Thai Cashew Chicken ผัดเม็ดมะม่วงหิมพานต์ใส่ไก่

Ingredients: 2 T oil (vegetable, coconut, sesame, etc.) 1-2 T garlic - crushed 10 oz chicken breast - cubed to bite size 1 large or 2 small onions - sliced to bite size 1-2 large red chillies - sliced (unseeded for more heat; bell peppers can substitute) 1/3 cup water or chicken stock (I usually don't even use any) 2 T oyster sauce 1 T soy sauce 1 T fish sauce 1 T palm sugar (brown can substitute) 4 spring onions - sliced to 1½-inch segments 1-2 cups cashews (your preference- salted/unsalted, toasted, fried) Heat up your wok or a large/deep pan to med/high. Add oil. When oil is hot add garlic. When garlic starts to brown add chicken. Stir for 1-2 min then add onions and chilies. Stir for 2 more min. Add oyster, soy, and fish sauce, and sugar, then stir. Add water as needed. When chicken is thoroughly cooked and onions are slightly soft add spring onions and cashews. Stir briefly then turn off heat. Serve over white jasmine rice.

Chicken Kiev

This is one of my favorite recipes, probably because I always have the ingredients on hand and it is super fast to make. I can even make a lower-fat version that still tastes delicious... just limit the butter and cheese. Yum! This goes great with whole-wheat pasta, seasoned with the same herbs, and veggies.

Chicken Kiev

½ stick butter (1/4 cup)

¼ tsp parsley flakes

¼ tsp oregano flakes

½ cup plain bread crumbs

½ cup parmesan grated cheese

½ tsp garlic salt

½ tsp onion salt

4 chicken breasts (boneless skinless is best)

Swiss cheese

Melt butter in a small microwave safe dish. Add parsley and oregano. In another small, flat dish, add bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic salt and onion salt. Mix well.

Wash chicken and pat dry. Place chicken in plastic and pound until 1/2 inch thick, or desired thickness. Place chicken breast face down and spread with a thin layer of butter mixture. Add a strip of swiss cheese. Roll tightly, tucking cheese in and securing with a toothpick. 

Spoon a little butter mixture over the top of rolled breast, then roll in the bread crumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until 165 degrees internally.

Cafe Rio Recipes

There was another recipe posted like this, but this is my version.

Café Rio Pork

5-6 lb pork roast

1 Tbsp. cumin

1 c. brown sugar

20 oz. bottle Coke

12 oz. Red Taco Sauce

Place roast in crockpot and cover halfway up with water. Cook roast in crockpot on low for 12 hours. (Save the liquid from the roast in a separate bowl.*) Add remaining ingredients to roast and cook for 4 more hours. Take out roast and shred. Put back in sauce and cook for additional 2 hours.

(*Strain the fat from the liquid by placing in fridge for a little bit first. Thicken with cornstarch and then add a can of Chili Verde Enchilada Sauce to liquid. This sauce can then be placed over burrito.)

Café Rio Rice

5 C water

4 tsp. chicken bouillon

4 tsp. minced garlic

½ bunch chopped cilantro

1 tsp. cumin

1 can green chilies

¾ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. butter

½ medium onion, chopped

3 c. rice, uncooked

Bring water to boil, add all ingredients. Cook for 30 minutes.

Café Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

1 pkg. buttermilk ranch dressing (powder)

3 tomatillos

1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. chopped cilantro

3 cloves garlic

1/8 tsp. cayenne

Mix in blender and chill.

Café Rio Chicken

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian dressing

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. cumin

3 cloves garlic

5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

Roast all ingredients in crockpot on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken, roast an additional 1 hour.

Also, don't forget to buy tortillas, cheese, beans, tomatoes or salsa, sour cream, and don't forget the lettuce (I have before, how embarrassing). I also make homemade guacamole Lately I have had to add more water to the rice, so watch it as you are cooking it.

