CAFE RIO SWEET PORK SALAD

Pinto Beans

32 oz. dry pinto beans

12 cups of water

2 tablespoons salt

1/2 onion

3 cloves of garlic (peeled)

In a slow cooker, place the half onion and garlic in the bottom. Pour in the dry beans and add the water and salt. Cook for 5-7 hours or until beans are soft and have turned a light brown color. After you are done cooking the beans, you can remove the onion and garlic.  This recipe can also be cut down if you don't want as many beans and don't plan on freezing the leftovers.

Cilantro Lime Rice

1 cup of Rice

2 cups of chicken stock

3 Tablespoons lime juice

lime zest

1/3 cup of cilantro (chopped)

In a heavy pot, bring 2 cups of chicken stock to a boil. Add lime juice and rice. Allow to cook until rice is soft but not too mushy. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Grate some lime zest over the top.

Slow Cooked Sweet Pork

1 to 4 lbs of pork (shoulder or butt...or tenderloin would work too)
2  15 oz. cans of tomato sauce
2 cups of dark brown sugar
20 oz. Dr. Pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup of cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons of chili powder

In a large bowl combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, Dr. Pepper, garlic cloves, cilantro, and chili powder with a wisk. Place fresh or completely thawed pork into slow cooker. Pour tomato sauce mixture over the top. Cook on high for about 4-5 hours (or until pork easily falls apart).

Remove some of the liquid. (Be careful because liquid will be very hot) Use two forks to shred meat. It should shred easily. If it doesn't, then it needs to cook some more.

Tomatillo Dressing

8 tomatillos cut into large pieces
2 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup of cilantro
1 jalepena pepper (remove the seeds and top)
1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
3/4 cup mayonaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/8 cup of Buttermilk

1. In a food processor or blender, blend tomatillos until runny and smooth in texture. Add garlic, cilantro, pepper, ranch mix, hot sauce, and lime juice. Blend.

2. Pour mixture into a glass bowl. Wisk in mayonaise and sour cream until completely combined. Add buttermilk. Stir well. Store in the fridge, tightly covered.

Note: I have found that if you use a food processor for the first part, the tomatillo is chopped up better and there are less chunks of tomatillo in your dressing.  This dressing is good for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

For assembly of a "sweet pork salad"...

Layer the following on your plate...

Hot pinto or black beans

Cilantro lime rice

Sweet pork

Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese

Top with...

Tomatillo dressing, mashed avacado

Yum! I guarantee you will LOVE this and probably eat much more than you should!

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI... (TO TRY)

Chicken Spaghetti

5 chicken breasts 

1 tbsp chicken boullion

3 celery, chopped 

1 small bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped 

½ lb Velveeta cheese

1 can cream of chicken or mushroom 

1-16 oz pkg spaghetti

Cook chicken in 4 qt. pan, filled 3/4 full with water; add boullion. While chicken is cooking, chop veggies. After cooking for 15 minutes take chicken out of pan, add spaghetti to broth. When spaghetti is cooked, add chopped chicken, veggies, soup and cheese. Cook 10 minutes and pour into a casserole dish. Bake 25 minutes at 350.

SIMPLE STROGANOFF

1 lb. ground beef
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
1 can beef broth
salt
pepper
1 package egg noodles

Brown and drain hamburger.  Add cream cheese and beef broth.  Let simmer until cheese is melted.  Add salt and pepper.  Serve over egg noodles.

SHELL CASSEROLE

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups hot water
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
6 oz. large shell shaped pasta
1 (2 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)
1 cup sour cream

In a skillet, cook ground beef and onion until red color disappears.  Drain beef; place in slow cooker.  Stir in salt, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and flour.  Add water and bouillon.  Mix well.  Cover and cook on LOW 2 to 3 hours.  Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  Add cooked pasta, mushrooms and sour cream to slow cooker; stir to mix ingredients.  Turn control to HIGH.  Cover and cook on HIGH 10 to 15 minutes.

CALIFORNIA TAMALE PIE

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 (14 to 15 oz.) can chunky tomato salsa
1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (2.25 oz) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, mix cornmeal, milk and egg.  Stir in meat, chili powder, cumin, salt, salsa, corn and olives.  Pour mixture into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.  Sprinkle cheese over top; cover and cook another 5 minutes.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

CARROT CUPCAKES

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups grated carrots

CHUNKY FROSTING
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped raisins (optional)

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar and oil.  Combine the next 6 ingredients; gradually add to egg mixture.  Stir in carrots.  Fill greased or paper lines muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake at 325* for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

For frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until combined.  Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar.  Stir in coconut, pecans and raisins.  Frost cupcakes.  Store in refrigerator.  Yield: 2 dozen.

BAKED STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

12 oz. jumbo pasta shells
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (reserve 3/4 cup to top)
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 lbs. ricotta cheese
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tbsp. dried parsley
24 oz. spaghetti sauce

Bring water to a boil and cook shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the rest of the ingredients except the spaghetti sauce. Preheat oven to 375*. Place a thin layer of spaghetti sauce onto the bottom of a 13 X 9 baking dish.  Drain and cool shells with cool water.  Spoon cheese mixture into each pasta shell and place open side up in a single layer in prepared pan.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the stuffed shells.  Loosely cover with foil and back for 40 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup mozzerella cheese on top.  Bake 5 more minutes.