FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Warm Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster and a Dutch apple pie from Marie Callender's may make you drool, but is it possible to make these favorites at home? For this copycat challenge, we turned to local chef Shayna Telesmanic.
"I think it'd be really surprising how easy it is to do. Most of the time it's ingredients you already have in your cupboard," said Shayna Telesmanic of the Young Chef's Academy.
First up, those famous Red Lobster biscuits you just can't stop eating. Shayna adds flour, seasonings and of course cheese. Ten minutes later and fresh out of the oven they smelled great. Shayna says the key to this recipe is coating the biscuits with melted butter and fresh parsley.
Next up, we wanted to make a sweet potato casserole that tastes just like the one made famous by Ruth's Chris, but for a lot less. Shayna smashes sweet potatoes and goes to work. However, Shayna's copycat version uses more potatoes and a whole lot less butter and sugar, something that may make the difference.
We found people outside a Northeast Fresno coffee shop to take the blind taste test, but can they tell the difference?
One Valley resident could tell the difference with the sweet potato casserole due to its sweetness. However, others were fooled when it came to the biscuits.
We turned the tables on Painted Table Chef Jeromie, where he tried a couple of copycat recipes. They include the Dutch apple pie from Marie Callender's but also the Chinese chicken salad from the Cheesecake Factory.
Whisking, mixing and slicing a lot of green apples is the key to this Dutch apple pie knockoff.
"It's kind of like a big caramel apple pie," said Jeromie Hansen.
We used an online copycat recipe, so you can see and taste a slight difference. At a closer glance, it's the filling that separates the two, causing this copycat recipe to be a little off.
Last but not least our biggest challenge: the Chinese chicken salad from the Cheesecake Factory. This one took a lot of prep time from the vegetables to the wontons to the sauce. Side by side, Jeromie and I arranged the copycat and store-bought salads.
Fresno resident Susan was happy to do a blind taste test.
"This is really good. I can taste the difference," said Susan.
Her pick, the copycat recipes for both. But as far as trying to play a chef, she'd rather dine out.
"Because I don't cook. It's too much work. I'd rather you guys walk by, knock on my door. Could you keep doing this?" Susan said.
Overall, creating these restaurant knockoffs were a fun task. While recipes like the biscuits were easy to create, others like the Chinese chicken salad took more time, so the costs can really add up. So bake it or buy it, the choice is yours.
RECIPES:
Cheesecake Factory Chinese Chicken Salad
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole