Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Cafe Rio Recipes

If you have ever been to Cafe Rio or Bajios or Costa Vida, you KNOW these recipes! Make them at home....oh, they are heavenly! YUM! This is my all time favorite dinner. Serve with a side of black beans, crunched up chips, guacomole, & shredded lettuce and it's like you are at the restaurant!



Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
3 or 4 pound pork roast
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. salsa

Mix together and pour over roast. Let cook in crock pot for 5-6 hours then shred.

Cafe Rio Rice
3 c water
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic - minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 t salt
1 T butter
1/2 onion
3 c rice

Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.

Cafe Rio Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunk of cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate

8 comments:

Indy said...

This sounds so goooooooooooooood.....

Lindsay Riggs said...

I don't know if it is because I used brown rice, but when I cooked the rice as directed, it was still crunchy. Next time I'm going to double the amount of water and lengthen the cook time. The meat is delicious!

Marne said...

Yes, brown rice cooks differently and requires a different amount of water. Sorry! Try it with white next time. It turns out wonderfully! We had this whole meal on SuUnday for dinner and I actually doubled the rice recipe this time. It is my husband's favorite!

Ashlee said...

I made this the other night and we loved it. I didn't have pork so I used chicken. I decided to make chimichangas with the chicken by adding a can of refried beans, 1/2 cup salsa, and 1 cup of cheese. It was so delicious. I can't wait to have it again!

Jan said...

I've never been to Cafe Rio so I'm unsure how this is arranged to serve. Is it more of a layered salad with lettuce, crushed chips, rice, beans topped with the pork? The flavor combination sounds wonderful and I'd love to try it! Thanks for any help you can give me.

Ashlee said...

Jan,
You can layer the ingredients like a salad and it's delicious. I also tried putting the pork (I substituted chicken) into a chimichanga and served the rice on the side with a salad and dressing. (See my comment above). Good eating!

Debi said...

I have always cooked the pork roast in coke and then added the brown sugar and salsa. I doubled checked with my cafe rio and this is what they said to do. AMEN to it being delish! Try the coke it does change the flavor a bit. We don't usually do "their" salad but put it in yummy rolls for sandwiches!

S. Nora said...

I am trying to make this for dinner tonight! Do I need to brown the roast before I put it in the crock pot? Do I cook it on low or on high for 5-6 hours? Also, I assume Debi is Marne's friend..... how much coke do I need to use if I choose to cook the roast that way? Do I need a small can or a big can of green chiles? Sorry for the million questions and thanks for the help!