CopyKat.com's Dining Out at Home Cookbook

Wendy’s® makes this classic recipe fresh every day, and you can do the same. Tomato juice really enhances the flavor of this chili, as does the chili powder, though you may want to start off with a little less chili powder. I find that 1/4 cup isn’t too hot, but is very flavorful.
2 pounds freshly ground beef
4 cups (1 quart) tomato juice
1 (29-ounce) can tomato purée
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup chili powder (you may want to use less)
1 teaspoon cumin (if you like real flavor, add more)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a frying pan, brown the ground beef, then drain off the fat. Put the beef and the remaining ingredients into a 6-quart pot. Cover the pot and let the chili simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
YIELD: 12 SERVINGS

Crusted Chicken Romano

Not only do they make fantastic cheesecake, The Cheesecake Factory® also has delicious Romano chicken. If you like Olive Garden’s® Parmesan-Crusted Chicken (page 124), you’ll like this recipe, as they are very similar. I would suggest that you serve this with pasta and either a meat sauce or even an Alfredo sauce.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons shredded Romano cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pound the chicken breasts flat by covering each breast with plastic wrap and using a mallet to flatten the chicken to approximately 1/2-inch thick. Whisk together the egg and the water. In a separate shallow dish, combine the flour,

salt, and pepper and mix to combine the seasonings throughout the flour. Dip the flattened chicken breasts into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and cover each one with shredded Romano cheese. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat and cook the chicken in the pan until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
YIELD: 2 SERVINGS
CopyKat.com’s CHILI’S®

Five Way Chili

Tomato and Onion Soup

Baked Potato Soup

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Canadian Cheese Soup