Restaurant copycats that anyone can make at home!

Ever since my thrilling day at Food Network last year, I have been brainstorming a Maryland-style BROILED crab cake that I know would come out victorious against a FRIED crab cake, should another competition or rematch happen! ;) (Love you ICAG!)

As I thought about recipe ideas, I kept coming back to my favorite crab cake which is at Friendly Farm restaurant in Upperco, Maryland. I have eaten so many of their crab cakes that I already had a basic idea of the recipe. When I tested the recipe, it was a near clone! Here is my interpretation of Homemade Maryland Style Broiled Crab Cakes.

I started by whisking together:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1 egg

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

To the mixture, I added:

• 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat (picked over gently for shells)

• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

I carefully combined, being sure not to break any of the lumps.

I formed the mixture into five equal crab cakes (although you can vary the size to make more or less) and placed them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

I baked them at 425 degrees for 12 minutes, and then turned on the broiler for 1-2 minutes, just to get them golden brown.

I sprinkled more chopped parsley and served with lemon wedges and homemade Tartar Sauce.

At Friendly Farm, I always order the Seafood Combo which comes with a crab cake and fried shrimp. So naturally, I also made Homemade Fried Shrimp. I used EZ-peel fresh shrimp and removed the shells, leaving the tails. I then butterflied them, being careful not to cut all the way through, and dredged each shrimp in flour seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. I shook off the excess and dipped them into beaten eggs (with a splash of water), and finally into a dish of Panko bread crumbs, being sure to coat the entire surface. I heated several inches of canola oil to 360 degrees and fried in batches for several minutes, until golden brown. I removed to a rack set over a sheet pan and sprinkled with salt. I served with homemade Cocktail Sauce.

At Friendly Farm, the sides and appetizers are served family style and are sometimes as popular (if not more) as the entrées. Therefore, I had to make at least several of them starting with my version of their delicious Succotash. I melted one stick of butter and added a 16oz bag of frozen corn (fresh works too) and 8oz frozen peas. It only took several minutes and I seasoned with salt and pepper. (You can certainly use lima beans, as they are more traditional in succotash, but I prefer peas to lima beans.)

I also love their cole slaw and my favorite go-to Cole Slaw recipe is by Robert Irvine. It turns out perfect every time!

You would have a difficult time finding anyone who is not in love with their sugared rolls. I was not sure if I would be able to recreate them, but I was up for the challenge! Here is my version of Friendly Farm's Sugared Rolls.

To start, I whisked together all of the dry ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 Tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

Next is 5 tablespoons of cold butter, grated on a box grater and mixed into the dry ingredients. (I placed a stick of butter in the freezer for 15 minutes beforehand.) The wet ingredient is 3/4 cup whole milk which I added and then stirred until the dough came together.

I transferred the dough to my well-floured counter and kneaded it until smooth and cohesive. The dough felt a bit too sticky, so I added a bit more flour and continued to knead.

I divided the dough into 8 equal portions and shaped into rolls.

I preheated a few inches of canola oil to 350 degrees and fried them, 2 or 3 at a time for several minutes, until golden brown. I flipped them and fried the other side.

Once fried, I removed the rolls to a rack set over a sheet pan and while they were still hot, I rolled them in granulated sugar on a small plate until fully coated.

This was an unforgettable dinner. And since Friendly Farm always includes a big bowl of piping hot and crispy fries, I had to do the same. I cut several potatoes, laid them on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer, and drizzled extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. I gave them a toss and then baked at 350 degrees until golden and crispy, around 30 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes.

Even if you have never heard of Friendly Farm, I am sure you have heard of Olive Garden. Like many people, my favorite parts about an Olive Garden dinner are the breadsticks and salad. As it turns out, these Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks are very easy to make and taste just like the original.

To make the dough, I started with:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (107 degrees)

• 1.5 teaspoons instant yeast

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 3 tablespoons melted butter

• 1.75 teaspoons salt

I combined all of the above in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook, and on low speed, I gradually added 3 cups of bread flour, increased the speed to medium, and allowed it to knead for around 15 minutes. (Add another tablespoon of flour at a time if the dough a bit sticky.) I removed the dough, rolled into a smooth ball, placed into an oiled bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, and allowed to rest for 90 minutes until doubled in size. I then divided the ball into 12 equal wedges and rolled each into an 8-inch log.

I placed them on parchment-lined baking sheets, covered each sheet with a clean kitchen towel, and let them rest for another 90 minutes. I preheated my oven to 400 degrees.

I baked them for 13 minutes until golden brown, and then immediately brushed them with melted butter and sprinkled with salt and garlic powder.

For the copycat Olive Garden salad dressing, I combined -

• 1.8 oz zesty Italian dressing mix

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup white vinegar

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

A tight lid and vigorous shake is all that is needed.

The salad consists of iceberg or romaine lettuce, croutons, tomatoes, carrots, black olives, pickled pepperoncini, thinly sliced red onion, and lots of freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. (You can certainly customize to your taste.)

And for the final copycat, how about this Copycat McDonalds Filet-O-Fish Sandwich?

This is so quick and easy! I took halibut filets and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. (The lemon juice adds flavor but also helps firm up the fish so that it does not fall apart while frying.) The bowl below on the left contains 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon each garlic powder and Dijon mustard, and a big pinch of salt. The bowl on the right contains Panko bread crumbs.

I heated 1/4 inch canola oil in a large skillet until it reached 360 degrees, dredged each filet in the egg mixture, followed by the Panko, shaking off excess. I carefully laid them in the oil and cooked 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through and golden brown.

Another sprinkling of salt and lemon juice never hurts.

To build, I toasted brioche buns and melted a slice of cheese on the bottom half (American, cheddar, or whatever you like).

I then added a filet and topped with the same homemade tartar sauce that I made for the crab cakes (scroll back up if you want to see the recipe).

Inventing new recipes is something I enjoy very much, however, sometimes it can be just as fun to copy (or even improve!) an existing recipe! As always, if you make any of these, please be sure to let me know and send me pictures!