Cafe Rio Pork Salad

Hi everybody Dan passed his CPA exams this week and I wanted to do something special for him to Celebrate. Since he eats out all the time at work, I knew he didn't care to go out. So as I was contemplating on what to make it was as if lightning bolt had hit me.. Cafe RIO of course..

I found an amazing pork recipe that I actually tweaked a bit myself and I think I found the copy cat of Cafe Rios.  At least I think so ....

Pulled Pork
3-4 lb. Pork Butt or Shoulder Roast ( i used the Should Roast)
2 small cans El Pato Tomato sauce (found in the mexican aisle, this is a key ingredient)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 can cokeWrap pork completely with foil, place in crock pot and pour 1/4 cup water around roast and about half can of coke. Cook for 8 hours on low. (YES, 8 hours! The longer you cook a pork roast, the easier it is to shred, the more tender it is, the more delicious it is. 8 hours is key!) Remove roast, drain juices, remove fat and shred. Dump the tomato sauces, remainder of coke and brown sugar into the crockpot, stir together and add shredded pork back in. Cook two additional hours on low.

I wasn't a fan of the rice I made still can't find a good one.

The creamy ranch tasted mayoie instead of ranchy. But it still was good.

Guacamole I have mastered well I think so..

2 large avocados.
1 roma tomato or grape tomatoes
1 lime
1/4 c. red onion or sweet yellow onion
1 jalapeno
1/2 bunch of cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Mix avocados and juice lime. chop all veggies very finely and add to avocado. Taste to like your liking. I like mine more chunky but if your a smooth person put in the food processor to puree.

FLour Tortillas
I've made these in Ukraine almost every day and then all the time in college. THey are so yummy I eat about 5 while i'm making them and then just like to snack on them during the day.

2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. warm water
1 t. salt
1/4 c. oil

Sift together flour and salt. Add oil. Add warm water 1/4 c. at a time mixing together. Roll out onto lightly floured surface. roll out into 10-12 small balls. Cover with towel for 15-30 mins and then roll out and place on griddle or pan make sure to do it on warm.

I do want to try these out sometime but with the wheat.

Cindy's Flour Tortillas, Version 2.0

4 cups flour (I typically 75%-100% whole wheat)

2 t salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1 1/4-1 1/2 cups hot water

Heat pan or griddle to 325-ish (do not grease). In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in canola oil. Add water gradually (I usually start with 1 cup, mix, and then add the water about 1/4 cup at a time after that) until dough is moist and holds together without being sticky. Knead with hands for a minute, then divide into balls about the size of a ping-pong ball or smaller. (Your dough balls can be bigger if you are rolling out by hand and not using a tortilla press.) In a tortilla press lined with a sliced-open plastic bag (to prevent sticking), press balls twice (I usually press, pick up the tortilla, flip it over, and press again). Cook tortillas 3-5 minutes on each side

Soup for the Soul

I discovered an amazing Soup recipe that is purely delicious and purely good for you. It is packed with vitamins and minerals and all the things that make your insides happy. You won't be disappointed with this one. I didn't have a lot of things on hand but make do and come up with your own variation. Let me know how you like it. To top it off i made some yummy Homemade wheat bread to go with it.

Soup for the Soul

Ingredients (8-10 cups)

• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped (used 1 1/2)
• 1/2 cup red quinoa, uncooked 
  ( i used wheat berries/kernels)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube 
  (i used chicken bouillon)
• 6 cups water, boiled
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1.5-2 cups cooked black beans (about one 15oz can)
• 1 tsp good-quality curry powder
• Pinch or two of cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves, well rinsed and roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Pinch of saffron threads (optional, but tasted amazing)
  
  
  I used only 4 cups of water and I didn't have zucchini, tomatoes. Instead the veggies i used were carrots, onions, mushrooms, green beans (not the canned nasty stuff but the fresh yummyness), spinach and kale. you can add whatever veggies you like.
  
