Nothing in the universe says, “I love you” with more passion than food. Whether it’s your mom cooking some of her homemade chicken soup while you’re sick, or your S.O. prepping some amazing chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day, food love comes on many different plates.
The creative fiends over on TikTok seem to understand this very well. One of the latest trends, deemed the “Four Course Meal Challenge,” includes a little bit of friendly competition, some bomb homemade meals and a whole lot of love!
What Is the Four Course Meal Challenge?
It’s basically a mini-tournament that includes four different rounds of rock, paper, scissors with a loved one (or loved ones). The four rounds are as follows: drinks, appetizers, main course and dessert.
You play rock, paper, scissors to determine who chooses a drink or dish for each round. It makes for some very interesting combos.
In a Tiktok video, user @moribyan shows the whole homemade deal. Drinks were homemade Baja Blasts inspired by Taco Bell. Her husband won the appetizer round and chose Buffalo Blasts from Cheesecake Factory. For the third round, her husband won AGAIN and chose Chipotle Chicken Pasta with extra Parm—also inspired by Cheesecake Factory.
For the last round, she finally won and decided to make homemade McFlurries complete with Oreos, M&M’s, Nutella and Kinder! Sounds like a wonderful meal to me.
You can make Cheesecake Factory meals at home, too—here’s how.
Cook Up Some Love This Valentine’s Day
Whether or not you consider yourself a cook, it’s not always about the level of talent when it comes to meals. It’s about the quality time spent together and the memories made in the process. What better day to make some memories than Valentine’s Day, am I right?
If you’re looking to stay inside this February 14, here are some ideas to start with:
Remember, you can choose whatever you want. That’s half the fun! Now, go make your Valentine’s Day extra special this year.
Our Best Fast-Food Copycat Recipes
Inspired by: McDonald's Burger, Fries and a Shake
Make a fast food feast at home with our recipes for
Burger Americana,
Skinny Fries and
Thick Strawberry Shakes. After just one bite you'll never go back to drive-thru fare.
Inspired by: KFC Original Recipe Fried ChickenIf you've wanted to learn how to make crispy fried chicken, this is the recipe for you. Always a picnic favorite, this deep-fried chicken recipe is delicious either hot or cold. Kids call it my Kentucky Fried Chicken! —Jeanne Schnitzler, Lima, Montana
You'll love any of these copycat
Chinese takeout recipes.
Inspired by: Portillo's Chocolate CakeYears ago, I drove 4-1/2 hours to a cake contest, holding my entry on my lap the whole way. But it paid off. One bite and you'll see why this velvety beauty was named the best chocolate cake recipe and won first prize. —Sandra Johnson, Tioga, Pennsylvania
Inspired by: Wendy's ChiliThis hearty slow-cooker
chili recipe can cook for up to 10 hours on low in the slow cooker. It's so good to come home to its wonderful aroma after a long day away. —Sue Call, Beech Grove, Indiana
Inspired by: SONIC Corn DogOne of the best parts of the many fairs and festivals in Indiana is the corn dogs! My family loves corn dogs, so I fix them fairly often at home. —Sally Denney, Warsaw, Indiana
Inspired by: Chick-Fil-A Chicken NuggetsI developed this recipe specifically to copycat Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets. The first time I made them I knew I had a winner because the whole family fought over who got the last one! For a dipping sauce, combine equal parts barbecue sauce and Dijon mustard, then stir in honey to taste. —Jeni Pittard, Statham, Georgia
Inspired by: Popeyes BiscuitsThe recipe for these four-ingredient homemade buttermilk biscuits has been handed down for many generations. —Fran Thompson, Tarboro, North Carolina
Inspired by: Culver's ButterburgerIt’s no secret that Wisconsinites love their dairy—so much that they sometimes top their burgers with a generous pat of butter.
