Taco Bell Taco Seasoning Mix

Taco Bell Taco Seasoning Mix

This is a simple recipe to clone the contents of the seasoning packet that bears the Taco Bell logo found in practically all the grocery stores these days. You probably expect the seasoning mix to make meat that tastes exactly like the stuff you get at the big chain. Well, uh, nope. It's more like the popular Lawry's seasoning mix, which still makes good spiced ground meat, and works great for a tasty bunch of tacos. But if it's the mushy, spiced meat that’s packed into tacos and burritos at America's largest taco joint that you want, you'll have to use the clone recipe for the Taco Bell Taco.

2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon crushed beef bouillon cube
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash onion powder

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Prepare taco meat using 1 pound of ground beef and following the same spunky directions as on the original package:

1. BROWN ground beef; drain. Add seasoning mix and 3/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
2. HEAT taco shells or tortillas as directed on package.
3. SERVE bowls of seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato and cheese. Pass the taco shells or tortillas and let everyone 

PILE ON THE FUN!
Makes 12 tacos.

Taco Bell's Cinnamon Twists

Taco Bell's Cinnamon Twists

Yield: 1 servings           

• 5 Eggs yolks; well beaten
• 5 tb Sour cream
• 5 tb Sugar
• 1 tb Almond extract
• 1/4 ts Salt
• 2 1/2 c Flour

Combine all, adding each item as listed, and enough more flour so that dough is no longer sticky, but  still very soft. Roll small portions of dough at a  time to paper-thin. Use lightly floured working surface. Cut into strips 2"x5" and arrange in single layer on oiled cookie sheets. Bring enough oil to 400~ in deep heavy saucpan, at least 3" deep. As you drop the dough into oil, make a 1" slit down center of each and draw the opposite ends of the strip through the slit. They'll fall to the bottom but will surface in a  few seconds as they brown, about 2 minutes. Lift out with tongs and drop into large grocery sack containing about 1 lb of 10-X powdered sugar.

The Soup Nazi's Crab Bisque

The Soup Nazi's Crab Bisque

4 pounds snow crab clusters (legs)
4 quarts water (16 cups)
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, quartered
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 tablespoon chopped pimento
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons half and half
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon marjoram

1. Remove all the crab meat from the shells and set it aside. 
2. Put half of the shells into a large pot with 4 quarts of water over high heat. Add onion 1 stalk of chopped celery, and garlic, then bring mixture to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 hour, stirring occasionally (The white part of the shells will start to become transparent), then strain stock. Discard the shells, onion, celery and garlic, keeping only the stock.
3. Measure 3 quarts (12 cups) of the stock into a large sauce pan or cooking pot. If you don't have enough stock, add enough water to make 3 quarts.
4. Add potatoes, bring mixture to a boil, then add 1/2 of the crab and the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring it back to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 hours, uncovered until it reduces by about half and starts to thicken. Add the remaining crab and simmer for another hour until the soup is very thick.

Makes 4-6 servings.

The Soup Nazi's Cream of Sweet Potato Soup

The Soup Nazi's Cream of Sweet Potato Soup

4 sweet potatoes (about 1 pound each)
8 cups water
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons half and half
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
dash thyme
1 cup cashews (split in half)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes for 45 minutes or until they are soft. Cool the potatoes until they can be handled.
2. Peel away the skin, then put the potatoes into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes for 15-20 seconds, but you don't need to mash them until they are entirely smooth. 
3. Spoon the mashed sweet potato into a large saucepan over medium/high heat, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
4. When the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 50-60 minutes. Cashews should be soft. Serve hot with an attitude.

Makes 6-8 servings.

The Soup Nazi's Indian Mulligatawny Soup

The Soup Nazi's Indian Mulligatawny Soup

4 quarts water (16 cups)
6 cups chicken stock
2 potatoes, peeled & sliced
2 carrots, peeled & sliced
2 stalks celery, with tops
2 cups peeled & diced eggplant (about 1/2 of an eggplant)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup frozen yellow corn
2/3 cup canned roasted red pepper, diced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1/2 cup roasted cashews
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
dash marjoram
dash nutmeg

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot over high heat.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours or until soup has reduced by more than half, and is thick and brownish in color. It should have the consistency of chili.

