Happy Cinco de Mayo!

We don't usually officially celebrate Cinco de Mayo around here, but we have some friends that do. So, Britt asked me this morning if I could make some yummy Mexican food in honor of the day. Here are some of the things I am planning to make:

Cafe Rio Pork

This recipe comes from Eryka's friend, Amberly. I found the recipe one day when I was stalking her blog. I used to do that a lot, but I don't really have time anymore even to visit my friends' blogs. It's okay. I am not complaining. It is not a bad sort of busy. Just so many good things to occupy my time. You may be able to find the recipe on her blog. It was forever ago, and I didn't feel like searching. So, if you want the recipe I will include it at the end of this post. Also, Amberly actually attributed the recipe to another friend of hers, but I don't know her, so I just say I stole it from Eryka's friend. The truth is, I don't have a pork roast right now, and if I did I still wouldn't have enough time to make it so it falls apart the way we like it, so my slow cooker is actually full of this recipe and boneless skinless chicken breasts. It is yummy that way, too (and less fatty, which we like).

Cafe Rio Rice

Neither one of these recipes is an official Cafe Rio recipe. Just something someone did when they were trying to mimic the restaurant chain. This one is from my friend LeeAnn Parker. I do not know how I got a hold of this recipe since it is in the Blanding Fourth Ward Cookbook from a few years ago and I am not in that ward nor do I have a copy of the cookbook. This is a recipe everyone raves about whenever I make it, so I will include it at the end here as well.

If I had time, I would make this:

Simmered Tomatillo-Serrano Chile Sauce

This is a recipe I found on the food blog of another friend of Eryka's. I have wanted to email here and tell her what a sweetheart I think she is (and this just from reading her food blog a few times!), but I am too shy to do that. So, just so you know, Eryka, I love your friend. And I love this recipe. It makes me cry it is so good. I was looking for a way to use the tomatillos I got in a Bountiful Baskets Mexican pack, and this was the PERFECT recipe. What, you don't get Bountiful Baskets? I am sorry. Maybe you live in a place where you can find quality produce for low prices. I hope so. We LOVE, love, love our Bountiful Baskets. Getting Bountiful Baskets encourages us to be more healthy and creative with our meals.

Of course, I will be making this:

Mom's Guacamole Recipe

Chop Finely:

3 green onions or equivalent amt. regular onion

1 sm tomato

6 peeled avocados

Add

1 tsp salt

2 tsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp salda oil

few drops of Tabasco

I am considering making

Brazilian Lemonade

Thanks, Mallory Bilbao for originally referring me to the Our Best Bites blog. I love their recipes and they even occasionally throw in simple and fun craft ideas too!

We will also be having fresh salsa (courtesy of Clark's Market), chips, fajita chicken, sauteed onions and peppers, taco meat, refried beans (from a can), black beans (from a can), sour cream, and chopped tomatoes. All of this will be served with fresh tortilla chips and flour and corn tortillas from Bountiful Baskets.

We made street tacos with those corn tortillas and some left over roast beef the other day. So yummy, and it was a super fast meal, too. Bonus! I like when I can make completely different meals with the same basic ingredients. We don't do leftovers here, but if we can re-invent something for a whole new meal, that's a huge deal.

Hey, did I just make you hungry? Your family isn't doing anything for Cinco de Mayo? Well, there are only seven of us here, and I am making a TON of food, so come on over! Around sixish, okay? It's going to be tasty!

Here are the Cafe Rio Pork and Cafe Rio Rice Recipes:

Cafe Rio Pork (please read all the instructions; don't just throw the ingredients together or it may be too hot for you to consume)

1 1/2 cans Coca-cola classic--do not use substitutes

1 c sugar

1 (7 oz.) can Chipotle Chilies in Adobo sauce (I personally think this is better than plain Adobo sauce, though it does require more effort)

1 heaping tsp dry ground mustard

1 heaping tsp cumin

1 tsp minced garlic

1 3-5 pound pork loin roast

Remove the chilies from the can of adobo sauce. I do this by dumping the chilies and sauce into a strainer, retaining the sauce in a bowl under the strainer. I rinse the can with the Coke, and I pour the Coke over the chilies to get the most sauce out of it. Amberly says you can add a couple chilies in a blender if you want it spicy. I have done this before and liked it, but my kids refused to eat it. Add all the other ingredients in a blender (except the pork of course). Blend until well mixed. Place the pork (or chicken) in the crock pot and pour sauce over it. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or until pork pulls apart with a fork. (Chicken actually takes less time, which is why I am using it today :) 5 or 6 hours).

We like Cafe Rio Pork rolled in flour tortillas that have been heated on an oiled skillet with Cafe Rio Rice and warmed black beans and a little bit of shredded cheese. We cover the rolled filled tortillas with green enchilada sauce or the above-mentioned tomatillo sauce and extra shredded cheese and heat. It is SOOO tasty. And then a little Cafe Rio Rice on the side, serve with some sour cream, tomatoes, and chips and salsa.

Cafe Rio Rice

(clean out the blender)

3 c water

4 tsp chicken bouillon

4 tsp. garlic minced

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 can green chilies

3/4 tsp salt

1 T butter

1/2 onion (I prefer green onions; I use about 3)

3 c Minute Rice premium rice

Blend cilantro, green chilies, onion and 1 cup water together. Bring water and bouillon to a boil and add all ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes, covered. (I can get away with doing this for less time, like 15-20 minutes. Minute rice only needs to cook for 5, but the other ingredients just need a little extra time to meld the flavors).

It's good stuff. I think we are going to be eating Mexican for a few days now. Cafe Rio at my house tonight! :)