Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli

It's amazing how many lousy clones for this delicious chili-like soup from Olive Garden are
floating around on the Web. Some are shared on message boards, others are displayed on sites in
a collection of "actual restaurant recipes" (yeah, right!). But they all leave out obvious
ingredients you can see, like the carrots, ground beef, or two kinds of beans. Others don't get the
pasta right -- it's obviously ditali pasta (short little tubes). Then there's the recipe that really
squeezed the seeds from my gourd -- one that's floating around in MasterCook format that lists
"Top Secret Recipes" as the source. But, wait a minute! I've never before created a clone for this
dish -- not here on the site, and not in any book. So, after logging some time over a chopping
block, an open flame, and a couple tasty glasses of Merlot, out popped this puppy. And this is the
one, kitchen cloners! If you want the taste of Pasta e Fagioli at home, this is the only recipe that
will fool in a side -by-side taste test. Accept no other imitation imitation!


1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta


1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over
high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.
5. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.

KFC Potato Salad

Here's a simple clone for the potato salad that is purchased as a side dish from America's
largest fast food chicken chain. Some of the skin is left on the potatoes in the real thing, so you
don't have to peel them too thoroughly (great news for lazy cooks like me!). Just be sure to chop
your potatoes into cubes that are approximately 1/2-inch thick, and then let the salad marinate
for at least 4 hours so that the flavors can properly develop. If you let the salad chill overnight, it
tastes even better. Tune in for more KFC clone recipes each week this month!


2 pounds russet potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons minced white onion
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon minced celery
1 teaspoon diced pimentos
1/2 teaspoon shredded carrot
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash salt


1. Lightly peel the potatoes (you don't have to get all of the skin off) then chop them into bite-size
pieces and boil in 6 cups of boiling, salted water for 7-10 minutes. The potato chucks should be
tender, yet slightly tough in the middle when done. Drain and rinse potatoes with cold water.
2. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
3. Poured drained potatoes into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix until
well-combined.
4. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best. (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)
Makes 6 cups (about 8 servings).