Stir occasionally for the first few hours, but stir often in the last hour. The edges of the potatoes should become more rounded, and the nuts will soften. Serve hot.
Makes 4-6 servings.

The Soup Nazi's Mexican Chicken Chili

The Soup Nazi's Mexican Chicken Chili

1 pound chicken breast fillets (4 fillets)
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 cups water
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 potato, peeled & chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 cup frozen yellow corn
1/2 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, plus liquid
1/4 cup diced canned pimento
1 jalapeno, diced
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper
dash basil
dash oregano

On the side
Sour cream
Pinch chopped Italian parsley

1. Sauté the chicken breasts in the olive oil in a large pot over medium/high heat. Cook the chicken on both side until done -- about 7-10 minutes per side. Cool the chicken until it can be handled. Do not rinse the pot.
2. Shred the chicken by hand into bite-sizes pieces and place the pieces back into the pot.
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and turn heat to high. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours. Stir mixture often so that many of the chicken pieces shred into much smaller bits. Chili should reduce substantially to thicken and darken (less orange, more brown) when done.
4. Combine some chopped Italian parsley with sour cream and serve it on the side for topping the chili, if desired. 

Makes 4-6 servings.

Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers

Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers

This clone recipe may be for the whole hamburger, but anybody who knows about Tommy's goes there for the chili - and that's  the part of this clone they seek. That's also the part that required the most kitchen sleuthing. Turn out it's an old chili con carne recipe created back in 1946 by Tommy's founder, Tommy Koulax, for his first hamburger stand on the corner of Beverly and Rampart Boulevards in Los Angeles. By adding the right combination of  water and flour and broth and spices to the meat we can create a thick, tomato-less chili sauce worthy of the gajillions of southern California college students that make late-night Tommy's runs a four-year habit. And if you don't live near one of the two dozen Tommy's outlets, you can still get a gallon of Tommy's famous chili shipped to you. But I hope you really dig the stuff, because you'll shell out around 70 bucks for the dry ice packaging and overnight shipping. And don't expect to see the ingredients on the label since the chili comes packed in a gallon-size mustard jug.

Chili
1 pound ground beef (not lean)
1/4 cup flour plus 1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/3 cups beef broth
4 cups water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons grated (and then chopped) carrot
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3 pounds ground beef
8 hamburger buns
16 slices Kraft cheddar cheese Singles
1/2 cup diced onion
32 to 40 hamburger pickles (slices)
8 slices large beefsteak tomato (1/2-inch thick)
1/4 cup yellow mustard
Strain the fat out of the meat with popular
and common kitchen gadgets

Roux. Something good can come from the French.

