead of mashed potatoes. If you love your BBQ sauce with chicken, then I personally recommend this entrée. The grilled chicken will be served nice and juicy.

Lastly, I would like to recommend the classic Chicken Caesar salad. The Outback restaurant Caesar salad is NOT just another salad, and if you order this side item, you will see what I mean!

Outback is one of my favorite restaurants. I would like to be able to eat out more often, but that is hard to do in these tough economic times.

One of the most copied restaurants is Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar.

Applebee’s, of course, is the largest casual dining chain in the world, with locations throughout the U.S. and many countries worldwide. As they like to say of themselves, “We take pride in having a friendly, welcoming, neighborhood environment for both our staff and guests that makes everyone enjoy their Applebee’s experience.”

Applebee’s continues to set the standards for best practices in the restaurant industry. Here are just a few of their recent awards:

Chain of the Year: Restaurant Hospitality Magazine.

Excellence in Retention Award: Nation’s Restaurant News, People and Performance Award Council.

Heart of the Workplace Award: In recognition of a company that models best people practices in their workplace and makes a difference in the lives of their employees and their communities – People Report.

From delicious appetizers to mouthwatering burgers to tasty salads, they’ve got some of the best meals worth sampling — and cooking home.  Give your dinner guests the best — whether family, friends — or that date you just met on WUVING.com

Here are the Top 5 most copied recipes from Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar:

–Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad–

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half

oil for frying

3 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup red cabbage

1 cup Napa cabbage

1/2 carrot, julienned or shredded

1 green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sliced almonds

1/3 cup chow mein noodles

Dressing:

3 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Prepare dressing ingredients by mixing in a small bowl. Refrigerate while preparing salad.

Cut each chicken breast into 5 strips. In one bowl, beat egg with milk.

In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper.

Preheat oil over medium heat.

Dip individual chicken pieces in egg mixture and then roll in the flour mixture. Fry chicken until browned, drain and set aside. Prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine with the chopped red cabbage, Napa cabbage, and carrots. Sprinkle sliced green onion on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle almonds over the salad, then the chow mein noodles.

Cut the chicken into small chunks. Place the chicken onto the salad forming a pile in the middle. Serve with salad dressing on the side.

–Applebee’s Baby Back Ribs–

3 racks (about 1 lb. each) pork baby back ribs, each cut in half Barbecue sauce:

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup apple cider vinager

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Put ribs in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour or until ribs are fork tender.

2. Mix all sauce ingrediants together in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.

3.Heat broiler. Line broiler with foil for easy cleanup. Place ribs, meat side down, on broiler pan, brush with 1/2 the sauce and broil 4-5 inches from heat source for 6 to 7 minutes. turn ribs over, brush with remaining sauce and broil 6 to 7 minutes longer or until edges are slightly charred.

–Applebee’s Bourbon Street Steak–

1/2 cup bottled steak sauce

1/4 cup bourbon whiskey

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

4 beef rib, round, or chuck steaks (10 ounces each)

Combine all the ingredients except the steaks in a baking dish or resealable plastic storage bag; mix well. Add the steaks; cover (or seal) and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the steaks for 12 to 15 minutes, or until desired doneness, turning them over halfway through the grilling.

–Applebee’s Blonde Brownies–

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3 /4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (10 Tbsp.)

2 cups packed golden brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flour and butter a 9 x 13 x 2 pan. Sift flour into a bowl. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. Melt butter. In mixing bowl, place melted butter and add sugar, mixing well. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Add flour slowly, blending. Batter will be slightly thick.

Spread in pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans over all. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes…

–Applebee’s Lemonade–

1 Quart water

1 Cup sugar

1 Cup FRESH lemon juice

Sparkling Water (not tonic water, like Perrier) Mix first three togther. Fill a tall glass 2/3 to 3/4 with Lemon mixture then fill with sparkling water.

An intresting variation is to puree some fruit (raspberries, strawberries, etc) with a little superfine or powdered sugar and put that in the glass before adding the the lemonade and water.

- Brian Alan Burhoe – www.brianalanburhoe.com

Bon Appetit!

Still, the Crockpot – while a great and versatile cooking tool – is not as user friendly as the oven or microwave. It is very easy to ruin your meal either by cooking the ingredients incorrectly or using Crockpot recipes that are not well designed.

Tips for Cooking Chicken in a Crockpot

1. Defrost The Chicken First

Chicken can carry diseases. When your chicken is frozen before you put it in the slow cooker, it can cause the cooking time to take longer, thereby increasing your risk of catching these diseases and bacteria. By defrosting the chicken first, you significantly reduce this risk, because you create an environment inside the pot that will allow your food to heat up more quickly and retain the heat easier.

2. Heat on High, Then Cool

Once again, for the safety of you and your family, it is a good idea to cook the chicken on high before you put the slow cooker on low to ensure that you quickly raise the temperature of the chicken to over 165 degrees as quickly as possible. This is done to kill off all of the bacteria which have ample opportunity to grow in your slow cooker.

3. Remove All of the Skin

Even if it is not mentioned in your Crockpot chicken recipes, it is important that you remove all of the skin from the chicken before you place it inside the pot. This will improve the texture of the dish and make cooking times more uniform.

4. Keep the Pot Closed

Removing the top of the pot to smell, taste or stir, you are removing a great deal of heat that is important to the slow cooker process. Doing so can ruin your Crockpot chicken recipes, and also increases cooking time by quite a bit.

5. Spices and Peppers Should Be Near the End

Most Crockpot chicken recipes are going to have some types of spices or hot peppers in order to bring out the chicken flavor. But if you place these ingredients inside the Crockpot too early, you risk causing them to lose or alter their flavor. These types of ingredients should be added near the end of the cooking process to ensure that they retain the taste you want.

Crockpot Chicken Recipes are Easy

There are thousands of recipes for cooking chicken inside your slow cooker. These recipes are easy to implement, taste great, and make healthy meals that the whole family can enjoy. If you utilize the above tips for cooking chicken inside of a Crockpot, you too will see that with such a rich flavor, chicken and the ingredients that complement it can allow you to make delicious food that you and your family will enjoy every day.