In a Tuscan Garden

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Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced white onion (about 1 small onion)
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup frozen cut italian green beans
1/4 cup minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)
4 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
4 cups vegetable broth (Swanson is good *note: Do not use chicken broth!*)
2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or great northern beans, drained
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrot, julienned or shredded
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups hot water
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup small shell pasta
Directions
1Heat three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
2Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
3Add vegetable broth to pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, and spices.
4Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
5Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.
6Makes about eight 1 1/2 cup servings.



Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale
Sautee Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

In the same pan, sautee bacon, onions and garlic for approxiamtly 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.

Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
Add heavy cream and cook until thoughouly heated.
Stir in the sausage.
Add kale just before serving. Delicious!

Makes 6 to 8 servings




Olive Garden Portobello Mushrooms with Mozzarella (restaurant recipe from olive garden website)

Ingredients
4 large, firm portobello mushroom caps, stems & gills removed
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
12-16 small, fresh mozzarella balls
(if you can’t find fresh mozzarella, use a block and cut into ½” cubes)
1/4 cup pimento strips or sundried tomatoes in oil
1/4 cup sliced black olives
4 Tbsp pesto sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh basil leaves

Procedures

Preheat oven to 375ºF.


REMOVE any dirt from mushroom caps with a damp towel and place in a shallow plate, tops down.
POUR oil and balsamic vinegar over caps and allow to marinate for 1 hour.
BAKE caps in oven at for 8-10 minutes, tops up (if there is any excess moisture, it will drain out of the mushroom when baking instead of pooling inside, causing the mushroom to become soggy).
CUT mozzarella balls in half and place in a bowl. Add pimento or sundried tomato, olives, pesto, salt and pepper and stir.
HINT: For increased mushroom flavor, finely chop and sauté mushroom stems in olive oil and add to filling mixture.
FILL each cap with the mixture and drizzle with marinade. Bake caps for 8-10 minutes more, or until most of the cheese is melted.
GARNISH with fresh basil leaves and serve.




Olive Garden Chicken Siena ( restaurant recipe from olive garden website)

Ingredients

CHEESE FILLING/CHICKEN:
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
4 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
1 cup smoked Gouda, chopped
1/2 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp black ground pepper
2 Tbsp green onions, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
4 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 eggs
4 Tbsp heavy cream

CHICKEN:
8 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (6-8 oz each), butterfly cut

FOR SIENA SAUCE/PASTA:
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 cup green olives with pimiento, chopped
1/2 cup small capers, rinsed
1 cup red wine
2 cups tomatoes, diced
2 29-oz cans tomato puree
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 medium red bell peppers, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp sugar
4 fresh sweet basil, chopped
2 lbs pasta (your choice), cooked according to package directions

Procedures
Pre-heat oven to 450ºF.

CHEESE FILLING:

MIX all cheese filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well-blended. Divide into 4 portions; refrigerate until ready to use.

PREPARATION FOR CHICKEN:

PLACE chicken on a cutting board and split to open. Spread cheese filling evenly on both sides.
FOLD one side over to the other and repeat with other breasts.
PLACE chicken in baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450ºF for 20 minutes or until juices run clear.

SIENA SAUCE:

HEAT olive oil in a small sauce pot; add garlic and sauté for one minute (do not brown). Add bell peppers and sauté until al dente. Add olives and capers and stir. Add red wine and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients except basil.
BRING to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add basil to sauce and stir well; remove Siena sauce from heat.
PLACE one chicken breast and drained, cooked pasta on each plate. Evenly distribute Siena sauce over chicken and pasta. Garnish with chopped basil

Serves 8




Copycat Olive Garden Tiramisu

Ingredients

SPONGE CAKE, 10-12", 3" tall
STRONG BLACK COFFEE OR PREPARED INSTANT ESPRESSO, 3 ounces
BRANDY OR RUM, 3 ounces
MASCARPONE OR CREAM CHEESE, 1-1/2 pounds at room temperature
SUPERFINE OR POWDERED SUGAR, 1-1/2 cups
UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER, enough to dust
Directions

Cut across the middle of the sponge cake to form two disks, about 1" to 1-1/2" thick.
Blend the coffee or espresso and liqueur together.
Sprinkle the bottom half of the cake with the coffee liqueur blend, enough to flavor it strongly, but don't saturate the cake so much it will collapse.
Mix the cream cheese or mascarpone with the sugar, and beat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the cheese is light and spreadable.
Spread the bottom half of the cake with half of the whipped cheese, in a fairly thick layer.
Set the second half of the cake on the bottom half, and repeat the process.
Sprinkle the coffee/liqueur blend and spread with the remaining whipped cheese mixture.
Put the cocoa powder into a wire strainer and coat the top layer of the cheese completely with cocoa.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.

Source: www.olivegarden.com