1. Prepare the chili by first browning the meat in a large saucepan over medium heat. Crumble the meat as it browns. When the meat has been entirely cooked (7 to 10 minutes), pour the meat into a strainer over a large cup or saucepan. Let the fat drip out of the meat for about 5 minutes, then return the meat back to the first saucepan. Cover and set aside.
2. With the fat from the meat, we will now make a roux - a French contribution to thicker sauces and gravies usually made with fat and flour. Heat the drippings in a saucepan over medium heat (you should have drained off around 1/2 cup of the stuff). When the fat is hot, add 1/4 cup flour to the pan and stir well. Reduce heat to medium low, and continue to heat the roux, stirring often, until it is a rich caramel color. This should take 10 to 15 minutes. Add the beef broth to the pan and stir. Remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, back at the other pan, add the water to the beef, then whisk in the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour. Add the roux/broth mixture and the other chili ingredients and whisk until blended. Make sure your grated carrot is chopped up to the size of rice before you add it. 
4. Crank the heat up to medium high. Stir often until you see bubbles forming on the surface of the chili. Turn the heat down to medium low, and continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick. The chili should be calmly bubbling like lava as it simmers. When it's done cooking, take the chili off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour before using it on the burgers. It should thicken to a tasty brown paste as it sits.
5. To make your hamburgers, you'll first divide 3 pounds of hamburger into 16 portions of 3 ounces each. Grill the burgers in a hot skillet or on an indoor griddle for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on each patty.
6. Build the burgers by lightly toasting the faces of the hamburger buns. Turn them over into a hot skillet or a griddle on medium heat.  
7. Place one patty onto the bottom bun.  
8. Position two slices of cheese on the meat.  
9. Place another beef patty on the cheese.
10. Spoon about 1/3 cup of chili onto the beef patty.
11. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of diced onion onto the chili.
12. Arrange 4 to 5 pickle slices on the onion. 
13. Place a thick slice of tomato on next.
14. Spread mustard over the face of the top bun and top off your hamburger by turning this bun over onto the tomato.

Makes 8 burgers. (6 cups of chili.)

Tony Roma's Baked Potato Soup

Tony Roma's Baked Potato Soup

 "A house specialty full of baked potatoes and topped with Cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions."

The thick-and-creamy texture and rich taste of Tony Roma's best-selling soup can be easily cloned with basic ingredients.
This TSR version is thickened with a little flour, some half-and-half and, most notably, instant mashed potatoes.

Give yourself an hour to bake the potatoes and around 30 minutes to prepare the soup. Garnish each serving with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions and you will have a home kitchen Tony Roma's recreation that will surely impress.

2 medium potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced white onion
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1 cup half and half

Garnish
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon
2 green onions, chopped (green part only)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes or 1 hour or until done. When potatoes have cooked remove them from the oven to cool.
2. As potatoes cool prepare soup by melting butter in a large saucepan, and sauté onion until light brown. Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux.
3. Add stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out contents with a large spoon. Discard skin. Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are about 1/2-inch in size.
5. Add chopped baked potato and half-and-half to the saucepan, bring soup back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick.
6. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups of soup into a bowl and top with about a tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese, a half tablespoon of crumbled bacon and a teaspoon or so of chopped green onion. Repeat for remaining servings.

Serves 6 to 8.

Tony Roma's Blue Ridge Smokies Sauce

 Tony Roma's Blue Ridge Smokies Sauce

Of the four famous barbecue sauces served on those delicious, tender ribs at Tony Roma's, this is the only one that wasn't cloned in the third book, Top Secret Restaurant Recipes. This sweet, smoky sauce is great on pork spareribs cooked with the technique found on page 298 of the book, or you can use it on a recipe of your own that includes pork or beef ribs, even chicken. Now Tony Roma's sells each of its four barbecue sauces at the restaurant chain, separately, or in gift sets of four. But if you don't have a Tony Roma's near you, this is the only way to get that one-of-a-kind barbecue taste at home.

1 cup ketchup
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon salt
rounded 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over high heat, and whisk until smooth.
2. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Use on pork spareribs as cooked with the method from the book Top Secret Restaurant Recipes  or any of your beef, pork or chicken recipes.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Wendy's Frosties

 Wendy's Frosties

Yield: 6 servings

1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Nestle's Quik
3 cups ice cream, softened in fridge 1 hour

Put in blender until smooth. Serve.

Wendy's Chicken Caesar Fresh Stuffed Pita

Wendy's Chicken Caesar Fresh Stuffed Pita

Early in 1997 Wendy's introduced its selection of cold "Fresh Stuffed" pita sandwiches a nice change of pace from the typical fast food fare. Basically what you're getting is a small salad wrapped in a warm pita bread. You might be saying to yourself "That doesn't sound like much for 3 bucks!" Then I would have to say, "Perhaps, but what if you could make a clone yourself for a mere fraction of that?" You would probably say, "Cool, man!
Lay it on me." And then I would just say, "Already did."

