Cafe Rio Goodness: Cilantro Ranch Dressing

by Emily Sandridge // September 16, 2011 // No Comments

Hooray! Here’s your last installment for Cafe Rio’s AMAZING salad! So far I’ve shared the Pork Barbacoa, Cilantro Lime Rice, and Black Beans. Today I’m sharing their wonderful Creamy Cilantro Ranch Dressing. It is so good. You will not need any sour cream on this salad. This dressing does the trick.

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno, seeds removed

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That’s it!

So, now that you have all the recipes needed. Let’s talk about assembling this salad. You’re going to need a big plate. 🙂 First, lay out a big flour tortilla that’s been warmed. Then add the pork, then the rice, then the beans. Throw a handful of romaine salad on top. Next, you’ll see tortilla strips – I can find these in the produce section close to the salads and croutons. THEN top with this amazing dressing.

I assure you this will become a favorite in your house. It is in mine!!

Cafe Rio Goodness: Black Beans

by Emily Sandridge // September 9, 2011 // No Comments

Here’s installment #3 for my all time favorite Cafe Rio Salad. All of these recipes are wonderful together or apart. (Here’s the link to the pork and to the rice).

Cafe Rio Black Beans

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Cafe Rio Goodness: Cilantro Lime Rice

by Emily Sandridge // September 2, 2011 // 1 Comment

Here’s another installment to help you complete your Cafe Rio Salad.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Rice (YYYUUUMMMM!!!)
2 T. butter
1 1/4 C. white rice
2 1/4 c. Chicken Broth (i used bullion cubes instead, worked just fine)
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. cumin
Juice and zest of one lime…. or the juice from two w/o zest
3 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

Melt butter and rice in pan
Add remaining ingredients… except cilantro.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer for 20 minutes. Add cilantro, and enjoy!

Next Friday, look forward to another recipe to help you with this delicious salad!

Cafe Rio Goodness: Pork Barbacoa

by Emily Sandridge // August 19, 2011 // 5 Comments

While living in Utah, I became fiercely addicted to the local Mexican favorite… Cafe Rio. Every time I go back to visit, I some how find my way to one of their locations within 24 hours of being on Utah soil. Thanks to my sister-in-law, I have gotten my hands on a VERY good copy cat of pretty much all their recipes. So, for the next few Fridays I’ll be publishing the next installment of Cafe Rio Goodness.

Just a quick warning on the recipe. It’s totally dependent on the size of the pork roast. If it’s under 2.5-3 pounds, do the smaller recipe, if it’s over that… do the larger one.

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa
One Pork Roast…. either rib or shoulder (shreds the best)
1 (2) cans El Pato Mexican tomato sauce (its in a little yellow can)
2 (3) small cans tomato sauce
3/4 C. (1 1/2 C.) brown sugar
2 (4) cloves garlic, minced

Place all ingredients in Crock Pot, cook on high for 3-4 hours until done. Shred meat, let meat soak in sauce for 20-30 minutes before serving.

Seriously, this is such a close copy cat. I love it, and KNOW you will too!

Copy Cat Cheddar Bay Biscuits

by Emily Sandridge // August 12, 2011 // No Comments

I love Red Lobster. I know it’s a chain, but still – I love eating there. One of my favorite reasons to go there is to get their amazing Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Thanks to the wonderful internet – I found a fabulous copy cat recipe a few years ago. These are made all the time in my house. They are so quick and easy to make. I promise they’ll become a go-to biscuit recipe in your house.

Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Biscuits:

2 1/2 cups Bisquick

4 Tbsp cold butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

3/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Butter Glaze:

3 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp dried parsley flakes

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease or line one cookie sheet with parchment; set aside.

2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter (I just used 2 forks). Don’t worry about mixing too thoroughly; there will be small chunks of butter in the mix about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and garlic powder. Mix by hand until combined, but don’t over mix.

3. Drop 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto the lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn very light brown.

4. While the biscuits are baking, melt butter is a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in garlic powder and dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread the garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Pop them back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes. Makes one dozen.

Seriously – these take about 20 minutes from start to finish. Better go ahead and make a double batch – you know you’ll want seconds…

Source: www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/03/cheddar-bay-biscuits.html

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Emily Sandridge // July 29, 2011 // 2 Comments

I love chocolate chip cookies. I’ve always made the Nestle Tollhouse variety until these amazing cookies came across my mouth. I’ve been reformed. These cookies have a distinct bakery feel to them. When I made them I made several large ones by making them in my muffin top pans. Nothing better than a big chocolate chip cookie, right?

Beckie’s AH-mazing Chocolate Chip Cookies

Combine in a medium bowl:
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Combine in a large bowl:
1 cup butter (real butter!)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

After combined, mix in dry ingredients. Then add one bag chocolate chips. Bake at 375* for 9 minutes. Enjoy and try to stop yourself from eating them all in one day.

*This recipe will make a lot of cookies, close to 7 dozen of the smaller variety. If you are in the mood for some extra large cookies, combine three small balls of dough to make some extra large cookies. Roll them into a ball then slightly flatten them out. Make sure to cook the large ones a little longer. They will not be completely set when they are done cooking, but leave them on the hot cookie sheet to finish setting.

Source: My Amazing friend, Beckie.