A twist on Mex-Tex Salad

What a fun idea. Here is a yummy and quite easy summer recipe.


Cafe Rio Chicken
1 small bottle or Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic
5 lbs chicken breasts *This makes a lot - I usually half it.

Salad
Romain lettuce
Roma tomatoes
Cotija Cheese
tortilla strips (I've only found these at Albertsons hanging above their bagged lettuce.)

Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch salad dressing (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos * depending on how spicy you want it, I add only 1 tomatillo and 1/4 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove of garlic
1 lime juiced
jalapeno

Use a food processor to blend all together

*serves 20

Taste very similar to costa vida salads.

Creme Vichyssoise

3 c leeks or yellow onion
6 c diced potatoes
6 c chicken broth
6 T butter
2 c milk
2 c sour cream
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t paprika
4 t snipped chives or watercress to granish (optional)

Cook onions, broth, potatoes, and seasonings.
Cool and process in blender.(We use our hand mixer which works great with less mess.)
Add milk, sour cream and butter to processed mixture.
Heat, do not boil.
We like to garnish with cheese and bacon bites from Costco. Yum!

Note: we got this recipe from our friend Kathy Lyon and it is our favorite soup. Thanks for sharing Kathy!!

Mashed Potatoe Casserole

5 pounds potatoes (8 large)
8 oz of cream cheese, softened
1c. sour cream
2 tsp. garlic salt (optional)
1.2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. butter
Peel potatoes and cook til tender then mash. In a small bowl
beat the cream cheese and sour cream til blended.
Add cream cheese mixture as well as the spices. Blend well
Turn into a 3-4 quart buttered casserole dish.
Cover with foil and bake @ 400 degrees for 50 to 60 mins.
Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days then cook it when needed.
May leave out the garlic if you don't want garlic potatoes.

Cafe Rio Rice

1 tsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp lime zest
2 T lime juice
2 tsp white sugar
3 T chopped cilantro
1 can diced chilies
20 minunte rice (we love Jasmine rice) - as directed
chicken broth - as directed

Combine broth, garlic, butter, lime zest, cilantro, chilies and bring to boil.
Add rice - cook as directed.
Combine lime juice and sugar and add to cooked rice.

I can't take full credit for this recipe but we've tried many Cafe Rio recipes and this is the closest thus far. We modified the original recipe to what we think taste like Cafe Rio. Yum yum!