Cafe Rio Salad

Just looking at the pictures makes my mouth start to water again. This salad took a reasonable amount of time to make. The meat took the longest part but it cooks in a crock pot so it is a low maintenance type dish. Once the meat is almost ready, you start the rice and beans, you chop up some romaine lettuce, make the yummy dressing and serve it up.
I like to take corn tortillas and cut them into strips and fry them in a little vegetable oil so the salad has some crunch. Plus if you wanted to get crazy you an also make some pico de gallo and add that. But even with just the lettuce, pork, rice, beans, and dressing it is divine! Okay... enough raving... let's get on with the recipes.

SWEET PORK

2 pounds pork roast

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 enchilada sauce

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.

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 for the meat!

BLACK BEANS

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/3 c. tomato juice

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** you can add a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder. This is not traditional Cafe Rio, but adds wonderful flavor.)

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 c. uncooked rice

1 tsp. butter or margarine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 can (15 oz) chicken broth

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tsp. sugar

3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

CILANTRO RANCH

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)

1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. buttermilk

2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced

1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic

juice of 1 lime

1 jalapeno (If you like it SPICY you can leave the seeds in, otherwise take them out- best to use a spoon or a rubber glove when you handle the peppers since the hotness will stay on your hands or under your finger nail and will get you when you least expect it.)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

Oh yeah... and even if you don't want to make everything at once for the salad you can break it up.... the rice and beans are so yummy they would make a great side dish for any other main dish. Or you can make burritos or tacos from the meat.