Cafe Rio Style Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

Cafe Rio Style Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

• INGREDIENTS

  •  1/2 cup buttermilk
  •  1/2 cup mayonnaise
  •  1/2 cup sour cream
  •  1/4 cup salsa verde or green enchilada sauce 
  •  1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
•  1 teaspoon garlic powder
•  1 teaspoon dried parsley
•  1/2 teaspoon onion powder
•  Pinch of dried dill (about 1/8 teaspoon)
•  Pinch of salt 
•  Pinch of black pepper 
•  1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
•  1 green onion, white and green parts coarsely chopped, or small bunch of chives

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Thin with additional buttermilk, milk, or lime juice, if you want to adjust the consistency.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve (the taste gets better with time - it can be made several days in advance).

Cafe Rio Style Black Beans

Cafe Rio Style Black Beans
adapted slightly from A Bountiful Kitchen, 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2-15 oz cans black beans (drain one can, don't drain the other)
• 2 cloves garlicminced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-11.5 oz can tomato juice
• salt kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

  Instructions:

  1. In a non stick pan, cook garlic, cumin and olive oil over medium heat until fragrance is released, about one minute. Be careful not to burn garlic.
  2. Add beans, cook down for about 5 minutes until some of the liquid from the beans is absorbed and evaporated.
  3. Add can of tomato juice and seasoning to taste.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes until thickened and some of the liquid has evaporated.
  4. Stir in chopped cilantro when ready to serve.

Cafe Rio Style Cilantro Lime Rice

Cafe Rio Style Cilantro Lime Rice 
adapted slightly from A Bountiful Kitchen
8-10 servings

Ingredients:

Rice:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 small can chopped green chilies 

• 2 cups long grain white rice

• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth without MSG

• salt to taste (about 3/4 t.)
• Dressing:

• heaping 1/2 cup packed, chopped cilantro 

• 6 T. olive oil

• 1 1/2 T. cider vinegar or fresh lime juice

• 1 T. red wine vinegar

• 1 clove garlic, minced 

• 1/2 t. cumin

• 1/2-1 t. minced, seeded jalapeno chile

Instructions:

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, and green chilies. Cook until onion is soft, about 5-10 minutes over medium heat.  Mix in rice, stir about 2 minutes.  Add broth and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is tender and broth absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and let rice sit, covered for 5 minutes.  Transfer rice to serving platter or bowl. Let rice sit for about 5 more minutes to cool slightly.  Pour dressing over rice, tossing gently together.  Season with salt and pepper.

Instant Pot Cafe Rio Style Sweet Pork

Instant Pot Cafe Rio Style Sweet Pork
Slightly adapted from Five Boys Baker
8-10 servings

3 lb. pork roast (or 2, 1.5 lb pork tenderloins)
1 cup Coke (or Rootbeer)
1 can (10 oz.) red enchilada sauce (mild or medium)
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
1 cup brown sugar

1. Cut your pork roast into 4 or 5 chunks and place in the bottom of your Instant Pot.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine the Coke, enchilada sauce, green chilies, and brown sugar
3. Pour 1 cup of this over the pork. Set aside the remaining sauce for later.
4. Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and select manual. Cook at high pressure for 50 minutes. Let Instant Pot naturally release for 15-20 minutes.
5. Shred pork and remove most (about 3/4 of the liquid) and discard. Pour in reserved sauce and stir.

Use for burritos, tacos, enchiladas, or salads.

Notes:

Both pork sirloin roast and boneless pork picnic roast works fine.

After the pork has cooked, I like to remove some of the liquid because it becomes slightly "watered down" from the steam and then I add the reserved liquid to add more flavor to the juice.

If you don't have an Instant Pot then you can use a slow cooker by placing the whole pork in your slow cooker with about 1 cup of Coke and 1/4 cup of water. Cook for 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 on high (or until pork shreds easily). Remove pork and shred, drain juice from slow cooker and return shredded pork to slow cooker. Pour the sauce you made in the blender over pork and cook on low for about another 45-60 minutes.