Strait from Salt Lake to Pittsburgh - The Cafe Rio

I thought I would send a little love from Utah. If you have ever experienced The Cafe Rio food you know how good this is and just in case you are missing it here is something to bring back memories.
Enjoy!

Submitted by Janene Cook

CHICKEN
5 lbs chicken breast, boneless, skinless
1 sm bottle zesty Italian dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients together in a large crock pot. Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Reserve a small amount of juice and pour over shredded chicken. Keep warm.

PORK
3.5 lbs pork roast
1 bottle taco sauce (8 oz)
1 T cumin
1 C brown sugar
1 can Coke (not diet)

Cook pork in pot on low for 6 hours (cover roast 1/2 with water. I cooked for a couple of hours on high and switched to low, that made it shred easier; also, when you add the other ingredients, please take out some of the water, leaving only about ½ in. in the bottom of the pot). Add ingred. to pork 3 hours before it is done.

LIME RICE
in a saucepan, saute:
2 T butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

In a large pot, bring to a boil the following:
6 2/3 cups water
8 t chicken bullion
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 small cans diced green chilies
1 T lime juice
1/2 t pepper
3 cups of rice (maybe a half cup more, you'll have to play with it)

Pico de Gallo
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t lime juice
1 t salt1/2 t pepper

TOMATILLO DRESSING
1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix
1 C buttermilk
1 C Mayo
1 to 2 tomatillos
1/2 to 1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 to 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 t lime juice
1/2 to 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed!

Rice Pilaf

Submitted by Jenny Pearson

1 square butter (about 2 tablespoons)

1 cup rice

1 cup celery, sliced thin

1 cup onion, chopped

2 ¾ cups water

1 package Lipton chicken noodle soup mix

Sage

Thyme

Salt

Pepper

Sauté butter, rice, celery, and onion in frying pan until onion and celery are clear. Add water and dry soup mix. Add sage, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until rice is tender. Let stand 10 minutes.

Mexican Rice

Submitted by Jenny Pearson

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups long-grain rice

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon cumin, ground

1 (4 - ounce) can diced green chiles

2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and crushed

4 cups chicken broth

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Heat oil and butter in a 4 to 6 quart pan over a medium flame. When the butter is melted, add the rice and cook, stirring until it is lightly golden (about 3 minutes).

Add the garlic, black pepper, chiles and cumin and stir for 3 minutes; then add the tomatoes and broth.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender; test the rice after about 20 minutes and add more liquid if necessary.

When the rice reaches desired consistency, remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.

Yield: 6 servings

Balsamic Roasted Potatoes

Submitted by Sherry Gunn

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil or butter
2 pounds new potatoes, un-peeled and quartered (The smaller you cube them, the faster they will cook.)
1 T minced garlic
½ t thyme
½ t rosemary
a pinch of nutmeg
3 T balsamic vinegar
½ t salt
¼ t pepper

Directions:

Heat oil in large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add potatoes and next 4 ingredients. Toss. Remove from heat and place in oven.
Roast potatoes, uncovered, at 425* for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar, and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 6 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Yields: 5 adult servings

Barley pilaf

Submitted by Kelly Smith

Ingredients:

4 Tbs. butter

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (or ¼ cup dried)

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 small onion, chopped (or 1 Tbs. dried)

½ cup pearl barley

½ Tbs. minced garlic

3 cups chicken broth, hot

½ cup chopped pecans or sliced almonds

1/3 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

In 2-quart casserole dish, melt butter in microwave. Stir in mushrooms, onion, garlic, seasonings and barley. Microwave 2-3 minutes, until mushrooms and onions are soft. Stir in broth and raisins. Bake, covered, at 350 F for about one hour, until barley is cooked. Let stand 5-10 mins before serving. Serves 4-6.
(Can also be cooked on stovetop: cover and simmer on low for one hour)
**Add or substitute any chopped vegetables for the mushrooms (e.g. celery, peppers, carrots, broccoli, spinach, peas)

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Belizean Traditional Beans and Rice

Submitted by Janell Perez

My husband loves these and this is a very common side dish in Central America

Ingredients:
1 cup red kidney beans
1 cup thick coconut milk
1 garlic clove(optional)
Salt and Pepper
2 cups rice
1 onion, sliced
1 piece of salt meat( cut into small pieces)

Directions:

Soften beans (soak first) with garlic then boil until tender and whole, adding salt meat (previously boiled to soften) when almost tender. Add the coconut milk, onion, and seasonings. Wash rice, then add to the beans. Cook over gentle heat until the liquid is absorbed. Stir gently with a fork, add a little water from time to time until rice is cooked.

