Growing up meal time was a "fend for yourself" time. Generally. We did have meals together. Sometimes. As a general rule if you were hungry, you found something to eat or went hungry. After getting were married, I remember my husband asking me what we were going to have for dinner. To me it seemed a funny question. I told him I was going to have cereal and asked him what he was planning to eat. It seemed a perfectly logical to me. (I should say here that my husband was one of six children and they ate nightly meals together). He asked in his very sweet way, “Don’t you think we should make something and eat together?” I was baffled. After all, it wasn’t a birthday, Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving. It was a regular
day. It wasn’t even Sunday. “Seriously?” was my response. Probably not what the poor guy wanted to hear. The next night we had meatloaf. I was very proud of myself. It was a regular day, and I had cooked dinner. Again my sweet husband asked (so kindly as to not offend), “Do you think we should have
something with the meatloaf…like potatoes, rice or corn?” “SERIOUSLY???” I had just cooked a main course, which to me was a big deal. The idea that he thought there should perhaps be more on the table was totally foreign. We’ve come along way since then. I now usually cook a nightly meal, not to mention making breakfast & lunches. Cooking has become something I usually enjoy. We are busy with 3 children so meals have to either be very simple and fast, or planned ahead of time. And yes, we do still have cereal for dinner every now and again.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Café Rio At Home

Source: my sister-in-law

1 medium pork roast (3-5 lbs.)
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups sugar (you can add up to 2 cups depending on how sweet you like it)
1 can coke
16 ounces “FRESH” salsa

In crock pot, place pork roast with a small amount of water.  Cover and let cook 8-12 hours on low heat until cooked through.  Drain the fat from the crock pot and shred the meat.  Pour coke, salsa, and sugar over the roast and stir.  Cover and let cook for 1 hour.  When done serve with lime rice (see recipe below), your favorite beans (pinto, black, or refried) and put all ingredients on a warm tortilla and cover with tomatillo dressing (see recipe below) that has been warmed.

Tomatillo & Cilantro Dressing (green ranch sauce)
1 package buttermilk ranch dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and milk to make 1 cup buttermilk*
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 tomatillos (green tomato – can use canned ones)
3 cloves garlic

In a blender, put buttermilk, sour cream, mayo and package of buttermilk dressing.  Take cilantro bunch and tear off leaves (do not use courser stems, but little ones connected to leaves are okay.)  Place cilantro leaves in blender.  Peel covering off of tomatillos and remove core.  Chop in half, place in blender.  Add minced garlic and cayenne pepper into blender.  Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  Warm for pork burritos.

Lime Rice
2 cups white rice
3 ¾ cups chicken stock
cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
2 tbsp butter

Add chicken stock, lime juice, and grated peel to large heavy saucepan on medium heat bring to boil.  Stirring occasionally.  Add rice.  Reduce heat.  Cover and cook until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed (about 20 minutes.)

*So, to make your own buttermilk (which is what I do since I'm lactose intolerant) is put 1 TBSP lemon juice or vinegar in my liquid measuring cup, then add milk to make 1 cup.  Allow to sit 5 minutes before using so the milk sours.  If you aren't lactose intolerant, omit this and just use 1 cup buttermilk.

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