Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

SWEET PORK:

2 pounds pork (I used boneless pork ribs)
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 RED enchilada sauce (Next time, I'll use a TAD less....so maybe more like 2/3 or even 1/2 can)
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. (I marinated mine for a full 24 hours).

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. That's it!

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I know there are probably LOTS of different versions of Cafe Rio's sweet pork, and this is the only one I've tried, so I have nothing to compare it to.  We thought it was WONDERFUL!!!  I have to credit favfamilyrecipes.com for this version.  It turned out SO yummy! 

Tonight I served this over white rice with a side of sweet corn.  I was gone most of the day, but next time, I'd really like to take the time to make black beans, lime-cilantro rice, and try to replicate an actual Cafe Rio salad or burrito!

Slow Cooker Cream Corn

1 1/2 (12 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon white sugar
salt and pepper to taste


Directions

In a slow cooker, combine corn, salt & pepper.  On stovetop, melt remaining ingredients together.  Pour over corn.

Cook on High for 1 hours, switch to Low for 3-4 hours.

***

Ok Hello....how can this NOT be good?  Pretty much anything cooked in cream cheese and butter is bound to be awesome!!  And this definitely was!  I mixed a big spoonful of it in with some spaghetti sauce and noodles....I have NEVER seen my children eat so much in one sitting....EVER!  I'm making this every week!

Cilantro Lime Rice

3 cups Water

3 cups Rice
¼ cups Fresh Lime Juice
¼ cups Onion, finely chopped
1 can Green Chilies
2 cloves Garlic
½ bunches Cilantro
2 Tablespoons Chicken Boullion

Mix all ingredients in large pot.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Squeeze extra lime juice over top if desired.

***
Yum!  I served this rice along with black beans and sauteed chicken.  I used short-grain white rice, and next time I will definitely use long grain so it doesn't stick together as much.

Tortillas

I made the black bean soft tacos last night and used homemade tortillas. Yum!

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c white flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 c olive oil
1 c warm water

Knead until smooth. Divide dough into 12 balls and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out dough. Fry tortillas on a dry pan.

I also made guacamole which I thought really added to the black bean mixture. I used 1 avocado, 1/2 T lime juice, minced onion, garlic and 2 heaping T of sour cream.

Sweet Chili

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (optional, it tastes great without the chicken as well for a vegetarian meal)
1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained
2 onions, cut into chunks
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2-3 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


Directions

Place the chicken breasts into a slow cooker, and pour in the kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, onions, green bell pepper, corn, tomato paste, brown sugar, rice vinegar, chili powder, and salt. Stir to combine all ingredients, and cook on low all day.
Remove the chicken breasts, shred with 2 forks, and stir the shredded chicken back into the chili. Sprinkle the top of the chili with Cheddar cheese, and serve.

***
This was delicious!  My kids ate almost as much as we did!  SO yummy!  It can be made either with or without chicken.  This recipe makes a huge batch, so you could freeze it too.

Black Bean Soft Tacos

1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 (6 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced


Directions

In a nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Spoon about 1/2 cup off center on each tortilla; sprinkle with cheese. Fold one side of tortilla over filling. Garnish with avocado.

Wow, these are excellent!  We used sour cream too, and I warmed the tortillas.  My kids both loved them!

Slow-Cooker Pork Chops

4 Pork chops (frozen is fine.  I used bone-in, but it doesn't matter, boneless is fine too)
1-2 onions, sliced into rings
1 chicken boullion cube (or 1 tsp granules)
2 tsp brown or dijon mustard
Course black pepper

Sear chops over med-high heat in a skillet until lightly browned.  Dissolve boullion or granules in 1/2 c hot water.  Add mustard and mix.  Arrange onions in bottom of crockpot.  Place pork chops on top.  Cover generously with pepper.  Cover with liquid mixture and cook on low all day.

These were delicious!  Served them with long-grain rice and steamed broccoli.

Beef Taquitos

3 C cooked, shredded beef roast*
4oz green chilies, undrained
1/4-1/2 t minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce**
3 t adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers**
1 t garlic powder
1 t coriander
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
zest from one lime
1 T fresh lime juice
1 package Queso Fresco (about 12 oz)
20 white corn tortillas
olive oil or cooking spray
kosher salt

*I created this recipe to use up left over roast from things like pot roast and french dip sandwiches. If you're cooking a roast strictly for use in these taquitos, then just mildly season it with things like salt, pepper, onion, and garlic before cooking.

**If you don't want to work with the chipotle peppers, or can't find them, try adding some Chipotle Chili Powder. You can find it by the other spices in the grocery store. It will still give you a smoky spice, so start with a little and increase to taste.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice any larger pieces of roast across the grain so the beef is shredded into 1/2-1 inch pieces. Combine chilies, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and lime zest and juice in a bowl. After stirring to combine, gently toss together with shredded beef.

Wrap a pile of about 10 tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to soften. (after those are used, do the next 10)

Working with one tortilla at a time, crumble about 1T queso fresco in a line across the center of the tortilla. Top with 1-2 T shredded beef mixture. Tightly roll and place seam-side down on a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Continue to roll until all of the tortillas are filled.

Use cooking spray, olive oil spray, or lightly brush olive oil on the top of each taquito. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Serve warm with sour cream and guacamole. Makes about 20 taquitos.

***

These were yummy and a perfect way to use left over pot roast. I chickened out using the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. So I'm not sure what the difference would have been. For directions on how to work with chipotle peppers go here.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches (or Pot Roast)

1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 c. water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper. When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices.

Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onions soup mix. Pour water and beef broth over roast. Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It's hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it's done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.

Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty. Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

***

Yum, yum, yum!!!

Creamy Corn Chowder

2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. water
2 1/2 c. milk (skim or 1% work just fine and lighten it up considerably)
2 regular-sized chicken bouillon cubes, 1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube, or 2 tsp. chicken base
1/2 lb. bacon (optional)
1 small-medium onion, minced
2 red potatoes, diced into small cubes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can corn, drained or about 1 1/2 C frozen fresh corn
Salt and pepper to taste
A few dashes of hot sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula)


Fry bacon until crisp. In the meantime, melt butter over low heat in a soup pot. When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball. Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps. Add milk and chicken base or bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onions, and garlic, and simmer (but don't boil!), stirring very frequently, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add crumbled bacon and corn and heat through. Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt to taste. Start with about 1/4 tsp., give it a few minutes, and then add more if you need it.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with extra bacon and/or cheese if you want.

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This wasn't a big hit--Natalie tolerated it and Megan and Karen wouldn't try it. Jonathan loved it. I thought I was good, but I have a cold so my sense of taste is messed up. So, I'd recommend trying it if it sounds good to you, but I don't think I'll be making it again anytime soon just because my kids didn't really like it.