Cafe Rio Style Sweet Pork

We love Cafe Rio. There are a few restaurants we try to fit in every time we travel out west and Cafe Rio is definitely on that list. Their sweet pork tacos are especially delish when you add their yummy green sauce and some cilantro lime rice. I know it looks like a lot of work, but it's really not hard and we almost always have plenty of leftovers so I can freeze some for later or just enjoy sweet pork tacos for lunch the rest of the week. I found this recipe on a blog called The Recipe Society and it's a keeper for sure!

Put a 3-6 lb. pork roast in the crock pot and cover halfway up with water. Cook it overnight*. Discard water. Shred.

When the pork is shredded, combine:

12 ounces of salsa
1 can caffeine-free coke
2 cups brown sugar

Pour over the shredded pork in the crock pot and continue to cook for another 3-4 hours. 

Eat on a tortilla with cilantro lime rice (or just plain rice), black beans, cheese, lettuce, yummy green sauce, and/or whatever you like on your tacos. 

*The problem with cooking this overnight is that the pork is ready pretty early in the day. So sometimes I start the pork at 6 or 7am and cook it initially for 6-8 hours. Add on the extra 3-4 hours with the additional ingredients and you should be able to eat dinner by 6pm. 

5-hour Stew

When Jeff and I were first married, we sometimes drove the four hours to his grandparents house in Idaho. His grandma, Helen Stowell, would always have this stew in the oven, ready whenever we were. Served with rolls or homemade bread, it's the perfect comfort food on a cold day. The amounts are not specific so put in as much as you like. If I'm making a large batch, I'll sometimes add 2 cans of tomato soup instead of one.

Stew meat – trim the fat and cut into large bite-sized pieces

potatoes, cut into large bite-sized chunks

carrots, cut into large bite-sized chunks

1/2 of an onion, chopped (can also use a small handful of dried minced onion)

Tomato soup + 1/2 can water

Salt and pepper, to taste

     Combine all in oven safe container and bake at 300° for 5+ hours or until ready to eat. Can also be cooked in a crock pot on low for 5-6 hours. Serve with homemade bread or rolls.

 

Pulled Pork

It doesn't get much easier than this! Several of my kids get pretty excited when this is on the menu.

Place ~2 lb. pork roast in crock pot with a little water. Add onion, if desired. Cook all day. Remove fat. Shred with 2 forks. Pour in a jar of your favorite BBQ sauce and stir (I like the bold and spicy sauces, but original KC Masterpiece is always a good choice). Serve on buns.

Slow Cooked Ham

The 7-UP in this recipe makes the ham really tender. I love the glaze!

Place 3-4 lb. half ham in slow cooker with 1 can 7-UP. Slow cook from 4-8 hours adjusting temperature according to amount of time ham will cook. 30 minutes before serving, combine ¼ c. honey, 1 tsp. prepared mustard, ¼ tsp. cinnamon and 3 Tbsp. liquid from ham. Pour over ham in slow cooker. Continue to cook. Slice before serving.

Chicken and Noodles

I got this recipe years ago from my friend, Chris. Not much to it, but it sure hits the spot after a hectic day. Even better if it's cold and snowy and you need some good old comfort food!

3 or 4 lbs. boiler/fryer chicken

Put in crock pot with salt & pepper and water to cover. Leave on high about 5 hours. Drain from broth. Put broth back in crock pot, still on high. Add 1 package egg noodles and water, if necessary. Cut up, skin and debone chicken. Put chicken back in noodles and cook for another 30-40 minutes.

Easy Crockpot Chicken Tacos

My little sister, Amy, compiled recipes from her husband's family one year for Christmas. This recipe comes from that book and it's a keeper! Easy to throw together, plus there's always enough left over to freeze for another crazy day.

4 Frozen Chicken Breasts (you don’t even have to thaw them!)

1 15 oz. can of corn

1 15 oz. can of black beans (any kind of beans will work)

1 16 oz. jar of salsa (enchilada sauce will work in a pinch)

Place all ingredients in crock pot on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Shred chicken and stir. Place in soft flour tortillas with favorite toppings (cheese, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole). This is also great on tortilla chips or just by itself. An easy, go-to dinner.

Creamy Italian Chicken

I got this from a friend, Tawnya, several years ago when I was in a dinner slump. This has become a favorite meal to serve when company comes and I've had many requests for the recipe.  

1 cube butter

1 pkg. dry Italian dressing mix (I like Good Seasons brand)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 can cream of chicken soup

5-7 chicken breasts*, fresh or frozen, or equivalent amount of chicken tenderloins. (A 2.5 lb. bag of frozen chicken breasts or tenderloins works well.)

Melt butter and mix in Italian dressing mix. Place chicken in crock pot and pour butter mixture over. Let cook on low for 4+ hours. Break up the chicken a bit with a fork or potato masher. Combine cream cheese and soup and stir until creamy. Stir into chicken. Cook another 2 hours. 

Serve over orzo pasta (our favorite) or mashed potatoes, rice or acini de pepe.

*Recipe originally said 7-9 chicken breasts, but I rarely use that many and it turns out great. Use what you have.