Cafe Rio knock off...

One of my new favorites!!

#1

Erica's Complete Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

Cheese

Cafe Rio Rice

Cafe Rio Black Beans

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)

Diced tomato,onion,and cilantro (pico de gallo)

Guacamole (optional)

Sour cream

Tortilla Strips (can be found by the produce section at Smith's)

Parmesan cheese

Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch

SWEET PORK

2 pounds pork

3 cans Coke (NOT diet)

1/4 c. brown sugar dash garlic salt

1/4 c. water

1 can sliced green chilies

3/4 can enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)

1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry).

Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours.

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 c. uncooked rice

1 tsp. butter or margarine

2 cloves garlic, minced

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

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.

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 1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

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. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it's not "traditional Cafe Rio")

CILANTRO RANCH

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)

1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. buttermilk

2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced

1/2 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)

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

Ok so we did that but we added a different dressing. I was not going to make the original dressing because I did not want to get all the ingredients. It's from Trader Joe's. Its called Cilantro salad dressing. ITS SO GOOD!!!

Now I do have to say that this was a lot of work. Most of the time I use this recipe...

#2

Costa Vida/Cafe Rio Chicken or Pork

4 Chicken Breasts or

1 pork loin

2 Cans jalapeno El Pato (in green can)

1 cup brown sugar

a dash of cumin

sprinkle of pepper

sprinkle of garlic salt

Costa Vida Rice

1 cup rice (I use two cups of instant rice)

2 cups water

3 cubes chicken bouillon (I only use 1 cube)

½ tsp dried onion

¼ bunch cilantro

1 tsp oil 1 fresh lime

Cook rice with all ingredients on stove or cooker. Squeeze lime juice over rice and mix before serving.

Ok now I would try both. The sauce from #1 is sweater then the sauce of the chicken for #2. (I think #2 is really hot.)

My perfect meal would be either the #1 or #2 chicken. (Which ever I was in the mood for.) Rice from #2 (Its BY FAR BETTER) and then the beans from #1. And then I would use that new dressing.