Instant Pot Cafe Rio Pork

3 lb. pork roast
1 cup Coke
1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce (mild or medium, I use mild)
1 can (4oz) diced green chilies
1 1/4 cups brown sugar (you can use less if you don’t want it super sweet)

Cut your pork roast into 4 or 5 chunks and place in the bottom of your Instant Pot.
In a blender or food processor, combine the Coke, enchilada sauce, green chilies and brown sugar.
Pour 1 cup of this over the pork. Set aside the remaining sauce for later.
Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and select manual and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes. Let your Instant Pot do a natural release for about 15-20 minutes.
Shred pork and remove about 3/4 cup of the liquid from the Instant Pot and discard. Pour in the reserved liquid you made earlier and stir.

Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken Recipe

Can't wait to try this recipe I found on Food.com...

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup liquid margarita mix
1 teaspoon garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper , to taste

Directions:

• Pour margarita mix over chicken breasts, and marinate for 2-3 hours in refrigerator.
• When ready to prepare, drain and dust chicken breasts with black pepper.
• Grill 3-4 minutes on each side. 
• If you do not have a grill use an iron skillet. Bring to medium high temperature and spray skillet with an oil coating. Braise the chicken breasts until done on each side. 
• Place chicken breasts atop Black Beans. 
• Serve with a serving of your favorite Mexican rice and Pico de Gallo.

Serve with -
Lipton's Knorr Fiesta Sides "Spanish Rice" or Rice a Roni "Mexican Rice"
Black Beans:  Mix a can of black beans with 1/4 cup of medium Picante sauce, and 1 tablespoon of pico de gallo for garnish.

I saw one person post that the whole meal was only about 7 weight watchers points per serving.

Honey Wheat Bushman Bread

like Outback Steakhouse... found on http://recipes.calputer.com/

Dough
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
2 cups bread flour
1 2/3 cups wheat flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 pkg.) yeast

Coloring (Add if you want the bread to have the same color as the restaurant.  It will not change the taste if you leave this step out.)
1/4 cup water
75 drops red food coloring
45 drops blue food coloring
30 drops yellow food coloring

cornmeal for dusting

1. If using a bread machine, add all of the ingredients for the dough in the exact order listed into the pan of your machine.  Set it on “knead” and when the machine begins to mix the dough, combine the food coloring with 1/4 cup of water and drizzle it into the mixture as it combines. After the dough is created let it rest to rise for an hour or so. Then remove it from the pan and go to step #3.

2. If you are not using a bread machine, combine the flours, cocoa, sugar, coffee and salt in large bowl. Make a depression or “well” in the middle of the dry mixture. Pour the warm water into this “well,” then add the butter, honey and yeast. Combine the food coloring drops with 1/4 cup of water and add that to the “well.” Slowly mix the ingredients with a spoon, drawing the dry ingredients into the wet. When you can handle the dough, begin to combine it by hand, kneading the dough thoroughly for at least ten minutes, until it is very smooth and has a consistent color. Set the dough into a covered bowl in a warm place for an hour, to allow it to rise.

3. When the dough has risen to about double in size, punch it down and divide it into 8 even portions (divide dough in half, divide those halves in half, and then once more). Form the portions into tubular shaped loaves about 8 inches long and 2 inches wide. Sprinkle the entire surface of the loaves with cornmeal and place them on a cookie sheet, or two. Cover the cookie sheet(s) with plastic wrap and let the dough rise once more for another hour in a warm location.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and bake it or 20-24 minutes in the hot oven. Loaves should begin to darken slightly on top when done. Serve warm with a sharp bread knife and butter on the side. If you want whipped butter, like you get at the restaurant, just use an electric mixer on high speed to whip some butter until it’s fluffy.

Makes 8 small loaves.

Grilled Shrimp

like Texas Roadhouse

Spray skewer with cooking spray and place shrimp on skewer.  Make sure to leave about 1/2" in between each shrimp to ensure they cook all the way through.

Season with Old Bay seasoning.  Place clarified butter (basically seperated butter - milk solids, water and sugar taken out) in a very hot pan.  Place shrimp in pan.  If the pan is hot enough the tails will start to turn orange right away... this is a good sign. Cook about 2 minutes on each side or until they are pink/orange colored. 

Red Robin Seasoning

3 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon instant tomato soup mix

     (Knorr tomato with basil works great)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and stir well.  Store in a covered container.

