To view my ENTIRE Cafe Rio / Costa Vida Salad copycat recipe, click HERE.
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalepeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)
Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That’s it!
Yesterday was a big day for me. After YEARS of trying to figure out this recipe.. I have FINALLY figured it out. I spent all day in the kitchen yesterday trying to get this just right and I finally did it! All of you Cafe Rio and Costa Vida lovers, get excited! You will be so surprised how right, smack on this is!
2 tamatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. diced jalapeno (canned) –you can use less if you don’t like it spicy at all. I like a little kick.
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 c. balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing (NOT balsamic VINEGAR… there is a difference. We used Kraft brand vinaigrette)
In a food processor or blender, combine tamatillos, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, and sugar. After it is all blended up well combine with balsamic vinaigrette in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best).
I made Cafe Rio salads the other night (click HERE to see the salad recipe) but of course my husband didn’t want a salad… he wanted a burrito. He wanted it with the green, medium, enchilada sauce which I have never attempted until now. It took a few tries but I think I got it right. He said this sauce tastes just like the sauce at Cafe Rio or Costa Vida… just a tiny bit spicier, which he liked. I tried it myself and thought it tasted great! If you look at the picture, you can tell the sauce even looks like the actual Cafe Rio sauce. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think!
For the sauce:
1 small can diced green chilies
1 7 oz. can Salsa Verde (I used “Embasa” brand)
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
Combine all ingredients in small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm. You can also refrigerate it overnight after simmering if you are making it in advance (My husband said it tasted even better the next day after all the flavors had settled). Just reheat in the small saucepan before serving.
For the burrito:
1 LARGE tortilla shell (click HERE)
1 large scoop rice (click HERE)
1 large scoop beans (click HERE)
1 large scoop sweet pork (click HERE)
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, to taste
Green Enchilada Sauce (see recipe above)
Lettuce
Pico de gallo
Guacamole (click HERE)
Sour cream
Roll up rice, beans, pork and cheese in large tortilla shell to form the burrito. Slather with a big ladle full of the green enchilada sauce and top with additional Monterey Jack cheese. Place in the oven at 450-degrees until cheese is melted. Serve with lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and/or sour cream.
Jared and I LOVE Cafe Rio and Costa Vida. We have tried and tried to duplicate the Cafe Rio / Costa Vida sweet pork salad.. and tonight.. we nailed it! It was DELICIOUS!! We have tried different sweet pork recipes but something seemed to be missing from each one.. so we combined a few and made our own! I promise, we are VERY VERY picky about our Cafe Rio pork and this tasted EXACTLY like it. We also played around with the rice, the beans, and the ranch. At dinner tonight, we felt like we were having Cafe Rio take-out. However, we liked our recipe even BETTER!!! Don’t believe us? Try it out for yourself and you will see!
It really is easier than it looks. It only took me about an hour to make (after the pork was in the crock pot). The rice and beans are SUPER easy, you definitely want the beans and rice to get the whole experience! Also, be generous with the cilantro! Try it and let me know what you think! I KNOW you won’t be disappointed!!
6 large Tortillas (click HERE)
Shredded cheese, Mexican blend
Cafe Rio Rice (click HERE)
Cafe Rio Black Beans (click HERE)
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (click HERE)
Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)
Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
Guacamole (click HERE)
Sour cream
Tortilla Strips (click HERE)
Cotija cheese, crumbled (or you can use Parmesan)
Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch (click HERE)
OR ***NEW*** Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (click HERE)
Here is how we put it all together: First of all, we bought the aluminum deep-dish pans (they had these at the grocery store, you will know when you see them.. they look JUST like the Cafe Rio tins). Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions (pico de gallo). Add guacamole (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) and sour cream. Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch or vinaigrette dressing and there you have it! (makes about 6 salads)
(scroll down to see the rice, beans, pork, and ranch recipes all together…)
SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork (we like to use boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (1ooz) can red enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar
Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.
Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don’t let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.
In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.
Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That’s it!
CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.
BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it’s not “traditional Cafe Rio”)
CILANTRO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)
I love coleslaw but hate paying $4 a pound for it. This recipe is CHEAP to make and it is SO easy! You can get 4 times the amount of coleslaw for a fraction of the price you would pay at a deli… PLUS, this tastes much better than deli coleslaw! (The coleslaw actually comes out creamier than what it looks like in the picture.. )
8 c. cabbage, finely chopped
1/4 c. shredded carrot
(or you can use a couple bags of the pre-chopped cabbage-carrot mixture)
1/3 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. mustard (optional, but adds a nice flavor)
Chop up the cabbage and carrots into fine pieces. In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, lemon juice and mustard, and whisk until smooth. Add the cabbage and carrots. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain excess liquid and stir well before serving.
We are huge fans of Winger’s sauce, we go buy the bottles of it all the time… but now there is no need. I will never have to go buy the sauce again. I’m not kidding, I can’t tell a difference between the real deal and these. This has got to be the exact recipe they use in the restaurant. We can whip these up in less time than it would take to go to Winger’s and order them! They are SO easy to make!
For the sauce:
1/3 c. Franks Hot Sauce (It has to be Franks Hot Sauce… no other sauce will taste as good)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. water
Heat up hot sauce, brown sugar and water in a saucepot until all the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temp before adding to wings OR prepare ahead of time and refrigerate. The wings turn out best if you don’t pour warm sauce over them. You want it nice and thick.
