{ Better than Olive Garden's Fettucine Alfredo }

Fettucine Alfredo, one of the dishes I most enjoy from Olive Garden, and I'm talking about the plain Alfredo sauce, just creamy and garlicky and perfectly paired with thick fettucine noodles.

I've made Alfredo over the years but never this good, this is by far the best I've ever had and the newest family favorite.

It's very easy to make and you will absolutely love it.

Better than Olive Garden's Fettucine Alfredo

Source: Food.com

3 tablespoons sweet butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3⁄4 cup mozzarella cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan with olive oil over medium/low heat.
Add the garlic, cream, white pepper and bring mixture to a simmer.
Stir often.

Add the Parmesan cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth.

When sauce has thickened add the Mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. STIR FREQUENTLY.
While the sauce cooks, boil noodles for 3-5 minutes.

Place pasta on serving plates and spoon sauce over pasta.

Olive Garden's Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Personally, I prefer the Zuppa Toscana, but my 13 year old loves this soup and it's what she'll usually order if we go to Olive Garden.

As per her request, I made it last night and she was so thrilled that it tasted just like it, she has requested it for her birthday next month.

So, if you are a fan of Olive Garden and their soups, here's another to add to your list.  Pair it up with some Homemade Olive Garden Bread Sticks, and you have a dinner perfect for a cold winter day.

Olive Garden's Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Source:  Copykat Recipes

1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 quart half and half
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1 cup onion, finely diced
2 minced garlic cloves
2 14 ounce cans of chicken broth if you enjoy thick soup, use one can
1 cup carrots, finely shredded
1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
1 package gnocchi, cooked (you can find these in gourmet/pasta section of the grocery store - you may want to cut the gnocchi in half if it is large, or purchase the mini size if available)
1 cup of fresh spinach coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)


Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Add the flour and make a roux. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half. Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Into the roux, add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick, add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasoning; simmer until soup is heated through. Before serving season to taste by adding additional salt.

Zuppa Toscana

By far, my favorite dish from Olive Garden is their Zuppa Toscana, along with those delicious breadsticks.  Yum!

But honestly, I don't always get to Olive Garden, nor do I have the money to go by anytime I crave this soup.  So, I went searching online because as you know, many of the restaurants have copycat recipes out there, and I do have quite a stash of bookmarked favorites to try.

I've been making this soup for a while now, but hadn't had it in a few months, probably a year or so.

Since I picked up some great looking Kale at the grocery store yesterday, it was the perfect time to make another batch.  This recipe comes from Tuscan Recipes.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale

Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.

Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve.


Note: This recipe makes enough for our family of four, and I still have 2 mason jars with leftover soup for midweek lunches :)