Cafe Rio Recipes...

After I posted pictures of my homemade Cafe Rio Salad I had some people ask for the recipes so, here is our version of Cafe Rios salads!

Cafe Rio Chicken:
3 Chicken Breasts
1 Can Green Chile Sauce
1 C Chicken Broth
1 T Cumin
1/2 Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/2 Limes Juice
Chopped Fresh Cilantro to taste

Place chicken breasts in crock pot, pour green chile sauce & chicken broth over the top and add cumin, garlic, lime juice, & cilantro. Cut an onion in half a place full onion rings on top of the chicken to flavor...they will be removed when the chicken is cooked and discarded. Cook for 4 hours, shred meat and cook for another hour.

Cafe Rio Beef:
3lb Chuck Roast
1 Can Green Chile Sauce
1 C Beef Broth
1 Small Can Tomato Sauce
1 T Cumin
1/2 Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

Place chuck roast in crock pot, pour green chile sauce, beef broth, & tomato sauce over the top and add cumin & garlic. Cut an onion in half a place full onion rings on top of the roast to flavor...they will be removed when the roast is cooked and discarded. Cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until meat falls apart easily. Shred meat into a different container, strain juices from the crock pot and pour over shredded beef.


Cafe Rio Pork:
2 lbs. Pork
3 Cans of Coke (not diet)
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
Dash of Garlic Salt
1/4 C. Water
1 Can Sliced Green Chilies
3/4 can Red Enchilada Sauce
1 C. Brown Sugar

Put pork in a heavy Ziploc bag to marinate. Add a can and a half of coke and 1/4 C. of brown sugar. Marinate for a few hours or overnight.
Drain Marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, & garlic salt in crock pot on high for 3-4 hours(until it shreds easily, but don't let it get too dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain liquids then shred pork.
In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, & 1 cup of brown sugar. If the mixture is too thick add more coke little by little until desired consistency is reached. Place shredded pork and sauce back in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours.



Cafe Rio's Cilantro Lime Rice:
4 C Chicken Broth
2 C Uncle Ben's Original Long Grain Rice
2 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Can Green Chiles-(or equivalent fresh)
1/4 Onion
1/2 Limes Juice

Blend garlic, cilantro, green chiles, & onion together in food processor. Add all ingredients to your rice cooker stir and cook stirring a few times in between.

Black Beans:
1 Can of Black Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 1/3 C Tomato Juice
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 tsp Cumin
2 T Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 T Fresh Cilantro Chopped

In a 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.

Pico de Gallo:
3 Vine Ripe Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 White Onion, chopped
1/4 Bunch of Cilantro, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 tsp Fresh Lime Juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing:
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 C Buttermilk
1 C Mayo
1 Tomatillo
1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Clove of Garlic
1/2 Limes Juice
1/2 to 1 Small Jalepeno, seeds removed. For a little spicier add some of the seeds.

Blend all ingredients well in a food processor & refrigerate.

Perfect Guacamole:
1 Clove of Garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Large Ripe Avocados
1 Small Ripe Roma Tomato
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 Fresh Lime

With a fork, mash clove of garlic with the salt to make paste. Mash two ripe avocados until smooth. Add garlic mixture & onion powder. Grate one small roma tomato into the avocado, discard tomato skin. Add juice of 1/2 lime.


Other:
As for the tortillas, I buy the uncooked tortillas from Costco and just cook them right before we are ready to eat. The tortilla strips can be made at home or they sell them in the produce section of maceys by the croutons. Maceys also sells a really good guacamole in there produce section that I like to use, or you can make your own. We also sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of ours...It is VERY delicious!