Cafe Rio Meal with Dressings- Tried and True

Cafe Rio Dressing

1 Pkg buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
2 Tomatillos (tomato like vegetable with a husk around them)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 Juice of lime
1 Jalapeno (Use the seeds too if you like it spicy. You could substitute a few drops of green tabasco for the jalapeno).

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate.

Rice

6 C Water
6 Chicken bouillon cubes
4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 C Rice, uncooked

Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor. Bring water to boil, add all ingredients. Reduce temperature to low. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until rice is tender. You may need to add more water.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

6 Tbsp Oil (half olive, half vegetable)
1/4 C Chopped fresh Cilantro
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 small hot pepper, finely chopped (or to taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in small jar. Shake well and set aside.

Pork

5 Lb Pork Roast
3 Cans el Pato Tomato Sauce
3 Cans Tomato Sauce
1 C Dr. Pepper
2 C Brown Sugar

Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook overnight on low. Shred the pork and remove fat and cook til dinner time.

I make the ranch, rice and pork. I buy tortillas from Cafe Rio or Costa Vida (3/$1); or you can buy the dough for fresh ones at the store. I buy canned black beans, a head of romaine lettuce and parmesan cheese and serve it all together. You can also melt cheese on the bottom of the tortillas to make it more like Cafe Rio.

Sweet Glaze Pork Chops- Janelle Jex

Ingredients

2/3 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp sage
2 TB water (may need more. Should be pretty thick though)
6 pork chops

Directions

Mix all ingredients together. Put raw pork chops in 9x13 pan and pour glaze over. Bake 350 for 45 - 50 min. Really good with mashed potatoes.

Pork Wontons- Rie and Nat Woo

Ingredients:

300 g Minced Pork
6 Water Chestnuts
2 Spring Onions
300 g Prawn
1 Egg
20 Pcs Wanton Pastry
1 1/2 TBS Light Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Sesame Oil

Instructions:

1. Shell prawns, clean and mince or chop into small pieces.
2. Peel water chestnuts, clean, and chop into small pieces.
3. Clean and cut spring onions into small pieces.
4. Put the minced pork into a big dish.
5. Add soy sauce and sesame oil.
6. Mix the meat with seasonings.
7. Add prawns, spring onion, water chestnut, egg and a dash of pepper.
8. Mix together throughly until mixture is sticky.
9. Fill wanton pastry with meat mixture.
10. Deep fry wanton until golden light brown. Serve.

Method of folding Wanton:

1. Place 1 tsp of filling in center and wet the edges of pastry with water slightly.
2. Fold pastry together until edges seal.
3. Press center of pastry slightly to flatten the wanton.
4. If there is some space in the pastry, try to push the air slightly then the edges before tightening it.