Dressing
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon dry, unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely minced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoonWorcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
dash parsley
dash oregano
dash thyme
dash basil
1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons egg substitute
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup red cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup carrot, shredded
4 pita breads
4 teaspoons shredded, fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Make the dressing by first dissolving the gelatin in the water. Heat the mixture in the microwave on high for two minutes or until it begins to boil rapidly. Add the vinegar, then whisk while adding the oil. Add bell pepper, salt, garlic powder, Worcestershire, black pepper, parsley, oregano, thyme and basil. Let dressing cool for about 15 minutes before adding cheeses and egg substitute. Whisk until slightly thicker, then chill. Overnight refrigeration makes the dressing thicker. 
2. Preheat a barbecue or indoor grill to medium heat. Salt and pepper the chicken, then grill it for 5 minutes per side, or until done. Remove chicken from the grill and dice it.
3. While chicken cooks, prepare the salad by combining the romaine lettuce, red cabbage and shredded carrot in a large bowl and toss.
4. Prepare the sandwiches by first microwaving each pita for 20 seconds. 
5. Fold each pita in half like a taco, then add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the romaine salad into the bread.
6. Add about 1/3 cup of diced chicken on top of the salad in the pita.
7. Pour about a tablespoon of dressing over each sandwich.
8. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of shredded fresh Parmesan on top of each one and serve.

Serves 4.

Wendy's Chili

Here's a favorite recipe for chili that clones the stuff served at the Wendy's chain. Dave Thomas, Wendy's founder, has been serving this chili since 1969, he year the first Wendy's opened its doors. Over the years the recipe has changed a bit, but this version here is an amazing copy of the version of chili served in the early 90's. Try topping it with some chopped onion and cheddar cheese, as you can request in the restaurant.

2 pounds ground beef
One 29-ounce can tomato sauce
One 29-ounce can kidney beans (with liquid)
One 29-ounce can pinto beans (with liquid)
1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
1/2 cup diced green chili (2 chilies)
1/4 cup diced celery (1 stalk)
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain off the fat.
2. Using a fork, crumble the cooked beef into pea-size pieces.
3. In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours.

Makes about 12 servings.

Tidbits

For spicier chili, add 1/2 teaspoon more black pepper.
For much spicier chili, add 1 teaspoon black pepper and a tablespoon cayenne pepper.
And for a real stomach stinger, add 5 or 6 sliced jalapeno peppers to the pot.
Leftovers can be frozen for several months.

Wendy's Classic Greek Fresh Stuffed Pita

Here's a clone for another of Wendy's four Fresh Stuffed Pitas. This Classic Greek Pita uses the same salad base and dressing as last week's clone for the Chicken Caesar Pita, but replaces the chicken and parmesan with a Greek topping that's very easy to make. Even though Wendy's uses a special custom pita that can't be bought in the stores, you can use the type that most people tend to slice open and fill. You won't be filling any pockets in this recipe (other than those in your pants with the money you save). Instead, you just heat up the pita, and fill it like a soft taco.

Dressing
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon dry, unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely minced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
dash parsley
dash oregano
dash thyme
dash basil
1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons egg substitute

1 cup (4-ounce package) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 cup cucumber, thinly sliced and chopped
1/4 cup red onion, diced
6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup red cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup carrot, shredded
4 pita breads

1. Make the dressing by first dissolving the gelatin in the water. Heat the mixture in the microwave on high for two minutes or until it begins to boil rapidly. Add the vinegar, then whisk while adding the oil. Add bell pepper, salt, garlic powder, Worcestershire, black pepper, parsley, oregano, thyme and basil. Let dressing cool for about 15 minutes before adding cheeses and egg substitute. Whisk until slightly thicker, then chill. Overnight refrigeration makes the dressing thicker.
2. Make the Greek topping for the sandwiches by combining the crumbled feta cheese, tomato, cucumber, and red onion in a small bowl.
3. Prepare the salad by combining the romaine lettuce, red cabbage and shredded carrot in a large bowl and toss.
4. Prepare the sandwiches by first microwaving each pita for 20 seconds.
5. Fold each pita in half like a taco, then add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the romaine salad into the bread.
6. Add 1/2 to 1/3 cup of the greek topping to each sandwich.
7. Pour about a tablespoon of dressing over each sandwich and serve.
Serves 4.

