Spicy Pork Barbacoa

Source: Monica Wihongi

Servings: A LOT!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 hours

Total Time: 10-12 hours

Ingredients:

• sea salt
• 1 7-oz. can La Costena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
• 2 T. minced garlic
• 2 c. brown sugar
• 1 20-oz. bottle Coca~Cola
• 1 pork shoulder

Directions:

1. Rinse pork shoulder then rub sea salt into pork shoulder.
2. In food processor or blender, process adobo and garlic into a paste. Rub 1/4 of the paste onto pork shoulder.
3. Coat pork shoulder with the 2 cups of brown sugar.
4. Place pork shoulder in crockpot and pour in the bottle of Coca~Cola.
5. Cook on low for 12 hours.
6. Shred pork with fork before serving.

Comments:

(Again, here is another recipe from our blog.) I think most everyone in the family has had this at our house. . .except the NY Blanchards? Anyway, I honestly really like it even more than the Cafe Rio pork. . .a bit more spiciness and flavor. It's wonderful in burritos, salads, quesadillas, and rice bowls. It's not complete without the Cilantro Lime Rice and Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing (also posted).

Cilantro Lime Rice

Source: Monica Wihongi

Servings: As much as you want to make!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• rice
• chicken broth
• limes
• cilantro
• (optional) canned green chiles

Directions:

1. Saute desired amount of rice in olive oil.
2. Add chicken broth (the same amount as you would use for water).
3. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime for every cup of rice you make.
4. Add a bit of fresh chopped cilantro (and green chiles, if desired).
5. Cook as you would regular rice.

Comments:

This rice is so easy, and I'm sure it would be even easier with a rice cooker! (If I had one. . .) As a note, you don't necessarily have to saute the rice before cooking, but I think it gives it a better flavor, texture, and appearance. Also, I recently started adding the green chiles, too; I use about 1-2 T.

Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

Source: Crystal Zarate Alfaro (Monica Wihongi's sister)

Servings: 15-20 (?)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 c. sour cream
• 3/4 c. mayo
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix
• 4 T. Herdez Salsa Verde
• 2 cloves garlic (or 1 t. minced garlic)
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/8 t. green Tabasco sauce

Directions:

1. Mix in blender.

Comments:

No Cafe Rio-style burrito, enchilada, or salad is complete without this salad dressing. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I found out I could make this at home!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Source: Kim Blanchard

Servings: Two

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Two apples cored and diced (do not peel)
2 cups of water
½ teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of vanilla

1 cup dry oatmeal

Directions:
In saucepan place water, apples, salt, cinnamon and vanilla.
Bring to boil and cook for about 5 minutes until apples just begin to get tender
Add 1 cup oatmeal (not instant or quick cook)

Remove from heat and let steep

Serve hot when most of the water has been absorbed, about 5 more minutes

Top with brown sugar

Comments:
We were looking for healthy,warm, low fat and yummy breakfast ideas, and came up with this one. Great for a cold snowy morning and it smells divine while cooking!

Blueberry Muffins

Source: Kim Blanchard

Servings: makes about 18 muffins

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: @25 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Dry:
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt

Wet:
In electric blender place:
2 eggs
1/3 + 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Add enough milk to make 2 ½ cups liquid
Blend in blender

Directions:
Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix only enough to blend
Fold in 2 -3 cups frozen blueberries (I like a lot)

Bake 350 for 25 minutes or until done

Mix dry ingredients:
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt

In electric blender place:
2 eggs
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Add enough milk to make 2 ½ cups liquid
Blend in blender

Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix only enough to blend
Fold in 2 -3 cups frozen blueberries (I like a lot)

Bake 350 for 25 minutes or until done
Makes @ 18 muffins

Comments:
When our kids were little we made muffins or some kind of quick bread almost every Saturday morning. Here is one of their favorites! And we like a LOT of blueberries in each muffin!

Chicken Pasta Salad

Source: Emily Bushman Sanderson from "The Best of the Dinner Nights Cookbook" (a collection of recipes from my college roommates!)

Servings: 12?

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8-15 minutes (for cooking your own chicken, if needed)

Total Time: 15-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 12-oz. packages bow-tie pasta, cooked according to package
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 c. (or more) cashews
• 1 c. red grapes, halved
• 4 chicken breasts, cooked, seasoned, and cubed (or a small rotisserie chicken, cubed)
• 1 16-oz. bottle Kraft Coleslaw Dressing
• 1 c. mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Combine pasta, green onions, cashews, grapes, and chicken in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix dressing and mayo.
3. Pour dressing over pasta and chicken mixture and combine.

Comments:

I love this pasta salad recipe! I always use a rotisserie chicken. . . much easier and so much more flavorful. I'm not a cashew fan, so I either substitute roasted almonds or leave out the nuts altogether. Also, make sure you use the Kraft (or Litehouse) Coleslaw Dressing, other brands do not taste the same at all!

Cowboy Caviar

Source: Heather Wihongi

Servings: 4-6 (that's a guesstimate?)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
• 1 15-oz. can black-eyed peas, drained
• 1 11-oz. can sweet white corn, drained
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 green pepper, dices
• 1/4 medium purple onion, dices
• 3 avacados, diced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• juice of 2 limes
• 1/2 c. Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
• salt and garlic powder, to taste

Directions:

1. Throughly drain and rinse beans and corn.
2. Combine all ingredients in large bowl.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Comments:

I realize I already posted this recipe on my blog, but if we publish "The Bistro" down the road, I figured we need to include the recipes here as well. Again, not being a natural veggie-lover, I love Cowboy Caviar because not only does it help me get in my servings of vegetables, it's yummy, too! A favorite for every family gathering and a must to have on hand in the fridge during the summer. I've had so many people ask for this recipe!

A few preferences: 1) I add as much avacado as possible, 2) I use the Light or Fat-Free versions of the salad dressing, and 3) I always serve these with lime-flavored tortilla chips.