Crockpot recipes

Chicken Bean Soup

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, bite sized 1 can Kidney beans or other beans
1 med. onion, chopped 1 can beef or chicken broth
1 can black beans 1 cup mild or medium salsa
1 (16 oz) can corn 1 med. red and yellow bell pepper (I usually omit this)
Put all ingredients into your crock pot and let cook on high about 3 to 4 hours.
Toppings: (I have never used any toppings, I just eat it with bread or rolls)
sour cream grated cheese
black olives chopped tomato
fresh cilantro red onion

Teriyaki Chicken

3-4 lbs chicken ( dark meat is best)

½ C. Brown Sugar

1 C. water

½ C. soy sauce

¼ tsp. ginger

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ garlic powder

¼ C. water

1 T. cornstarch

In crock pot add first 7 ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours. Add cornstarch to water and mix to thicken gravy, add to chicken mixture and allow to thicken. Serve with rice.

Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken

2 cans lack beans, drained and rinsed

1 can chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, undrained.

½ lb. chicken

1 small jar ( or just to taste) chunky salsa

1 can corn

1 T. parsley flakes

1 tsp. ground cumin

Pepper, to taste

Cheyenne pepper, to tast ( If you like it a little spicy like we do!)

Combine ingredients in a slow cooker, cook on high for 3-4 hours. Serve with rice.

Taco Soup

½- 1 lb. Stew meat

1 can kidney or black beans

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 onion, diced

1 can tomato sauce

1 can corn

1 package taco seasoning

2 C. water

Brown beef, add remaining ingredients into slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Serve with tortilla chips or quesadillas.

Chicken Cacciatore

3-4 lbs. boneless/skinless thighs and breasts
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 large red or green bell peppers, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon each basil and oregano
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 (8 oz.) can stewed tomatoes with chiles
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups burgundy wine (you can substitute chicken stock)
Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling before serving

Place sliced onions on bottom of crock pot. Add chicken.

Stir together remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.

Cook on low 7-9 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serve over pasta, with a salad on the side.

*This makes a lot, you can half it or have leftovers for a while!

Chocolate Custard Cake

***Cake***

2 cups packaged brownie mix
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
***Sauce***
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons baking cocoa

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, mix batter ingredients by hand. Pour batter in a greased 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker.

Mix sauce ingredients together in a separate bowl. Pour sauce evenly over batter. Do not stir after sauce has been added.

Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours (less if you have a larger crock pot). Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

In crock pot add the following and

cook on low for 6-8 hours:

3 to 4 chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small can diced green chilies

1 small onion chopped

1 tbsp Mexican seasoning

garlic salt to taste

salt and pepper

Take out chicken and shred.

Return to crock pot then add:

1 can chicken broth

3 roma tomatoes diced

1 can black beans—drained

¾ cup frozen or canned corn

¼ cup sour cream

Stir until mixed and let simmer on low for 20-30 min.

Top each bowl with tortilla chips, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.

CAFE RIO SALAD

LIME-CILANTRO RICE

2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 c. long grain rice (6 c. water)
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Juice of 2 limes (can use bottled juice- about 4-5 tsp)
2 tsp. crushed garlic (can use dried minced)

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add rice, cilantro, and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water and lime juice and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice (about 20 minutes).

You can also use a rice cooker if you have one. Just place all ingredients into rice cooker and cook until done.

SWEET PORK

pork roast
1 (16 oz.) bottle of salsa
1 can coke
2 c. brown sugar

Place pork in crock pot. Mix together ingredients (salsa, coke, brown sugar) and pour on top of pork. Cook for about 5-6 hours on high. Shred pork with forks. Leave on low until ready to serve.

CREAMY TOMATILLA SALAD DRESSING

1 packet hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayo or sour cream
2-3 tomatillas (peel off outer leaf/shell)
1 tsp. crushed garlic
¾ bunch fresh cilantro
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
juice from 1 lime (about 2 tsp.)
salt & pepper

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Refrigerate.

OTHER PARTS OF THE SALAD (Use whatever you wish)

Tortillas (I like the undercooked kind- you can heat them on a griddle for a few seconds)

Romaine lettuce, chopped

Canned black beans (warm in microwave)

Tomatoes, diced

Guacamole

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Limes, sliced

Tortilla chip strips

Cilantro for garnish

COMPLETING THE SALAD

Place tortilla in a plate, pie tin or round cake pan. If desired, sprinkle cheese and melt in microwave. Place ingredients in tortilla in this order: rice, black beans, pork, lettuce, tomatoes. Top with dressing, guacamole, some tortilla strips, a sprig of cilantro and a slice of lime.