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!!!

Mom’s Chili

1 lg can of crushed tomatoes (prefer Hunts because they don’t use chemicals to peel them)

1 lg can of tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

3 cans of dark red kidney beans

2 Cubanelle peppers (or Anaheim if you can’t find cubanelle)

1 onion diced

2lbs ground beef (at least 20% fat)

Chili powder and Cayenne to taste

 Brown ground beef. When done, remove meat from frying pan (leaving grease behind) and place in slow cooker. Brown onions and peppers in frying pan with grease from meat. When done, put them in the slow cooker. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste.  Add beans (including liquid) and some chili powder and cayenne.  Cook for an hour or so and taste.  If needed, add more of the spices.  Cook for about 6 hrs.

I usually cook the meat, onions and peppers the night before and put them all in a bowl and refrigerate.  Saves time the next day.

Sherri's Favorite Chili

Not my chili. Will take a picture when I
make it again.

Ingredients:
1 1-pound can of pinto beans (drain liquid)
1 1-pound can of pinto beans with jalapenos (drain liquid)
2 cups water
2 1-pound cans tomatoes
1 pound ground chuck or turkey (browned)
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped (opt.)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 tbs. chili powder
1 1/2 tbs. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. apple cider-vinegar (opt.)--I have never used this


Directions:
Put all ingredients in crock pot in order listed. Stir once. Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours. (High: 5 to 6 hours, only if canned beans are used).

NOTE: Recipe calls for 1/2 pound dry pinto or kidney beans, soaked in water overnight. I prefer to use the canned beans.