Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa

Ingredients

• 3 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
• 3 cans Coca Cola Classic (NOT diet)
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 - 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, mild spiciness but any will work)
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 can (7 oz) Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drain half the adobo sauce off the chiles and use the sauce in the recipe (if you add the chiles it will be SUPER SPICY)
• 1 jar mild chunky salsa

Instructions

• Put the pork in crock pot, cover 1/2 way with water and cook on low about 8 hours or 12 hours if you have a larger roast.  I start mine at about midnight and then go to the next step first thing in the morning.
• Drain off the liquid and any fat.
• To make marinade, in a bowl or blender mix cumin, garlic, enchilada sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, and adobo sauce.
• To the pork you will add 2 cans of coke, marinade, and 1 can chunky salsa in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily) or on low for 8 hours. Shred pork.
• If it looks too thick or isn't sweet enough, add more Coke little by little or more brown sugar in 1/4 c. increments.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
• 1/2  to 3/4 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa Salad

Ingredients

• 6 large Tortillas (we like the raw ones from Costco that you cook yourself)
• Shredded cheese, Mexican blend
• Cafe Rio Rice 
• Cafe Rio Black Beans
• Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
• Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine or a mix of them)
• Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
• Guacamole
• Sour cream
• Tortilla Strips or crumbled tortilla chips
• Cotija cheese, crumbled (or you can use Parmesan)
• Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch
• OR Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette 

Instructions

• Here is how we put it all together: First of all, we bought the aluminum deep-dish pans (they had these at the grocery store, you will know when you see them.. they look JUST like the Cafe Rio tins). Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions (pico de gallo). Add guacamole (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) and sour cream. Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch or vinaigrette dressing and there you have it! (makes about 6 salads)

Cafe Rio's Cilantro-Lime Rice and Seasoned Black Beans

Cafe Rio's Cilantro-Lime Rice

• 1 c. uncooked rice (long-grain, white rice)
• 1 tsp. butter or margarine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions

• In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Cafe Rio's Seasoned Black Beans

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/3 c. tomato juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions

• In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Mexican Red Rice

Tauna at Sundown Ranch in Northern Arizona 

This is Tauna's recipe.

1 1/2 T oil

1 1/2 C rice

1 C salsa

1 C chicken broth

salt

1 1/2 C frozen peas at end of cooking (opt.)

Brown rice in oil and then add with other ingreds. and cook in a rice cooker.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

April Lowe

This has become one of mine and Andy's favorite recipes.  It is fresh and flavorful.  We love to eat this with Krista's fresh salsa recipe I've also posted on the blog.  This is really flavorful and good over rice or on an entree salad with avocado, black beans, roasted corn, etc.  You can double or triple the marinade and freeze the rest to use on future batches.   When I have a bunch or two of cilantro or several limes, I make as many batches as I can in my blender and freeze it for up to a year.  Then just thaw the marinade and add chicken the day you want to cook it!

• 6 chicken breast halves
• ¼ c. fresh lime juice
• ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 ½ tsp. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil for brushing grill grates
• 1 ½ c. salsa
• 1 c. light sour cream (optional – leave out for lower calories)

Pound chicken to ½-inch thickness, so it’s evenly thick, between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Put chicken in a shallow dish or one gallon Ziploc bag.  Whisk all marinade ingredients until well blended.  Cover both sides of all chicken with marinade.  Marinate at least one hour.  Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling.  Heat grill to medium.  Place chicken on grill and cook for 1 ½ minutes.  Rotate chicken 90 degrees and cook an additional 1 ½ minutes to get attractive grill marks.  Turn chicken over and cook, periodically rotating, until done and juices run clear.  Usually cooks about 8 to 10 minutes.  Serve with salsa, a tiny bit of sour cream, and cilantro garnish.  Makes 6 servings.

Delicious Tomato Salsa

Krista Schimmelbusch

♥ 

1 large can S&W chopped tomato

½ sweet white onion, coarsely chopped

½ bunch cilantro

½ - 1 jalapeno pepper

2 cloves garlic, or to taste

¼ tsp. cumin

1-2 tsp. salt

Juice of one lemon

Put all ingredients in blender or food processor and pulse until blended.

*This recipe was given to Krista by her friend Jennifer Smith.  It is delicious and always gets many compliments.  It has also turned into Andy and April's favorite salsa since getting the recipe from Krista!

Aunt Peggy's Cowboy Caviar

April Lowe

♥

3 fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 can white corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 bunch of green onion to taste

1 Italian dressing mix made as directed on package

* can add avocados and/or lime juice if desired

Mix ingredients together.  Chill and serve with baked chips or over a Southwestern dish.