Cafe Rio-Lite

Okay I totally stole this recipe from my friend matt's blog, but he stole it from someone else so it's okay. The pork alone makes this so worth while. I know some of you don't care for Cafe Rio, but living out here in NY where Taco Bell is passable Mexican food, makes recipes like this a godsend.


CHICKEN
5 lbs chicken breast, boneless, skinless
1 sm bottle zesty italian dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingred together in a large crock pot. Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Reserve a small amount of juice and pour over shredded chicken. Keep warm.

PORK
3.5 lbs pork roast
1 bottle taco sauce (8 oz)
1 T cumin
1 C brown sugar
1 can Coke (not diet)

Cook pork in pot on low for 6 hours (cover roast 1/2 with water. I cooked for a couple of hours on high and switched to low, that made it shred easier; also, when you add the other ingredients, please take out some of the water, leaving only about ½ in. in the bottom of the pot). Add ingred. to pork 3 hours before it is done.

LIME RICE
in a saucepan, saute:
2 T butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

In a large pot, bring to a boil the following:
6 2/3 cups water
8 t chicken buillion
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 sm cans diced green chilies
1 T lime juice
1/2 t pepper
3 cups of rice (maybe a half cup more, you'll have to play with it)

Pico de Gallo
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t lime juice
1 t salt1/2 t pepper

TOMATILLO DRESSING
1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix
1 C buttermilk
1 C Mayo
1 to 2 tomatillos
1/2 to 1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 to 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 t lime juice
1/2 to 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed!

Serve in the following order:
tortillas
cheese
shredded chicken or pork
black or pinto beans
lime rice
red and green leaf lettuce, shredded
sprinkle crunch corn strips on top
fresh Parmesan cheese

sides of:
pico de gallo
guacamole
fresh cilantro
fresh lime slice
tomatillo dressing

Pumpkin Roll

Okay this is a holiday favorite in our home (and I apologize for so rarely posting).

Cake:
3 Eggs
1 C. Sugar
2/3 C. Canned Pumpkin
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
3/4 C. Flour
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp ea. Nutmeg & Ginger
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking Powder
Powder Sugar

Preheat oven at 375. Beat eggs together for 3 minutes or so. Add in the granulated sugar slowly. Once thoroughly mixed add the pumpkin and lemon juice. Mix all ingredients well. Add all the dry ingredients, mix well. Pour spread onto a well greased and floured jelly roll pan (cookie sheet will work). Spread it thin no more than an 1/8-1/4 of an inch. Bake for 15 minutes. Place on a towel and sprinkle with powdered sugar and roll immediately.

Filling:

8 Oz. Cream Cheese
1/4 C. Butter
1 C. Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 C Chopped Nuts
Powdered Sugar

Cream all together while cake cools. Once cake cool unroll, and spread Filling as thickly as desired. Re-roll the cake. Sprinkle Top with powdered sugar. Chill thoroughly.

This really is enough to make two rolls. We'd typically get them wrapped in aluminum foil for Christmas from our family friends who'd make it every year.

Cocoa Perfection

This recipe comes from the fabulous ~J, by way of her esposo. The real trick to making this easy and quick is to invest in a COCOMOTION machine. Last year they were about $20 at Walmart.
So here is what you do, for the best cocoa around:
1 part water
1 part flavored creamer (I like the refrigerated ones from International Whatever)
2 spoonfuls of Pero
Scoop of your favorite cocoa mix (In spite of Amanda's best intentions, I am hooked on Stephen's)

Ta-Da!

I also find that cocoa tastes best when watching Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas. But that is me.