Makes 1/3 cup, which fits well in an empty spice bottle.
found on http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/

Café Rio Pork Take 2

2 ½ pounds pork
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/3 c water
1/8 tsp salt
½ c green chili sauce
½ c brown sugar

Cook pork in water and seasonings in crock pot on high for 4 hours or low for 7. Drain. Shred pork stir in brown sugar and chili sauce. Serve with your favorite burrito/taco toppings. Can be frozen.

Cancun Cafe Chicken Fajitas

2 lbs chicken
one clove diced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
one green pepper
one red pepper
one onion

Cut the chicken into strips. Mix in a bowl with all ingredients, except peppers and onion, to marinate for one hour. Sauté’ chicken. When cooked, add sliced peppers and onion. Serve on a tortilla with fresh salsa or pico de gallo

Zuppa Toscana Soup

(Like Olive Garden)

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
• 1 large diced white onion
• 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
• 2 tsp garlic puree
• 10 cups water
• 5 cubes of chicken bouillon
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
• ¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve.

Serves 6-8

Olive Garden Salad

Salad:
1 bag American Blend Salad
4-5 slices Red Onion
4-6 Black Olives
2-4 Banana Peppers
1/2 cup Croutons
1 small Tomato sliced
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Dressing:
1/2 cup Mayo
1/3 cup White Vinegar
1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. Romano Cheese
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Sugar (optional)

Dressing:

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed (approximately 30 seconds).
2. If this is a little to tart for your own personal tastes please add a little extra sugar.
3. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Salad:

1. Chill a glass salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes.
2. Place the bag of salad in bowl.
3. Place on top of the lettuce – red onion, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons.
4. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
5. Add plenty of Salad Dressing on top.

Cilantro Lime Rice

(Like Cafe Rio)
3 cups water
3 cups rice*
(Put cilantro, chilies, and onion in food processor)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
1/2 onion
4 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp chicken bouillon granules
Lime juice

Bring water to boil. Add all ingredients.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

*the original recipe I received called for minute rice but it gets very sticky so next time I'm going to try regular rice and see how it goes!  If you try it first, let me know!

Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing

3/4 c. Buttermilk

1 4oz can Green Chilies

1/2 c. Cilantro

1 Tomatillo

1/2 tsp Lime Juice

dash Cayenne Pepper

1 c. Mayo

1 clove Garlic

1/2 Jalepeno

1 tsp Salt

dash Tabasco

1 pkg. Ranch Dressing Mix

Combine in blender and mix until smooth.

Version 2 - I haven't tried this one yet... but it has fewer ingredients!
2 tomatillos - chopped
1 Jalapeno - no seeds - chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 pkg Ranch Dressing Mix
8 oz sour cream
Combine in blender and mix until smooth.

Cafe Rio Pork

4-6 lb pork roast

2 cups brown sugar

16 oz salsa

1 can Coke

Cook in crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. Shred and place back in juice in crockpot about an hour before serving.

This is Angie's variation from an online copy cat website

2 ½ pounds pork
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/3 c water
1/8 tsp salt
½ c green chili sauce
½ c brown sugar

Cook pork in water and seasonings in crock pot on high for 4 hours or low for 7. Drain. Shred pork stir in brown sugar and chili sauce. Serve with your favorite burrito/taco toppings.

Outback’s Alice Springs Chicken

Combine the following:

 2 Tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup honey

2 tsp lemon juice

Use ½ of this mixture and marinade 4-6 chicken breasts covered in fridge for 2-24 hours. (Use the other half of mixture to serve with chicken for dipping-make sure to chill in fridge)

After chicken has marinated fry chicken breasts in butter in pan over med heat. Add salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika to chicken.   Brown the chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown.  Put chicken in baking dish.  Stack 2 pieces of cooked bacon on each piece of chicken.  Spoon sautéed mushrooms onto bacon. (To sauté mushrooms, slice mushrooms, add butter cook over medium in fry pan add garlic salt and onion salt until cooked)  Then cover chicken with Colby/Monterrey jack Cheese.


Bake chicken covered at 350 for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked.  

Olive Garden Alfredo

8 oz Cream cheese - cut up

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese - grated

½ cup butter or margarine (I only use 1/4 cup)

½ cup milk (add more if recipe sauce is too thick)

Optional additions -
8 oz Fettuccine; cooked and drained

Grilled Chicken

In large saucepan combine cream cheese, Parmesan, butter and milk, stirring constantly until smooth.

Use as a dipping sauce for bread sticks or toss pasta lightly with sauce, coating well.  Leftovers freeze well.