Taco Soup

1lb ground beef 1 can sweet corn
1 14 oz can black beans
1 14 oz can white or red beans
2 14 oz cans mexican stewed tomatoes
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 chopped onion
1 package dry taco seasoning

Saute onions and brown beef together.  Add all other ingredients and simmer.  Serve hot! Eat with tortilla chips and cheese--obviously!

Rebecca Wendel

GUACAMOLE

2 avocados
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in onion, garlic, tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper. Season with remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for half an hour to blend flavors.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (key limes are good)
1 small jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped (leave in some seeds if heat is desired)
1 small clove garlic, halved
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar OR 1/8 teaspoon honey
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch salt, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Put everything but the cilantro into a blender and puree until smooth. Stir in the cilantro, then taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Shake before serving.

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 cup uncooked rice
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, lime peel, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 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.

Chicken Enchiladas II

6 boneless chicken breasts
1 T. Butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
8 oz. cheddar cheese
1 can diced green chilies
1 c. green chili salsa (Herdez Verde Salsa)
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
4 tsp. ground cumin
12-15 7 in. flour tortillas


Cook chicken, Saute onions, bell pepper,red pepper, green chilies,
green chili salsa, cilantro and cumin. Combine all together and put
into tortillas with cheddar cheese. Put into a pan and top with:

1c. whipping cream and 1/2 c. chicken broth

Then top with 10 oz. Jack cheese.

Bake at 375 for 30 min.

Café Rio Rice

3 c water
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
½ onion
3 c rice (see note)

Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.

CAFE RIO PORK II

1 cup chipotle salsa or chipotle sauce
1 cup brown sugar (I actually only use ½ cup so it’s not so sweet, but it depends on how you like it)
3t cumin
2 t lime juice (optional)
Pork sirloin roast (about 3-4 lbs.)

Cook in crock pot on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Shred and serve. (You can drain the liquid or leave it in for the “slop” effect Debbie said her boys like.)

CAFE RIO DRESSING

2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups sour cream
10 sprigs of cilantro
3 tomatillos from can
2 green onions (washed and chopped)
2 cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno pepper (seeds and all)
juice of 1 lime
1 or 2 tsp. of salt (depends on how much salt you like)

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Dressing lasts for 2 weeks in refrigerator.

Cafe Rio Chicken

½ small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 cup salsa
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
Juice of 2-3 limes (4-5 teaspoons if you’re using the bottled stuff)
3 cloves garlic—minced (If you don’t feel like chopping garlic you can use the kind in the bottle. In marinades I don’t think it makes too much of a difference.)
5 lbs chicken breast (Trimmed)

Marinate the chicken in a ziplock bag or two, depending on how much chicken you use. I like to marinate it for at least 8 hours to let the chicken get good and soaked. Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours shred meat and cook 1 additional hour. Or grill on each side for 5-7 minutes, and then shred or cut into strips. (I would suggest grilling if you can, even in the snow! It just tastes so much better!)

Baked Chimichangas

1 lb. chicken. You can use canned or fresh just adjust the cooking time. For fresh cut into thin strips.
½ onion diced
1 or 2 cloves garlic minced
Saute together until chicken is mostly cooked. Add
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 can Ro-Tel. I use the "Milder" for the kids
Cook to a boil. Simmer 10 more minutes to mix flavors. Remove from heat.
Add:
2 or 3 cups shredded cheese.

Warm tortillas in microwave, add contents. Roll into a chimi. Heat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheet with Pam, place chimis on the pan and then spray with a little Pam. This will brown them better. Bake 20 minutes until lightly brown.

Authentic Chicken Enchiladas

3 cups Enchilada Sauce
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup shredded Mont. Jack cheese
Oil
12 6-inch corn tortillas
No-Stick Cooking Spray

Heat oven to 350ºF. Prepare Enchilada Sauce. Mix together chicken, green onions, 1/2 cup Cheddar, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack, sour cream, chiles, cilantro, salt and pepper in bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup Enchilada Sauce. Set aside. Heat 1/2 inch oil in large pan. Fry tortillas, one at a time, until soft (10 seconds per side). Drain well on paper towels. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with No-Stick Cooking Spray.


Spread a small amount of Enchilada Sauce over the bottom of dish.
Spread 2 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture in each tortilla and roll up.
Place enchiladas, seam side down, side-by-side in prepared dish.
Pour remaining sauce over. Top with remaining cheeses.
Bake until bubbling, 15-20 minutes.
Garnish with sour cream, sliced green onions and chopped cilantro.



Enchilada Sauce

2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder


Heat oil in large saucepan; stir in flour and chili powder. Cook for 1 minute.
Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Makes three cups of sauce.

Black Bean Salsa

2 cans black beans - drained
2 cans shoe peg corn - drained
1 bunch green onions sliced
1 bunch cilantro
5 large tomatoes- diced
1 Avocado (optional)

Dressing:
2 T olive oil
2 T lime juice
1 T red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Toss everything together in a bowl. You may need to double the dressing.

Carolyn Wallace

Cafe Rio Pork

2 pork tenderloin
1 16 oz. bottle of Pace Salsa
1c. of brown sugar

Put in crock pot and cook all day. Serve on Tortillas, as a nacho topping or in Salad.

Chicken Enchiladas

6 Flour Tortillas
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz Sour Cream
¼ Cup chopped onion or small can of green chilies
2 Cups chopped cooked chicken
2 Cups shredded cheese

Mix together soup, sour cream and onion or chilies. In a separate bowl, put half of mixture and add chicken. Mix well. Put 1/6 of chicken mixture down center of tortilla. Roll sides up and put fold on bottom of baking dish. Top with rest of soup mixture and then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Lindsay Ravsten

Black Bean and Chicken Tacos

2 Chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ bag frozen corn, thawed **I like to use super sweet white corn**
¼ cup salsa
Crunchy taco shells or corn chips
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
Olives
Tomatoes

Cook chicken until done. Add salsa. Drain beans in a colander and add corn. Run hot water over them to thaw corn and rinse beans. Drain well. Add beans and corn to pan. Mix well and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Spoon into taco shells and garnish with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, olives, or tomato. We like to crunch up corn chips into a bowl and make it into a taco salad.

Lindsay Ravsten