Casa del Rio Copy Cat Salad Recipe

 Tom and I really enjoy the Chef’s Diet Salad at Casa del Rio. It has a bed of lettuce with scoops of machaca (moist, not dried), shredded chicken, cottage cheese, and sliced avocado on top. We like to use their salsa as the salad dressing, too. We like to eat a lot of salads during the summer and I decided to try to replicate that one because chuck roasts were on sale. It came out really good! Here is the recipe. I don’t have measurements for everything yet. I might update as I go along. WARNING: this will feed a whole lot of people!

INGREDIENTS

•        Several bags of Veggie Lover’s salad (each bag will make 3-4 servings)
•        Avocados, sliced
•        Cottage cheese
•        Black olives
•        Cherry tomatoes
•        Your favorite salsa or salad dressing of choice (we bought a quart of Casa del Rio’s salsa for $12)

CHICKEN

•        Rotisserie chicken (I like the ones from Costco), shredded with all skin removed
•        ½ to 1 cup chicken broth

MACHACA

•        6 lbs. chuck roast (boneless)
•        2 Tbsp. chili powder
•        4 tsp. cumin
•        4 tsp garlic powder
•        4 tsp. oregano
•        2 tsp. paprika
•        1 tsp cayenne pepper
•        Salt & pepper to taste
•        ½ to 1 cup beef broth

INSTRUCTIONS

CHICKEN

1.      Shred the entire rotisserie chicken, removing all skin and bones.

2.      Place the meat in chicken broth to keep moist and heat in a crock pot on low for about 2 hours.

MACHACA

1.      Place chuck roast in crock pot.

2.      Add all seasoning and beef broth.

3.      Cook on low for 8 hours.

4.      Remove meat from crock pot and shred with forks, removing and discarding all fat.

5.      Return shredded meat to crock pot for an hour or so to reheat.

ASSEMBLE SALAD

1.      For each portion, place some Veggie Lover’s salad in a large bowl.

2.      Add black olives and cherry tomatoes to the salad.

3.      Place 3-4 slices of avocadoes on top of the salad.

4.      Add a scoop each of cottage cheese, shredded chicken, and machaca to the salad.

5.      Pour on the salsa or your salad dressing of choice.

Enjoy!!!

Masterson Mashed Potato Salad

When Mom and Dad were first married, Dad decided he wanted to know what mashed potato tasted like so he told Mom (who was anxious to please Dad since she was a new bride) that his mother mashed the potatoes in the potato salad. Back in those days, it cost too much to make long distance phone calls (they lived in California and their families lived in Illinois), so Mom and Dad had to figure out the recipe on their own. This is what they came up with. When they went home a couple of years later, Mom asked Grandma Masterson how she made it. She said she had never heard of it! Dad was just curious and lied to her. He liked it so much that he never told her any different. We have made it this way ever since with just a few minor adjustments. 

This is one of those recipes that doesn't really have measurements.

From Sandi: 

I cook 5lbs of potatoes and mash them (with butter, but no milk). Mix miracle whip, mustard, and vinegar (or pickle juice), (to taste) then mix with potatoes. Add onion and dill relish. After everything is mixed in, add chopped boiled eggs and fold gently. After putting it all in your container, garnish the top with sliced boiled eggs. 

How many eggs? 

Almost 12. Depends on how many slices you want on top. I usually put 4 or 5 in the salad. 

Sherri's Notes 

I use the hand masher so that some of it is lumpy. 

Use about ¾ stick of butter. 

Use the same ingredients for deviled eggs (i.e. mayonnaise vs. miracle whip and Dijon mustard vs. yellow mustard) and the same ratio to taste. 

Deviled eggs (increase amounts according to taste for amount of potatoes): 

 • 1/3 cup mayonnaise

 • 1¼ tsp Dijon mustard

 • 3/4 tsp white vinegar

 • 1/4 tsp salt 

 I used 8 large eggs rather than 12. Cut up 5 in the salad plus the ends of the remaining 3. Then sliced the remaining 3 to put on top. Could have used 9 large eggs and put 4 on top for the 5 lbs. of potatoes.