Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (Jeannie Woodfield)

I've tried 4 different recipes for this and this is my favorite:

3 lb pork loin
1 1/2 cans coke
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 heaping T. of adobo sauce (Harmons, Mexican Aisle)
1 heaping t. dry mustard
1 heaping t. cumin powder
2 T. chili powder
1 t. salt
2 cloves fresh garlic

Cook for 8 to 12 hours in roaster at 300 degrees. ( Or on low in crock pot) shred meat back into juices when done.


Cafe Rio Rice

Put the following in a rice cooker:

6 c. water
3 c. rice

Blend the following in a blender and add to cooker:

4 t. chicken boullion
4 t. minced garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
1 T. butter
1/2 of an onion

Cook until done.

DRESSINGS:

Cilantro lime vinaigrette

1/4 c. vinegar
half a can of green chilies
1 clove minced garlic
pinch cumin
1 t. salt
3 t. sugar
1/4 c. fresh cilantro
1/2 canola oil
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
Blend together in a blender

Ranch Tomatillo Dressing

1 pkg Ranch dressing mix
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayo
3 tomatillos
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1 small jalepeno or 1/2 can green chilies
Blend together in a blender

Pico de Gallo
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, cho[[ed
1 clove minced garlic
1.2 t, lime juice
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Coconut Lime Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

{adapted from Food Network}
Makes about 18ish.
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp grated key lime zest
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes (3.5 ounces)

The Frosting:
5 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped into small chucks 1/2 cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup sour cream Fresh lime slices, for garnish

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner almost to the top with batter. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely. While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. In a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, carefully and slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool until just slightly warm. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the salt, vanilla extract, key lime juice, and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix just until incorporated. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a bit of grated key lime zest. * If you don't want to place fresh lime slices atop, you can always candy your lime slices so they are more edible. Google "candy limes" to find the how-to.

Cafe Rio goodness

Pork recipe:

1 cup salsa (I use my yummy homemade "Melina's" salsa)
1 cup brown sugar
salt/pepper to taste
2-3 lb pork roast (preferably boneless)

Cook in crock pot on low for 8-10 hours, shred with fork and remove fatty pieces


Rice recipe:

6 cups water
4 tsp minced garlic
1 can green chiles (or 1-2 fresh anaheim chiles)
1 Tbsp butter
3 cups rice
4 tsp chicken boullion
1/2 bunch cilantro
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 onion

Blend cilantro, green chiles, and onion in food processor. Bring water to boil, add all ingredients, simmer covered for 30 min.


Dressing recipe:

1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make according to directions on package)
2 tomatillios
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 bunch cilantro

Blend in blender, chill in fridge for at least an hour


*Warm up the tortillas (I buy the raw tortillas from Costco that take like 30 seconds to cook on a pan), then add the pork, rice, black beans, romaine lettuce, cheese, tortilla strips and top it off with the dressing and a squirt of lime and cilantro. YUM!

Banana Muffins

(This recipe is perfect for that one left-over, overripe banana on your counter.)

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. cinnmon

1 medium mashed banana

1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. oil

1 egg, slightly beaten

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, stir in remaining ingredients and stir just until moistened. Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.

The Nasty Sandwich

This delectable sandwich was on Man Vs Food. Mmm, that show always makes me hungry.

You take a biscuit, put a piece of fried chicken in between with a little mozzarella cheese and country gravy. You just can't go wrong with it. But have some napkins handy.

For the chicken, I used chicken tenders dipped in egg, rolled in some saltine cracker crumbs and a little bit of potato flakes, salt and pepper and cooked them in a skillet with a few tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium heat for about 15 minutes, turning frequently.

The show recommended frying the chicken in bacon fat, but I didn't have any of that lying around. They also used sausage gravy.

I used cheater refrigerated biscuits and a packet of country gravy. Yum. Seriously.

Protein Bars

1/2 c. buttery spread (like Smart Balance)
1 c. peanut butter or almond butter
3/4 c. Agave
2 c. rolled oats
1 c. pecans, chopped or ground
1 c. raw almonds, chopped or ground
16 dates pitted and chopped or 1 c. bud, chopped a little
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
1 c. vanilla protein powder
1/2 to 1 c. coconut

On stove, melt buttery spread, peanut butter and Agave over low heat. Remove from heat. While melting, mix oats, nuts, dates, protein powder and salt. Pour melted mixture over dry mixture. Add vanilla. Stir until coated. Sprinkle cocomut in bottom of a 9 x 13 glass pan. Spoon mixture over top and press into pan. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Cut into squares and put a few together in a zip loc bag. can freeze and use as desired.

These are seriously better than any protein bar I have ever bought. You can grab a couple on the go for breakfast or after a workout. Mmmm.

Best Lasagna

My friend Missy gave me this recipe. This is the best lasagna I have ever had. Probably because it is made with sausage :)

1 lb Italian sausage
1 c. ricotta cheese
1 c. mozzarella cheese
1 c. mayo
1 tsp garlic powder (or I use 1 clove minced garlic)
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper (depending on how hot you like it!)
1 can hunts Italian sausage spaghetti sauce
1 pkg lasagna noodles (I use 12 noodles)

Preheat oven to 350
Prepare noodles according to box directions. (I usually buy oven ready. While
I cook the sausage I just soak the noodles in warm water until I layer the
lasagna.. I found the noodles don't soften enough if I just bake them).
Brown and crisp the sausage. Drain grease. Combine the ricotta cheese, mayo,
garlic, and crushed red peppers. Add drained sausage. Begin layering. Start
with the spaghetti sauce then noodles. Spread a 3rd of the sausage cheese
mixture on noodles and cover with a 1/4 of the spaghetti sauce spread and add a
quarter of the mozzarella cheese.
Continue in like manner. On the top I usually pour the remaining spaghetti sauce
and cover in mozzarella cheese.
Bake 45 min- 1 hour in a 9x13 pan."