Cafe Rio-Style Salad

A few weeks ago, our friends Staci and Jethro had us over for a party and they made Cafe Rio salads. Here is the recipe that Staci passed along. I especially love the cilantro ranch dressing.

Sweet Pork
2 lbs of pork
3 can Coke, not diet
1/4 c brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 cup water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (ex. Old El Paso medium spiciness)
1 c brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c of brown cugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water and garlic salt in crok pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily but don't let it get too dry). Remove pork form crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork. In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup you can add a little more or less to taste). If it looks to thick, add more Coke little by little. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 more hours.

Clinatro-Lime Rice
1 c uncooked rice
1 t butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t fresh lime juice
1 - 15 oz can chicken broth
1 c water
1 T lime juice
2 t sugar
3 T fresh cilantro, chopped

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. cover and cook on low 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 and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Black Beans
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c tomato juice
1 1/2 t salt
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
*optional* add a drained can of corn with a dash of cumin and chili powder

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat unitil you can smell it. Add beans, tmato juice and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Cilantro Ranch
1 packetTRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 c mayo
1 c buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (keep the seeds in for a spicy dressing, remove to make it mild)
mix all ingredients in a blender

To put it all together...
Buy the aluminum deep-dish pans found in the grocery store. Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions. Add guacamole, sour cream and crushed tortilla chips, a shake of parmesan cheese and a few cialntro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch dressing.