My recipe is a lot like the butter burgers you’ll find in popular restaurants all over the state. —Becky Carver, North Royalton, Ohio
Inspired by: McDonald's Shamrock ShakeSave a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies for this creamy milkshake that's fun for kids and adults, too. —Shauna Sever, San Francisco, California
Inspired by: Burger King French FriesThese fries are always popular with my meat-and-potatoes bunch. The cheesy seasoning can easily double as a flavorful baked potato topper, too.—Maribeth Edwards, Follansbee, West Virginia
Inspired by: Chipotle BarbacoaMy husband adores this slow-cooker barbacoa simmered in lime juice, chipotle and cumin. He would eat it one a week if I would make it that often! We have it over rice with cilantro and a spritz of lime. —Aundrea McCormick, Denver, Colorado
Inspired by: Arby's Roast Beef SandwichMushrooms add a different touch to these comforting roast beef sandwiches. I like to pile the shredded beef high on Kaiser rolls.—Scott Powell, Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Inspired by: Chick-Fil-A Waffle Potato FriesMake any dinner fun with my Loaded Waffle Fries, topped with a savory blend of cheese, scallions and bacon. I copied this family-favorite recipe from a local restaurant, and it's great with hot dogs, burgers or by itself. —Jeffrey Viccone, Decatur, Illinois
Inspired by: Wendy's Southwest Avocado Chicken SandwichI threw these ingredients together on a whim and the sandwich turned out so well, I surprised myself! If you're in a rush, microwave the bacon—just cover it with a paper towel to keep it from spattering too much. —Dana York, Kennewick, Washington
Inspired by: Burger King Rodeo KingEvery family has a burger of choice, and this is ours. It's stacked tall with bacon and crunchy onion rings. —Paula Homer, Nampa, Idaho
Inspired by: McDonald's Chicken McNuggetsMy 3-year-old went through a chicken-nuggets-and-french-fries-only stage, so I made these golden nuggets for him. Even the grown-ups like them! —Amanda Livesay, Mobile, Alabama
Inspired by: Pizza Hut Cheese SticksWe love the breadsticks we get hot from the oven at our local pizza parlor. Now I can serve that same wonderful goodness at home. —Heather Bates, Athens, Maine
Inspired by: Burger King Chicken FriesKid-friendly and quick, these crunchy oven-baked chicken fries are coated with a mixture of crushed potato chips, panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip them in ranch dressing, barbecue sauce or honey-mustard sauce.—Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado
Inspired by: Cinnabon Cinnamon RollDistinctive coffee flavor accents the filling of these ooey, gooey rolls. The glaze goes on while they are still warm—they won’t last long!.
—Sherri Cox, Lucasville, Ohio
Inspired by: McDonald's Egg McMuffinI turned classic breakfast sandwiches into something heartier that you could even enjoy for dinner. We pile toppings like salsa and avocado—mayo and ketchup, too—on the homemade biscuits. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
Inspired by: Shake Shack Cheese FriesI came up with this recipe after my daughter had cheese fries at a restaurant and couldn't stop talking about them. She loves that I can fix them so quickly at home. Plus, the frozen fry packets can be refrigerated and reheated. —Melissa Tatum, Greensboro, North Carolina
Inspired by: Culver's Vanilla CustardI think my most memorable summertime dessert for get-togethers has always been homemade ice cream. This recipe is so rich and creamy and is the perfect splurge on a hot summer afternoon. —Martha Self, Montgomery, Texas
Inspired by: Dunkin' Glazed DonutThe light coffee flavor in these tasty sugar-glazed doughnuts makes them a perfect start to the morning...on Christmas Day or any day. You'll find that the recipe is a delectable way to use up leftover potatoes. —Pat Siebenaler, Random Lake, Wisconsin
Inspired by: Panda Express Chow MeinSome years ago, our daughter welcomed me home from a hospital stay with this Asian dish and a copy of the recipe. Now I freeze leftovers for fast future meals. —Kay Bade, Mitchell, South Dakota
Inspired by: SONIC Hand Made Onion RingsThese
onion rings cook to a crisp, golden brown. This is one of those foods you never tire of and a great side dish to so many meals. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota
