Taco Pasta Salad

This is the perfect summer salad.

Taco Pasta Salad

2C. uncooked spiral pasta
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 Pkg. Taco Seasoning
3 C. Shredded Lettuce
1 Tomato (Chopped)
1 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 C Chopped onion
1/2 C Chopped Green Pepper
1/2 C Catalina Salad Dressing
Tortilla Strips or Chips

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink: drain. Stir in taco seasoning: cool.

Drain pasta and rinse in cold water: stir into meat mixture. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, green pepper, and salad dressing: toss to coat. Serve with tortilla strips or chips.

Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork Burrito

My husband's favorite restaurant is Cafe Rio. Living in Houston he only gets to have them when we visit Utah which is closes to never. I found this copy cat recipe from http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/ and I think she does a pretty close version of it. I think that it is a bit of work to get the meal on the table, but well worth it in the end.
For the sauce:
1 small can diced chilies
1 7 oz. can Salsa Verde
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm. You can also refrigerate it overnight after simmering if you are making it in advance (My husband said it tasted even better the next day after all the flavors had settled). Just reheat in the small saucepan before serving.

For the burrito:
1 LARGE tortilla shell (click HERE)
1 large scoop rice (click HERE)
1 large scoop beans (click HERE)
1 large scoop sweet pork (click HERE)
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, to taste
Green Enchilada Sauce (see recipe above)
Lettuce
Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Sour cream

Roll up rice, beans, pork and cheese in large tortilla shell to form the burrito. Slather with a big ladle full of the green enchilada sauce and top with additional Monterey Jack cheese. Place in the oven at 450-degrees until cheese is melted. Serve with lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and/or sour cream.

Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork

2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours.

Cafe Rio Black Beans

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'S CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 c. uncooked rice (long-grain, white rice)
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Green Sauce (Salsa)

3 Medium Green Tomatoes, chopped
4 Tomatillos (Mexican Green Tomatoes w/ Husk, cleaned & chopped
2 Jalepenos (steamed and deseeded), chopped
3 small cloves of garlic, chopped
3 Medium ripe avocados
1 C. Cilantro
1 tsp. Salt
Black Pepper to Taste
1- 16 oz. Sour Cream

Directions:
Combine tomatoes, tomatillos, jalepenos, and garlic in sauce pan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Peel, Pit, & Slice avocados- Set aside
Place tomato mixture, avocados, cilantro, salt & pepper through food precessor. Process till smooth. Stir in sour cream & refridgerate. Makes 4-5 cups.

Mexican Rice

I have been looking for a good recipe for Mexican rice and I finally came across this one on allrecipes.com. If you can get passed all of the dicing and chopping you will love it. It is well worth all the chopping for sure.

Mexican Rice

1 cup long grain white rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cube chicken bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, halved

Directions
1.In a medium sauce pan, cook rice in oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Stir in onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and diced tomato. Season with bouillon cube, salt and pepper, cumin, cilantro, and garlic. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

I first got this recipe from my sister-in-law and thought it was great. I made some homemade Mexican rice for a side and it was better than going out to eat. Love it.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

4 1/2 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large or 2 small limes)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound pork roast, cooked in crock-pot on high for 4 hours then shredded (or you could use 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce


Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded pork. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Baked Chicken Taquitos
adapted from Our Best Bites

Makes 14-16 taquitos (served our family of two adults and three kids with three or four leftover for lunch the next day)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced finely (white and green parts to equal about 2 tablespoons)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I cook large batches of chicken in my crockpot with a little chicken broth and salt, shred it and freeze it for meals like this)
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese (use pepperjack if you like a little heat)

small yellow or white corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix softened cream cheese, green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare this step ahead of time (which I did - I made it the morning of). Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, place 3-4 between two damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until tortillas are soft and pliable and don't crack while rolling. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of a soft tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can. (A few of mine wanted to rebel and come unrolled so I stuck a toothpick through them to keep them right and tight.)

Place filled taquitos seam side down on the baking sheet, making sure they don't touch each other. When ready to bake, spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and lightly sprinkle some kosher (coarse) salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Serve immediately. Taquitos can be dipped in in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or any other sauce you little heart desires.