Brown Rice

Submitted by Jenny Pearson

½ stick butter, melted

5 green onions, chopped

10 mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon oregano

1 cup brown rice

1 can beef consommé

½ cup water

Mix all of the above ingredients together and bake, covered, in 350 oven for 1½ hours.

Buffet Potatoes

Submitted by Connie Bodily

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine 1 2lb. pkg. frozen hash browns
1 can cream of chicken soup 1/4 c. chopped onions, opt.
1 pint sour cream 10 oz. grated cheddar
cheese
fine bread crumbs

Directions:

Defrost potatoes in a colander. Mix everything except potatoes and bread
crumbs in a large bowl.
Fold in potatoes and spread in an oblong casserole dish. Sprinkle with
bread crumbs. Bake uncovered 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Calico Beans

Submitted by Chelsi Combs

(This recipe has been doubled to fit in our crock-pot)
2 lbs. Browned & drained ground beef
2 bottles Hormel Real Bacon or 1-½ bottles
2 cups onion- chopped OR hydrate ½ cup dried onions
4 16oz. Cans of Campbell’s Pork & Beans
2 16oz. Cans of dark red kidney beans
2 or 3 16oz. Butter Lima beans in cans
2 cups ketchup
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup brown sugar OR (1/2 to ¾ cup Splenda- adjust to taste)
2 t. salt and dash of pepper
Stir together in crock-pot. Cook on low for 4 or 5 hours

Corn Chowder

Submitted by Stefanie Chou

Simmer for 10 min:

2 C boiling water

2 C chopped potatoes

½ C carrot slices

½ C celery slices

¼ C onion

5 strips of bacon cut in pieces

White sauce:

1 ½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ C butter

¼ C flour

2 ½ C milk

When thickened, add:

¾ C Parmesan cheese

1 can creamed corn

Simmered vegetables (undrained)

Cranberry Chutney

Submitted by Mary Stock

serves a huge family, and then some, at Thanksgiving

Ingredients:

12 oz fresh cranberries
2 Granny Smith apples
1 med onion, chopped fine
1 1/4 C sugar
1/2 c water
1/2 c GOLDEN raisins (not optional)
1/2 c cider vinegar
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 c walnuts or pecans

Directions:

1. Wash cranberries
2. Boil sugar and water for 3 mins in large saucepan
3. add all but nuts..they get soft if you boil them. Add nuts when
mixture is done.
cool and refridgerate.....good for 2 weeks in 'fri

Cranberry Sauce

Submitted by Cynthia Schkrohowsky

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups sugar
1 orange
4 cups cranberries
½ cup toasted pecans
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Directions:

Grate orange peel and add to a pan with sugar and ginger. Add juice from orange and simmer over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and cook until they pop (about 5 minutes). Add pecans and cool.

Easy Baked Beans

Submitted by Shayla Hannon

Ingredients:
3 (16 oz.) cans baked beans

1/4 c. catsup

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 Tbs spicy brown mustard

1/2 c. packed dark brown sugar

Directions:
* In 2 quart baking dish, stir together all ingredients.
* Bake uncovered in 350 oven for 1 hour or until bubbly.
* Serves 8. This came off the back of the sugar box but always turns out well.

