Cafe Rio Burritos Enchilada Style

I have spent the last year of living here combining Cafe Rio recipes to find one that tastes most like cafe rio. I have never written down a recipe for it, but I taught a few people how to make them and then one of them wrote it down so here it is:
I think it is best with homemade tortillas. Here's my moms recipe:

To make the tortillas:
5 cups of flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 Tbs. salt
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2-1 3/4 cups water

Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients, add water. Roll into balls (about the size of clementine oranges). Using rolling pin, roll out each tortilla as thin as you can. Put on griddle at about 425 degrees. This only takes a few minutes, cook on each side.

To make the pork:

Put a pork roast in the crockpot (whatever size you'd like; I find pretty much all sizes turn out great)Add 1/2 can coke or dr pepper (don't use diet). Sprinkle in brown sugar (start with about 1 Tbs, and add more if needed)Cook for 10-12 hours on low. Take roast out, put on plate. Throw away the juice from the crockpot. Shred pork, put back in crockpot. Add one small can of enchilada sauce (green). Add brown sugar (1 cup to start). Cook in crockpot on low for another 1-2 hours.

You can add whatever you'd like inside the burrito. What I usually do is put black beans, pork, mozzarella cheese, and 1 or 2 spoonfuls of enchilada sauce inside the burrito. Roll up, and then smother the tops with more enchilada sauce and mozzarella cheese. Cover the burritos entirely with sauce (otherwise the edges get crunchy). Serve with sour cream, salsa and whatever else you think sounds good!

Mexican Beef Sandwich Rolls

I grew up on these and just made for the first time this last weekend since I have been married. I had forgotten how yummy they are!

1 can sliced olives, drained (optional)
1 (7 oz.) can green chili salsa (I bought the La Victoria taco sauce and just used half of it)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili poowder
6 rectangular french rolls (my mom would just do a big one on a loaf of French bread)
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms (I used canned)(optional)
4 oz. cheddar cheese, sliced
6 slices crisp cooked bacon

Cut rolls in half lengthwise. Scoop out most of inside. Lightly toast cut sides. Set aside. Brown beef. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook until limp. Stir in seasonings and salsa. Simmer until liquid is absorbed. Place beef filling in hollow rolls. Top with 1 slice of bacon and a slice of cheese. Place the top of the roll on and roll in foil. Heat at 375* for 12 to 15 minutes, or if chilled, 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Grilled Mexican Corn on the Cob

I got this recipe from Paula Dean. A friend says that you can buy corn like this from carts on the streets of Mexico. It sounds wierd, but Ryan loves it.

Ingredients:
Corn on the Cob
Butter
Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper
Chili Powder

Slather butter and mayonnaise over corn. Sprinkle salt, pepper and chili powder all over it. Spray a little pam on the tin foil and wrap corn in tin foil. Place on grill and let cook while your meat is cooking. Need to turn occassionally. Corn will be done when everything else is done! Don't be afraid to use lots of mayonnaise and chili powder. That's what gives it a unique flavor.

Enchilada-Style Burritos

Okay, Natalie. Here's one that you asked for. It was probably so long ago that you don't remember asking me about it. So great! We love these.

2 lb. hamburger
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 (20 oz.) can refried beans
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin

Cook hamburger and onion until done. Drain. Stir in beans and spices. Place 1/3 c. meat mixture into flour tortilla. Roll and place in a 9x13 pan (with a little bit of sauce on the bottom). Pour sauce over filled burritos. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Makes 2 pans.

Sauce:

1 cube butter or margarine
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. mild chili powder
4 c. milk
1 (20 oz.) can enchilada sauce
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter. Stir in flour. Add other ingredients. Cook to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Follow instructions above.

Crock Pot Mile High Enchilada Pie

8 {6-inch} tortillas
1 jar {12 oz} prepared salsa {your fav}
1 can {15 1/2 oz} kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Prepare foil handles for slow cooker {see below} place in slow cooker. Place 1 tortilla in bottom of slow cooker. Top with small amount of salsa, beans chiken and cheese. Continue laying using remainting ingredients, ending with cheese.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Pull out by foil handles. {makes 4-6 servings}

Foil Handles Tear off 3- 18 X 2 inch strips of heavy foil or use regular foil folded to double thickness. Crisscross foil strips in spoke design and place in slow cooker to make lifting of tortilla stack easier

Southwestern Beef and Beans

1 pound Dried pinto beans
6 cups Water
1/2 pound Salt pork,
cut up 1 pound Chuck steak, 1-inch cubed
1 Red chili pepper
1 Medium onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons Chili powder
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon Marjoram

Soak beans in water overnight. Brown salt pork in skillet; drain off fat in paper towels. In slow-cooking pot, combine soaked beans browned pork and remaining ingredients enough water just to cover all. Cover and cook 1 hour on high; reduce heat to low and cook an additional 8 to 9 hours.

Crock Pot Mexican Beef

1 1/2 lb. round steak, cut in bite size pieces
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
1 chopped onion
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes, cut up
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans, drained ( I plan on using black beans)

Mix meat, salt, pepper, chili powder and mustard in pot. Cover with onion, bouillon cube, and tomatoes. Top with beans. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Mix and serve with rice.

Picadillo

Recipe courtesy Daisy Fuentes (From the Rachel Ray on Food TV)

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, ( Iuse red pepper)
chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup stuffed pimento olives, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Rice and beans, or tortillas,
for serving

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, and pepper in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground beef and olives and continue stirring to break up and brown the meat. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. When beef has browned, add tomato sauce gradually while stirring. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer to incorporate sauce.
Serve with rice and beans or tortillas.
Cook's Note: For a slightly healthier alternative, use ground turkey or ground soy burgers instead of beef.

I have used this recipes a number of times so I have made some adjustments. I use hot sauce it adds a layer of flavor. If you like it hot used quite a bit if not just a couple of shakes to just add flavor. The other adjustment I started using is that I add the beans to the hamburger mixture and they cook more and when I serve it I top with sour cream. I am making myself hungry.

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2-3 chkn breasts
1/4 C. diced onion
1/4 C. diced celery
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of cream of chkn soup
1 can of water
opt: corn, green chili's

chips
cheese


Heat oven to 350. cook and dice chicken. Layer bottom of 9 by 13 pan with tortilla chips. Mix all ingredients together, pour over chips, top with cheese. Bake for 30 min.

This will take longer than 30 min, but it's quick and delicious. If you like green onions, throw'em on top. Enjoy!

Black Bean Quesadillas with Corn Salsa

Cooking Light, MARCH 2004

Quesadillas:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tsp bottled minced garlic
1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cooking spray

Salsa: (WARNING- I have never tried this version, read below for what worked for me)
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, chopped

To prepare the quesadillas, preheat the broiler. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup cilantro, and beans; cook 5 minutes
or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Place tortillas on a baking sheet coated with
cooking spray. Top each tortilla with 1/2 cup bean mixture and 3 tablespoons cheese; fold in half. Lightly coat tops with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts and tortillas begin to brown. Cut each tortilla into 3 wedges.

To prepare salsa, combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. (The first time I made this I did not have all of the ingredients so I made the salsa by defrosting the corn in the microwave, and added the cilantro, and lime. It was great; added a nice sweetness. So I have never tried the boiled salsa.)

Other salsas work great too. I usually make the kids regular quesadillas on these nights.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 quesadilla wedges and about 1/3 cup salsa)