Book Club Cafe Rio Recipes

How to make your own Café Rio Salads:
Build your salad using the following ingredients in the order given. You can use disposable pie pans to make it feel more authentic!
1. Large Flour Tortillas - You can buy regular flour tortillas, but it's better if you either make them homemade or buy uncooked ones, if you can find them (which is practically impossible here on the East coast) and cook them on a griddle.

• Sprinkle some cheddar cheese on top and cook until the cheese is melted. Place the cheesy tortillas in a cake pan.

2. Cilantro Lime Rice
2 cups rice
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp. butter
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 small onion chopped finely
1 4 oz. can of diced green chilis
4 cups chicken broth

• Throw all ingredients into rice cooker, then stir well once the rice is finished cooking before you serve it.

3. Black Beans - Two reciepes to choose from!

Cafe Rio Black Beans
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 can black beans - rinsed and drained
1 c. tomato juice (I use 1/2 c. tomato sauce and 1/2 c. water)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped clinatro

• In skillet cook garlic, cumin and olive oil. Add beans, juice and salt. Simmer on low. Add clinatro prior to serving.

Deb Chiapelli's Black Beans
2 T. oil
1/2 chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
2 clove garlic
1 can black beans
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 c. sugar
1 pkg. sazon goya (without annato)

• Heat oil and saute onions, pepper, and garlic 8-10 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients and stir until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced.

4. Meat of your choice: Sliced grilled chicken, or shredded pork

Cafe Rio Pork
6 lb. pork roast
1-16 oz bottle of salsa
1 can Coke
2 c. brown sugar

• Place pork in crock pot and fill 1/2 way up with water. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Drain off water. Cut pork in thirds. Mix together sauce ingredients and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with fork (it practically shreds itself).

Grilled Chicken
We use a Zesty Herb Marinade seasoning mix from the store, but we then add a lot of lime and about 1 tsp. cumin to the mix. We just follow the directions on the package (with our additions), soak chicken breats in marinade overnight, grill them the next day, and slice 'em up and serve! It's very good!
5. Romaine Lettuce

• Wash thoroughly, and cut into large squares.

6. Pico de Gallo (can be store bought, or here's a good recipe)
4 ripe Tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 jalapeno, minced (remove the seeds and veins if you don’t like a lot of heat)
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
lime juice, to taste
salt, to taste

• Mix everything together and refridgerate.

7. Guacamole (can be store bought, but very easy to make your own)

• Mash 2-3 avocados
• Add lime juice, garlic salt, fresh ground pepper, and salt to taste. If desired, you can also add some pico de gallo.

8. Lime Wedges (serve with the salad, and use as needed)
9. Grated Cotija cheese (or can use parmesean) - sprinkle on top of salad
10. Fresh Cilantro sprigs - sprinkle on top of salad
11. Crispy Tortilla Strips (can be store bought, but very easy to make your own)

• Just cut some corn Tortillas in thin strips and quickly fry until crisp in canola oil. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a little bit of salt.

12. Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
1 pkt. HV Ranch buttermilk dressing
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayo
3 tomatillos
2 clove garlic
1 c. fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper

• Blend all ingredients together in blender. Refrigerate.