Mmmm...Cafe Rio...

If you didn't know, Iowa and Nebraska do not have Cafe Rio. I have been craving a Cafe Rio pork salad for a few months now and Brad finally told me I should find a recipe...and I did! It isn't exactly Cafe Rio of course, but it is really good if you like theirs. I am a little sad that we wasted it on the missionaries (Lenna and Scott will know why that is not mean, it is true). These Elders actually call people to ask for dinners, we are nice and feed them, but are anxious for transfers. Anyway...here are the recipes.

Cafe Rio Pork
3 lbs pork roast (butt or shoulder)
3/4 cup coca cola
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3/4 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 limes, juice only
1 cup tomatillo dressing (recipe below; you can leave this out if you want the pork to be more sweet)

Place the pork in crock pot. Top with garlic and coca cola. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until you can shred it with a fork. When pork is tender, remove it from crock pot and shred. Drain crock pot before returning meat. Return meat to crock pot and mix in the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Cover and simmer on low until ready to serve.


Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
2 jalapeno peppers
3 cloves garlic
2 tomatillos
1 handful cilantro
2 limes, juice only
2 cups milk
2 cups mayonnaise
2 packages Hidden Valley ranch salad dressing mix

Blend all ingredients except mayonnaise in blender until smooth. Whisk in the mayonnaise and chill until ready to serve.


For the salad, I put beans, rice, pork, lettuce, avocado, and a couple sprigs of cilantro on top of a warm tortilla before putting on the dressing. It was really good. I hope at least one person enjoys this recipe, I know my mom will!