Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

Ingredients:
Place the following in a blender:

3 tomatillos, peeled and cut in 1/4’s
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 c mayo
1/2 c sour cream
1 pkg dry ranch buttermilk dressing
1 c fresh chopped cilantro
6 green onions, with ends
2 cloves crushed garlic
3 t sugar
1 jalapeno, sliced thin, and added to taste


Directions:
Mix well, refrigerate 1 hour.

Note: I didn’t add jalapeno or tomatillos, and it tasted great.

Cafe Rio black beans

Description:
You might want to double this if your family loves black beans.

Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1/3 cup tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Directions:
Heat oil, cumin, and garlic. Throw in the rest until warm.

Café Rio Lime Rice

This is SOOO good!

Ingredients:
1 c white rice
2 T chicken broth, + broth to cook rice in
1 T fresh lime juice
1 T garlic powder
1 T dried minced onion
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Cook all ingredients for rice directions, substituting chicken broth for water. When rice is done, add…

1/2-1 c chopped cilantro
1 T fresh lime juice
1 c green enchilada sauce

Café Rio Pork

Ingredients:
3 lb. Pork roast (butt or shoulder)
1 c Worcestershire sauce
1 t dried oregano
1 t powdered ginger
1 t salt
1 t chili powder
1 t garlic powder
2 T dried minced onions

Directions:
Cook all ingredients in a crock pot all day. One hour before serving, remove roast and shred it, dump out cooking juices. Put shredded pork back into crock pot and add…

1 c dark brown sugar
1 c red enchilada sauce

(Note: I didn’t add any brown sugar—it was sweet enough already)

Best ever banana muffins

3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup melted margarine

Mash bananas; add sugar and slightly beaten egg. Add melted margarine. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Put in muffin tins and bake at 375 F for 20 minutes.

(this is just a tip, which I am sure you know, but when my bananas are starting to go too brown and no one will eat them. I throw them in the freezer, then when I make these muffins, or anything calling for bananas, I just defrost those...)
-Vinnie

Turkey Divan

We love to make this after Thanksgiving with the leftover turkey.

2 bunches of broccoli
2 cups diced chicken or turkey
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, buttered
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp lemon juice

Cook and drain broccoli. Arrange in casserole dish by stalk and head, alternating. Put turkey over top. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes....
-Vinnie

Orange Dump Salad

(I know the name sounds gross, but I really like it as a side, and kids LOVE it!)

3 cups cottage cheese
1 large tub of Cool Whip
2 cans mandarine oranges (small cans)
1 large can pineapple chunks, drained
6 oz orange jello mix

Mix first 4 ingredients together well, then sprinkle dry jello over; stir and let set in refrigerator until it thickens.

(the recipe actually calls for a 3oz pkg of orange jello and a 3 oz pkg of pineapple jello, but I can never find the pineapple jello...so I always just do two orange jellos...but it is good with the pineapple if you can find it!)
-Vinnie