That’s IT for the sauce! Isn’t that easy?? We like to dip popcorn in it 🙂 Mix it with a little bit of ranch to make their creamy amazing dressing.The possibilities are ENDLESS with this sauce!
For the Sticky Fingers:
1 c. oil
1 pkg. frozen breaded chicken tenders (We like to use the Tyson brand)
In a frying pan, heat oil and cook chicken tenders until crispy and warm. Dip each piece of chicken in the sauce so it is completely covered and move to serving plate, pour any remaining sauce over the chicken.
Serve with ranch (we like to make the Hidden Valley Packet Ranch prepared with buttermilk instead of milk) or blue cheese dressing.
*If you want to go a little lighter you can also bake the chicken tenders instead of frying, they still taste really good.
Here is one for all of you out on the East Coast (there aren’t any White Castle’s out here in the West). I have only had a White Castle burger once, and it was long long ago.. but I remember that it was good. I found this recipe on the Cooking With Carrie Blog and I made a few changes. These turned out so good! And what’s really great about them.. you can have them for lunch the next day– just pop them in the microwave whole for about 40-50 seconds and they taste just as good as the night before! For those of you who have always wanted to try a White Castle burger… this recipe is for you!
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 onion, finely chopped
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 tablespoon peanut butter (yes, peanut butter.. trust me)
1/2 cup milk
Sara Lee Classic Dinner Rolls (or the really soft small-sized dinner rolls from the bakery), sliced in half
Cheese slices (you can use Kraft Singles or sliced Velveeta cheese.. we used Velveeta)
In a large bowl mix (with your hands or a spoon) the hamburger, Lipton onion soup mix, peanut butter, and milk. Spread the meat mixture on a cookie sheet with a lip. Use a cup or rolling pin to roll over the meat to smooth it out.
Put it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. The meat will shrink. Take it out of the oven and put the diced onions all around the edges to flavor the meat. Place back in the oven for about 15 minutes.
Take it out of the oven. If you want onions on your sliders then spoon them onto the meat from the sides. Add your cheese slices. Put it back in the oven for 7-10 minutes (until cheese is melted). Then add the tops of your rolls (the bottom part of the rolls will just sit on the counter) and place back in the oven for about 5 more minutes. 
Take it out of the oven. Slice the meat with a pizza cutter and pick up the slider/top bun with a spatula and set it on the bottom bun.
This is one of our favorite soups. It is the perfect Fall soup.. but really it is great any time of the year! If you like Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, you are going to love this (I think it tastes better than Olive Garden’s.. it’s not as watery). This is the same recipe Emily posted earlier except I added some bacon and onion. So if you don’t prefer bacon or onion, feel free to leave them out. Anyway, this goes PERFECTLY with our Breadtwists recipe!
3 cans (14oz) Chicken Broth
2 cups whipping cream
red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 small onion, diced, sauteed
1/2 pkg. bacon (cooked and crumbled)
4-5 cups chopped kale
3 to 4 potatoes scrubbed and cut into slices or small chunks (skins left on)
1 lb Johnsonville mild Italian sausage (shaped into small rounds, browned, and put on paper towels to de-grease… or if you are in a rush, just brown the sausage like you would ground beef).
Let that sit for 5 minutes. Then add:
I went to visit my sister a couple weeks ago in Boise and she took me to this great diner place called “Donnie Macs Trailer Park Cuisine”. This place was featured on the Food Network show, Diners, Drive In’s, and Dives… HERE is the actual clip of the show so you can see for yourself! As you can see from the clip, they pretty much show you how to make their chicken sandwich. I ordered it when we went and I LOVED it.. I told myself I would have to go home and duplicate it (which was easy, because again, they basically tell you how to do it in the clip).
I came home and made these for my husband and he absolutely loved them. They are his new favorite chicken sandwiches. They tasted just like they did at Donnie Macs! Oh yum– just thinking about them makes me want to go make them again. Whether you have eaten these at Donnie Macs or not, you should definitely try these!
2 chicken breasts, halved and pounded to ¼” thickness
3-4 c. buttermilk (enough to cover the chicken
oil for frying
Breading:
8 oz pkg. Panko bread crumbs
2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. cayenne
2 Tbsp. Garlic powder
1 Tbsp. paprika
½ Tbsp. Thyme
Sauce:
1/2 c. corn
1 c. buttermilk
½ c. ranch dressing
salt & pepper to taste
2 -3 Tbsp. chopped green onion
2 c. chopped cabbage
4 Cibatta buns
Place chicken breasts in medium-sized bowl and pour buttermilk over until chicken is pretty much swimming buttermilk. Refrigerate overnight.
For the sauce: Sauté corn until a little caramelized and coarsely chop in a food processor. Add buttermilk and ranch to food processor and pulse 1-2 times until well mixed. Stir in green onion and set aside.
Combine breading ingredients until all ingredients are mixed in really well and pour in a shallow dish. Place chicken in bread crumbs. Press it down then let it sit for a few seconds so the break crumbs really stick on there.
Heat oil in a deep pan, or deep fryer and add breaded chicken. Fry until golden brown and cooked through.
Combine cabbage and about ¼ c.- ½ c. of the sauce to make the slaw (you just want the cabbage covered in the sauce, not drowning in it). Do this right before putting on the sandwich so it doesn’t get soggy.
To serve: Toast Cibatta in toaster or oven until slightly toasted. Add a little of the remaining sauce to the bottom bun. Place fried chicken on bun, slap on some “slaw” and top with remaining bun.
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