Recipe 40: CAFE RIO SHREDDED CHICKEN (main course, knock off, chicken)

In Utah there is a restaurant called Cafe Rio. They have just the most deliciously amazing shredded chicken. It is legendary. Seriously. This recipe is kind of a knock off, that gets pretty close to the real deal and is simple, delicious  and CROCK POT!!! You cant beat that.  Use this with rice, in a salad, in a burrito. It has so many uses and is simply to die for.  If you cant make it out to Cafe Rio for yourself, try this knock off.

5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

1 TBSP Chili Powder

1 TBSP ground Cumin

3 Cloves Garlic, minced (Or 3-5 tsp pre chopped from a jar)

cook everything together in a crock pot for 4 hours.

Go through and shred the meat and then cook for 1 more hour.

Tomorrow is the Cafe Rio Rice recipe to go with this chicken.

Recipe 39: AMARETTA PIE (dessert)

THIS IS MY LAST POST FOR THE NEXT 2 WEEKS.  I am off to dallas, TX for work and most likely will not have computer access. If I do have access, I will not be lugging my BINDER with me to copy recipes. Sorry.  So leaving you with a dreamy delicious recipe to tide you over. Check back on the 18th!!



THE SOURCE:  This recipe is like the Amaretto Pie served at  Mt.Vernon Restaurant in Chattanooga, TN.
My Aunt Jean submitted this recipe to our family cookbook and it is wonderful.

Yes, I know it is Amaretto...but they pronounce it Am-a-rett-uh...hence the spelling of the recipe.



THE RECIPE

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup flour
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
mix together the butter and flour. spread in bottom of a pie pan. Sprinkle with  some of the chopped almonds. Bake at 350 until brown (about 15 miutes) and let cool.

In a small bowl combine:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/8 cup Amaretto
1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners or 10x)
2oz cool whip.
Mix cream cheese with the Amaretto. Add the powdered sugar and the cool whip.

In another bowl combine:
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 cup milk.
mix together and add just a little bit of cool whip to this.

now blend your pudding mixture gently with your cream cheese and amaretto mixture. Make sure it is well blended.
Pour into cooled crust and top with cool whip.
Sprinkle remaining chopped almonds over the top.

On Vacation for 2 weeks

So I have to go to Dallas for work for 2 weeks.  I will be back with lots more recipes!

Recipe 38: MEXICAN CORNBREAD (Bread/Rolls)

This recipe comes from the Broadway Family cookbook.  Now considering we are southern, I dont know how truly mexican it is.  Southerners call anything with peppers in it "Mexican". So this is the 'Southern version of Mexican cornbread".



THE RECIPE
1 cup SELF RISING corn meal
1/2 cup self rising flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup yellow cream style corn
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 hot pepper, chopped
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

mix everything together.  Pour into a greased pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

I KNOW we are using self rising cornmeal AND self rising. flour...AND we are adding soda and powder...I dont ask why, maybe the rising needs a little extra boost. All I know is it works and is delicious.