Wendy's Spicy Chicken Fillet Sandwich

There once was a time when Wendy's offered this sandwich for a "limited time only." Apparently the tasty zing from this breaded chicken sandwich won it many loyal customers and a permanent place on the fast food chain's menu. Now you can re-create the spicy kick of the original with a secret blend of spices in the chicken's crispy coating. Follow the same stacking order as the original, and you've just made 4 sandwich clones at a fraction of the cost of the real thing.

6 to 8 cups vegetable oil
1/3 cup Frank's Original Red Hot Pepper Sauce
2/3 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 chicken breast fillets
4 plain hamburger buns
8 teaspoons mayonnaise
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices

1. Preheat 6 to 8 cups of oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the pepper sauce and water in a small bowl.
3. Combine the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, paprika and garlic powder in another shallow bowl.
4. Pound each of the chicken pieces with a mallet until about 3/8-inch thick. Trim each breast fillet if necessary to help it fit on the bun.
5. Working with one fillet at a time, coat each piece with the flour, then dredge it in the diluted pepper sauce. Coat the chicken once again in the flour mixture and set it aside until the rest of the chicken is coated.
6. Fry the chicken fillets for 8 to 12 minutes or until they are light brown and crispy. Remove the chicken to a rack or to paper towels to drain.
7. As chicken is frying, prepare each sandwich by grilling the face of the hamburger buns on a hot skillet over medium heat. Spread about 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise on the face of each of the inverted top buns.
8. Place a tomato slice onto the mayonnaise, then stack a leaf of lettuce on top of the tomato.
9. On each of the bottom buns, stack one piece of chicken.
10. Flip the top half of each sandwich onto the bottom half and serve hot.
Makes 4 sandwiches.

White Tassel Hamburgers

Yield: 1 Servings

1 lb Ground sirloin (not ground-chuck)
3 oz Jar of strained beef or-veal baby food
2/3 c  Canned clear beef broth
1/4 c  Dry minced onion
1/4 c  Hot water
1 pk Regular hot dog buns

Mush together beef, baby food, and broth. Refrigerate, tightly  covered, for a couple of hours. Roll meat into small balls, flatten  and fry in pan on stovetop. Mix together onion and water. Place  approx. 1 tbsp of onion/water mixture in the bottom of the pan. Flip  burger on top of this mixture. Serve immediately after they are  finished cooking. For buns, cut a hot dog bun into pieces that are  the same size as the hamburgers.
 

WOLFGANG PUCK'S PUMPKIN PIE

      Yield: 1 servings

           Unbaked 10-inch single
           -crust pie shell
      4 tb Sugar syrup
      1 tb Minced orange peel
      2 tb Grand Marnier
      1    Vanilla bean, split and
           -scraped
      1    Cinnamon stick
           Fresh grated nutmeg
      6    Oz. fresh cranberries
      2 c  Pumpkin puree
      1 c  Dark brown sugar, packed
    1/2 ts Cinnamon
      1 ts Ginger
    1/2 ts Nutmeg
    1/2 ts Cloves
        ds Salt
        ds Fresh ground white pepper
      4    Eggs
      1 c  Whipping cream
    1/2 c  Half and half
      3 tb Bourbon
           Cinnamon ice cream
           -(optional)

Wolfgang Puck is a German-born chef who has made his mark here in  California.  He has such goldmines as Spago's in LA and Stars in the  City plus a few more salted away around the globe.  This is Wolfgang  Puck's very own punkin' pie.  How does it stack up against
Grandma's?
 
