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

⅛ 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.

Navajo Fry Bread for Navajo Taco

2 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon non-dairy creamer
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup warm water
Vegetable oil or shortening for frying

Optional taco toppings:

Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Olives
Sour cream
Avocados
 
Preheat oven to 200° and line baking sheet with paper towels.  Stir together flour, salt, creamer, and baking powder.  Stir in warm water.  If dough is very sticky add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until dough is soft but cohesive.  Don’t knead.  Let dough rest 15-20 minutes.  Cut dough into 6-8 pieces.  On a lightly floured surface, pat first pieces of dough into a circle about ¼ inch thick.  Heat 1-inch of oil or shortening in heavy skillet over medium heat.  Oil should be 350°.  Test with a small piece of dough.  If it starts to fry immediately, the oil is ready.  Pat excess flour off first dough circle and carefully lay into the oil.  With tongs, depress the middle so the top is submerged under the oil.  Fry 3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden.  Turn and fry the other side approximately the same amount of time.  You do not need the bread to be uniformly golden.  Drain on paper towels.  Transfer to baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.  Cook remaining dough.  When all the bread is cooked, top with chili and serve with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and other optional taco toppings if desired.

Chili or Navajo Taco Filling

1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
32 oz stewed tomatoes (I use 1 quart of my canned tomatoes)

2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup water (about)
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons corn starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to create a slurry

Optional garnishes:

Corn chips
Grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Warm flour tortillas
Lime wedges
Or whatever other taco or chili toppings you like 

Brown and crumble beef in pan over medium heat.  Remove meat and discard all but 1 tablespoon of grease.  Saute onion and garlic until softened in the reserved grease.  Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant.  Return beef to pan and add salt, cocoa powder and Tabasco.  Add tomatoes, beans and water to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove lid and simmer uncovered  for 20 more minutes, stir occasionally.  Stir in peanut butter.  Simmer 10 more minutes.  Thicken as desired with corn starch slurry, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens.

Beef Fajitas

Source

1/2 C Canola oil
1/3 C soy sauce
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Combination of peppers – red, yellow, orange, green and onion, sliced.
Olive oil
Salt

Using a medium bowl,combine the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, and ground black pepper. Place meat in a large zip loc baggie and pour marinade over the steak. Turning meat to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill for medium-high heat.  Place steaks on the grill, and discard the marinade. Grill meat for 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Slice meat thinly going across the grain.  While meat is grilling, saute onions and peppers in olive oil and salt until tender.

 Serve with meat on a tortilla. Add sour cream, guacamole and or salsa.

**The is the fajita recipe I've been looking for all my life.  Love it!

Beef Fajitas

Source
1/2 C Canola oil
1/3 C soy sauce
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Combination of peppers – red, yellow, orange, green and onion, sliced.
Olive oil
Salt

Using a medium bowl,combine the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, and ground black pepper. Place meat in a large zip loc baggie and pour marinade over the steak. Turning meat to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
Place steaks on the grill, and discard the marinade. Grill meat for 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Slice meat thinly going across the grain
While meat is grilling, saute onions and peppers in olive oil and salt until tender.
Serve with meat on a tortilla. Add sour cream, guacamole and or salsa.

Tostada's

⅛-¼ cup oil

1 heaping teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin

6 flour tortillas

1 can refried beans, heated

Toppings:
Cheddar cheese, shredded

2 sliced avocados
Shredded lettuce

Chopped tomatoes

Green Onions

Picante Sauce

Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350°.  Mix first 3 ingredients and brush on both sides of the tortillas.  Bake on cookie sheet for 4-5 minutes on each side or until tortillas are crisp, not floppy.  Turn oven off.  Spread heated beans on hot tortillas.  Top with cheese.  Return to oven until cheese is slightly melted (1 minute).  Remove from oven and let everyone top their own tostada.

 

These are SOOOO good.  This is my mom’s favorite and a favorite all around at our house.  Be warned though, they are messy!  But as my mom always told me growing up, the messier the better!