Gulliver's Creamed Corn

Submitted by Jaimee Hoke

Blend & simmer the following:
1 20oz. Pkg frozen corn
1 pt. Whipping cream
1 tsp. Salt
6 tsp. Sugar
1 pinch of pepper
Melt 3 Tbsp of butter, then stir in 3 Tbsp of flour and add to the above to thicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

Jewish Noodle Kugel

Submitted by Theresia Smolevitz

This is a Jewish dish that can be used for breakfast or dinner.

Ingredients:

Jewish Noodle Kugel
1 large pkg. fine or medium egg noodles
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 heaping T shortening or butter
1 C honey
1-2 C raisins (depending on your preference)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Cook noodles till el dente. Drain and add shortening/butter and salt. Let cool. When cooled down stir in eggs and other ingredients. Put into a well greased 13 x9 pan and bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Remove from oven. Let cool. It can then be cut into squares for serving. Can be eaten cold or warm.

Jewish Potato Kugel

Submitted by Theresia Smolevitz

Here is a Jewish dishes that can be used for breakfast or dinner:

Jewish Potato Kugel (pronounced koo' gull)
6 large raw potatoes
1/2 C shortening
3 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 C flour
1 tsp salt
1 small grated onion
dash of pepper

Directions:
Peel and then grate potatoes and drain off excess water. Quickly add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Potatoes will turn color if you do not work quickly. Pour into a greased 9 x 9 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 60 minutes until a brown crust forms on the top.

This recipe may be doubled to use in a 13 x 9 pan. To make a lighter kugel substitute one large cooked and mashed potatoe for 1 of the raw potatoes. You can also bake these in well greased cup cake tins to make individual servings but I personally have never done so.

Jewish Potatoe Latkes

Submitted by Theresia Smolevitz

Here is a Jewish dish that can be used for breakfast or dinner:
Jewish Potatoe Latkes (pronounced lut' keys)
6 potatoes
2 eggs
2 T flour**
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 small onion, grated
1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Peel potatoes and then grate or shred. Drain liquid. Add a pinch of baking soda to keep potatoes from turning brown. When drained, add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drop by Tablespoon into 1/4 inch deep hot oil in a skillet or fry pan. Fry until brown, carefully turn over and brown second side. Only turn pancakes once as they will get soggy and heavy otherwise.

Serve warm with your choice of sour cream, plain yogurt, applesauce, or grape jelly on the side. Leftovers can be stored in refrigerator and rewarmed in microwave.
**substituting pancake mix for the flour will produce lighter and fluffier pancakes.

My Awesome Mom's Family Famous potato Salad

Submitted by Janene Cook

This is the 4th of July favorite!! It makes enough to feed an army! So it's just the right size for a family gathering!

Ingredients/Directions:
5 lbs russet potatoes boiled with skins on
8 hard boiled egg
Let cool
peel potatoes and eggs
Cut into small bite size pieces

In a large bowl mix well:
3 cups mayo
3-4 tablespoons mustard
4-6 tablespoons fresh dill weed
1 can olives drained and sliced in half
1 1/2 cups chopped dill pickle (Nathan’s are the best)
1 1/2 cups chopped green onion (can use white, red or yellow)

Add potatoes and eggs mix well sprinkle with chili power
Let set in the fridge overnight or for several hours

Thanks Mom! Your the Bestest!

Pecan Sweet potatoes

Submitted by Kate Lawrence

From Cindy Archibold, Thanksgiving Pitt, 11/90

3 Cup sweet potatoes (cooked or canned)

1 Cup sugar

½ C butter

2 eggs

Mash together and put in baking dish

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pecans broken

½ c. soft butter

Crumbled on top of potatoes

Bake at 350 degrees for ½ hour.

Raspberry-Cream-Pretzel Jello Salad

Submitted by Elise Robison

1st Layer Crust:

2 cups Coarsly crushed pretzels

3 Tbl Sugar

3/4 Cup melted butter or margarine

2nd layer:

8oz Cream Cheese

1 Cup Sugar

1 small Can Crushed Pinapple

fold in 8oz. tub cool whip

spread over pretzel crust

3rd layer:

1 6oz. package raspberry jello

2 cups boiling water

1 package frozen raspberries

let set until slightly thick then pour over 2nd layer.

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