Line a buttered 10-inch pie dish or flan ring with pastry.
 
Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.  Line with parchment paper and fill with pie  weights or uncooked beans.  Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, or until  crust is golden.  Let cool.  Remove paper and beans.
 
Meanwhile, in large stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar syrup,  orange peel, Grand Marnier, vanilla bean with scrapings, cinnamon  stick and nutmeg.  Bring to boil.  Stir in cranberries then reduce  heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until berries are softened.  Remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.  Spread mixture in thin layer on bottom of tart shell. (Leftover marmalade is good served on side  with smoked meat, fowl or curry.)
 
In a bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg,  cloves and pepper.  Beat in eggs, cream, half and half and bourbon,  Pour into pastry shell.  Bake at 375F for 30 to 40 minutes or until  set.
 
Serve warm with cinnamon ice cream, if desired. 

Yonah Schimmel Low Fat New York City Knish

Here's a recipe that comes from a challenge issued by the New York Daily News. They wanted to find out if a West Coast boy could duplicate the taste of an authentic New York City knish. But, mind you, not just any knish. This knish comes from one of the oldest knisheries in the Big Apple; a place which also takes pride in the low fat content of its knishes, versus the popular deep-fried variety. When I tasted the famous Yonah Schimmel knish (the first knish I had ever sampled), I realized that not only could a simple clone recipe be created, but that the fat gram count could come in even lower. The Daily News even went so far as to have a lab analyze the fat content of not only the original knish and the clone, but also the fat grams in a street vendor knish and a supermarket knish, just for comparison. The results are listed below. If you'd like to check out the original article that ran in the Daily News, click here.

6 medium russet potatoes
2 1/2 tablespoons low-fat butter
1/4 minced onion
3 tablespoons fat-free chicken (or vegetable) broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste
Seasoning blends, chives or pepper flakes to taste (optional)
6 sheets phyllo dough

1. Peel, halve and boil potatoes until tender, 15-20 minutes. Mash in a large bowl.
2. Sauté onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter until translucent but not brown. Add to mashed potatoes with broth, salt, pepper and spices. Stir well.
3. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
4. Layer 3 sheets of phyllo dough and cut in half. Repeat with remaining 3 sheets. Spoon 1 cup of potato mixture on each section of phyllo, mold into a large ball and position off-center at one end of strip of dough. Roll ball along the length of phyllo, folding dough over bottom of filling and leaving some filling poking through the top. (Trim and discard excess dough.)
5. Brush melted butter over edges of knish to seal the seams and press down onto an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with other knishes. Bake 30-40 minutes, until golden brown.
Makes four knishes.

Yoo-Hoo Mix-Ups

A while back when I was rummaging through my pantry I came upon several bottles of flavored Yoo-hoo that I had scored from Wal-Mart and tucked away for over a year.Each of the bottles was covered with a little dust and needed a pretty fierce shaking, but the contents were very well preserved and quite tasty. After some Web browsing of a few unofficial Yoo-hoo Web sites, I discovered these worshipped "Mix-ups" variety of the famous chocolate drink had since been put to rest. Now, after a little work in the top secret "lab," I've come up with a way to clone the flavor of these bottled products which can no longer be obtained outside of the ethereal food-world afterlife.

Chocolate-Banana
3/4 cup nonfat dry milk
3 tablespoons Nesquik chocolate drink powder
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon banana extract

Chocolate-Strawberry
3/4 cup nonfat dry milk
3 tablespoons Nesquik chocolate drink powder
3 cups cold water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons strawberry extract

Chocolate-Mint
3/4 cup nonfat dry milk
3 tablespoons Nesquik chocolate drink powder
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 teaspoonn sugar
dash mint extract (less than 1/8 teaspoon)

Combine all the ingredients in a blender for the flavor of your choice in a container or jar with a lid. Shake until dry milk is dissolved. Drink immediately or chill in the refrigerator.
Makes 1 14-ounce drink.