  

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the chopped sweet onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the chopped carrots, chopped zucchini, and minced garlic, and continue to sauté for about 5-7 minutes.
• Place your bouillon cube into a medium sized bowl. Boil 6 cups of water and pour over the bouillon cube. Stir well to dissolve. Add bouillon mixture, tomatoes, red quinoa, black beans, and spices + seasonings. Bring to a boil and then simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the roughly chopped spinach, stir well, and cover. Simmer on low for about 15-35 minutes. The longer you cook it the more the flavours will develop. Taste test and adjust seasonings if necessary. I also have a feeling this soup will be even better the next day! Garnish with nuts of choice if preferred. (didn't do this step)

Southwestern Chicken Soup

Here is a new fav of mine. I made this for Calvin's Blessing. I took a risk because i had never made it before and I had no idea what to expect BUT. . . it was a HIT meaning super delicious and I got lots of people asking for the recipe so i thought I'd share with you! I found two recipes that looked good and used a combination of both and added a few of my own ingredients. Enjoy.


Southwestern Chicken Soup
1 Chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 T cumin
6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup uncooked brown rice ( i added closer to ¾ c. can add more)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (an estimation may add more or less)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 chopped seeded tomato
2 avocados, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice $
6 lime wedges
1 14-oz can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed (I like more beans in my soups so I used both)

I did not use these ingredients but you may add or replace
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 c fresh spinach (can add more or less)
1 can (16 ounce) Great northern beans
1 14-oz can tomatoes (instead of fresh)
               
Directions
Makes 8 hearty cup-size servings
In a large soup pot set over medium-high flame, chicken broth, garlic, onion, and rice. Cook until soft and starting to get some color. Bring to boil. Add cumin and beans. Reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes. Stir in chicken cilantro, green peppers, pepper, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add lime juice, tomatoes  and avocados stirring well. Serve with lime wedges.

May place cooked rice in bottom of each bowl instead of putting in the soup uncooked.   May add more  avocado and cilantro on top.

White Beans and Brown Rice

Today's recipe came right from my head. Yup didnt follow anything but my intuition. when it comes to making dinner I at times get stumped and dont know what to make. I had been cooking white beans to process and later freeze to use as a substitute for butter in recipes. I left some beans to use for dinner but didnt know what to do with them. Daniel started making brown rice. So I drained the water from the beans and rinsed them off, added some water not to much cuz I wanted to pour it over the rice. I added chicken buiollon and then cut up some onions and threw them in with the beans (cooked in pot) I added salt and pepper to taste, celery flakes, garlic powder, italian seasoning, ground oregano, white pepper, Cumin, and a bit of cayenne pepper. I wanted it to be more creamy i had cream of chicken leftover so i added a few spoonfuls into the mixture. Cook for 10 mins to let the flavors soak in. Daniel said it smelled like curry and sorda tasted like it. Poured it over the rice and mmm mm one tasty made up dish with leftovers. You can follow this recipe to your liking. Sorry i dont have exact measurements.

Crockpot chicken

 

Easy and FAST but can't stop eating DINNER!

So on Thursdays I decided I was going to do crock pot meals because I have a night class that goes from 5-7:30 and Daniel has Young Mens at 7:00 so this way he could come home from school, hurry and eat some goodness and leave and I could actually have a good meal to come home too. 

Cook chicken & 1/4 c water in crock pot for 2-3 hours.

Mix:
1 block cream cheese ( I only used half cream cheese and of course fat free kind)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 packet dry Italian dressing

Pour over chicken & cook another 2-3 hours or you can pour over the chicken at the beginning and cook for 5-6 hours which I did and it still turned out wonderfully. Can also add mushrooms or broccoli.

You can also do this in the oven too! Serve with rice and leftovers make great chicken pot pie!
The sauce for this is so so good you could drink it. I came home from school that night I made it and could not stop eating it.