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Copy Cat Cafe Zupas Chicken Enchilada Soup
I am a sucker for just about any creamy soup, combine that with Mexican food flavors and I would do just about anything for a taste. Cafe Zupas just has yummy food in general. If I had to absolutely pick between Panera Bread and Cafe Zupas, I wouldn’t even bat an eye saying goodbye to Panera. Their Chicken Enchilada Soup is definitely in my top 3 faves…and even though a new location opened up less than 5 miles away, I just cannot justify eating there every other day…so…of course I had to figure out how to make it at home. Besides, there are plenty of poor souls who either haven’t…
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Copycat Olive Garden Creamy Gnocchi Soup
Can I tell you a secret? The day that Olive Garden came out with their soup, salad, and breadsticks combo I just about died and went to heaven. There are very few things that are more comforting and fulfilling during the fall season than a tasty soup, garlicky carbs, and a salad on the side. One of my favorite’s has to be hands down OG’s Chicken Gnocchi soup. The creamy texture combined with fresh vegetables and the pillowy goodness of the gnocchi, just the perfect combination of flavors and textures. I’ve been wanted to create my version if this soup for a long while now, but was stuck on feeling…
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Instapot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I have a child who is very vocal about his likes and dislikes when it comes to food. I decided I was tired of hearing out of his mouth ‘Ewww, I don’t like that.’ So he now helps me meal plan, as well as is my sous chef most nights. If you have a super picky child, let them help in the meal planning, grocery shopping, and then meal preparing. Sometimes the child resists, but most often they really get into helping out and seeing the start to finish. They are also more likely to at least try what they prepared because there aren’t any surprises for them. On this…
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Copy Cat: Pei Wei Chicken Wraps
I don’t eat at Pei Wei’s often, but when I do, I always have to have their chicken wraps. They are SO tasty, but since I don’t get to go to Pei Wei’s as much as I’d like, I decided I needed to figure out how to recreate them at home. I’ve also been on a kick lately of tricking my family into trying new things. I had some left over cremini mushrooms in the fridge and decided to add them into this recipe instead of only having ground chicken. If you are most decidedly not a fan of mushrooms, just exchange the mushrooms for another pound of ground chicken.…
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Copy Cat Noodles & Co. Wisconsin Mac’n’Cheese
The first time I tried Noodles & Co.’s Wisconsin Mac’n’Cheese, I was living in Colorado Springs. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Unfortunately, Noodles & Co. is not yet a restaurant that is found nationwide. So, like many other foods I have fallen in love with and then moving away from, I had to figure out how to make this. AND…since my children have inherited the love of cheese and noodles, of course, I had to recreate this recipe for myself. ALSO…did you know that I have family from Wisconsin? And my Great Uncle had a cattle farm in northern Illinois that would occasionally send milk and…
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Copy Cat Mimi’s Cafe Blueberry Muffins
The first time I had the pleasure of tasting Mimi’s Cafe’s tasty blueberry muffins was 12 years ago. We had just moved to Colorado Springs and I was just barely in my second trimester with the twins. I took one bite into this muffin and instantly knew I would be in a longterm relationship with this food. I’ve mentioned in the past that quite a few of my significant memories include the first time I try a food. The first time I ever tried a Whopper, I was 10 years old and visiting my cousins in Oregon. The first time I ever had a French Dip sandwich was my first…
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Instapot Cheesy Sausage & Tot Casserole
Sometimes I create my own recipes, and other times I steal someone else’s and tweak it. Why do the heavy lifting if someone has already perfected the heavy lifting for you? This recipe is one such case. One typical Saturday night, a Saturday night that wasn’t a date night, I was perusing Pinterest…or as Matthew so endearingly calls it, internet hoarding…when I came across this recipe. As I spent some of my formative years (high school) in potato country, any recipe that is full of cheese and potatoes instantly calls to me. I know, I know…I’m a nutritionist who is working toward her dietetic degree…but a heart wants what a…
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Copy Cat Viva Chicken Stuffed Avocado
If you are a giant foodie like I am, then you too come across some truly amazing finds that you can’t easily obtain. Viva Chicken is one of those finds for me. There is only one…yes…ONE location on this side of the Rockies. Thankfully it is located in St. George, UT which happens to be about a 90-minute drive away. While I am not completely up a creek without a paddle, it is still rather unobtainable on a daily basis. If you have had the privilege of frequenting a Viva Chicken, then you know the amazing Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken flavor they exude. If you live on the Eastcoast, then please…
