Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Cafe Rio Salads

Okay, so this will be a longer recipe since there are a few different recipes involved in the infamous (and delicious) Cafe Rio Salad. This edition is the Pork edition. If you want the chicken recipe, you can email me for it. I prefer the sweet pork salad. Anyway, we had this at cooking club last night since most of us are from Utah and absolutely miss our Cafe Rio binges. I was skeptical but they turned out really yummy, almost like the real thing!!!

Cafe Rio Pork

3.5 lbs pork roast
1 bottle taco sauce (8 oz)
1 tbsp. Cumin
1 C. brown sugar
1 can Coke (not diet)

Cover roast ½ way with water and cook in crock pot on low for 6 hours. You can also cook it a couple of hours on high and switch to low and it makes it shred easier. Add the rest of the ingredients to pork 3 hours before it is well done.

Tomatillo Dressing

1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 tomatillos
½ to 1 clove garlic, minced
½ to 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ tsp lime juice
½ to 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed or it will be too hot!

Serve in this order:
Tortillas (Costco has the ones you brown on the stove, or buy the biggest ones you can find)
Cheese, Shredded
Sweet Pork, shredded
Black or Pinto Beans, heated through in their juices
Rice
Red and Green leaf lettuce, shredded
Sides of:
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole
Fresh Cilantro
Fresh Lime Slices
Tomatillo Dressing
Sprinkle crunchy corn strips on top
Fresh Parmesan Cheese

4 comments:

Stina said...

This is my favorite food ever. I always order the steak, but I'm sure I could settle for pork. I was just talking to Kristi about how I was thinking I could make it on my own. So, thanks for the recipes. I LOVE CAFE RIO!!!!

Denise said...

I LOVE CAFE RIO!!!!! I copied Stina with her phrase but added an extra explanation mark, that means I love them more right? Oregon has nothing even close to Cafe Rio and this recipe makes me giddy! Cant wait to try it.

Stina said...

So, Denise--June 22nd...I'm sensing some Cafe Rio in our lives....

Denise said...

Cant wait! Lets make it together, if thats okay? It will be nice out that we can send most of the kids in the backyard. Let me know what to bring, I am bringing some ingredients! Dont argue!