Johnny Carino's Bowtie Pasta

2 oz. melted butter

2 tsp. minced fresh garlic

1/4 c. diced red onion

1/4 c. diced cooked bacon

1/2 c. diced Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 lb. sliced, cooked chicken

2 oz. heavy whipping cream

6 oz. Alfredo sauce (recipe follows)

1/4 c. Asiago cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 lb. bowtie pasta, cooked

In a heated saucepan, combine butter, garlic, onions, bacon, tomatoes, chicken, and spices.

When onions begin to turn translucent, add heavy cream and Asiago.

Once cheese and cream have reduced by half, add alfredo sauce and bowtie pasta. Toss until well-combined and remove from heat. Allow to cool for a few minutes so the cheese and sauce can thicken.

Alfredo Sauce

2 c. Heavy whipping cream

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

1/2 Tbsp. black pepper

1/8 c. whole milk

Bring heavy cream, milk, and black pepper to a consistent boil. Remove cream mixture from heat and fold in parmesan cheese. Store completed sauce in fridge until use.

If you have extra alfredo sauce (which you should) you may want to serve it as a dipping sauce for some french bread or breadsticks. (You could also half the recipe for the alfredo sauce.)

P.S.  This is a repeat but it was a while ago Becky made this and we were craving it again!!  Thank you for all the fabulous meals.

Freezer Directions:  Thaw the sauce and reheat on stove.  Cook pasta, drain pasta, and toss with the heated sauce.  Serve with veggies or a salad with breadsticks on the side:)

Cafe Rio Extras - August

Thanks to Tisha I was able to find all these extra recipes you could make to go with your Cafe Rio Chicken!


CAFÉ RIO RANCH

1 1/3 cup sour cream            4 Tbl salsa verde
3/4 cup mayonnaise              2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 bunch cilantro                 1/8 tsp Tabasco
1 pkg Ranch dressing            juice of one lime

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Store in fridge. It taste better if you make it the day before and let the flavors blend.

SALSA

4 Roma tomatoes Chopped into small pieces
½ of a White Onion Chopped fine
1/3 bunch Cilantro leaves, chopped
½ of a lime squeezed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Seasoned Pepper Blend

Mix all ingredients together and let set a little while before you eat 


CAFÉ RIO RICE

3 cups water                             1 can green chilies
4 tsp chicken bouillon              3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp garlic minced                   1 Tbl butter
1/3 bunch cilantro                    ½ onion, diced

Blend cilantro, green chilies, and onion in blender. Bring water to boil. Add all ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes. (I just put everything in my rice cooker, I do not blend the cilantro, green chillies, and onions).        

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup water
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can refried beans
4-6 flour tortillas
shredded cheese

In a large skillet cook hamburger, green pepper, and onion.  Drain off fat and add water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2 minutes.  Stir in black beans and tomatoes and simmer uncovered 10 minutes.  Cover bottom of 9 x 13 pan with hamburger mixture.  Place 2 tortillas on top of hamburger. (I cut up another tortilla to cover the area the 2 didn't cover.) Spread 1/2 of refried beans on tortillas.  Repeat with hamburger, tortillas, and refried beans.  End with hamburger then sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 min or until bubbly.

Instructions: Thaw and bake as directed.

Ranch Cheddar Burgers


(Found this on Onceamonthmom.com and my family loved the ranch flavor)

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef     ( I used Sam's 90% lean)
1 cup shredded or cubed cheddar cheese   (I put almost 2 cups in)
3 Tbsp Ranch Dressing Mix  ( I only used 1 1/2 ranch dressing mix so it wasn't so strong)


Directions:

Combine beef, ranch dressing mix and shredded cheddar cheese.  Shape  patties of equal size and thickness.    Grill patties over direct high heat with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to medium doneness - 8-10 minutes, turning once.  Or cook in fry pan on stove top over medium high heat until done.  If desired, during the last minute of grilling, place a slice of cheese on each patty to melt.  Serve warm on hamburger buns with tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mayo, ranch dressing if want more :-)


Freezing Directions:

Combine beef, ranch dressing mix and shredded cheddar cheese.  Shape into patties and place a small square of was or parchment paper between each patty and place in freezer bag.  Freeze up to 3 months. To Serve:  Thaw patties.  Grill or fry.

August - Cafe Rio Chicken

Sorry ladies that it is another chicken recipe - but it did not look like we had a mexican flare dish and this is yummo!


CAFE RIO CHICKEN
2-3 Chicken breast
1 C Zesty Italian Dressing
1 packet Ranch dressing (dry)
1/2 T minced garlic
1/2 T ground cumin
1/2 T chili powder

Mix above ingredients - Dump all ingredients over chicken in freezer bag.
Day of cooking - take defrosted bag - dump in crockpot and add 1/2 C Water.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Serve with tortillas, chips, salsa and all the toppings your family loves.

ENJOY!
Jackie

Coconut Ginger Rice (w/ Chicken)

Coconut Rice

1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
2-3 TBL of grated ginger
1-2 garlic clove minced
1/2 tsp of tumeric
4 cups of rice
1 15 oz can of Coconut Milk
4 cups of water
1 tsp of salt
2 lbs of chicken

Saute onion, ginger, garlic, & chicken in 1 TBL of oil. (About 8 minutes) Stir in Tumeric, salt, and rice to coat. Add can of coconut milk and water. Bring to boil. Turn heat to low. cover and cook until rice is done (15 to 18 minutes). 

This recipe was adapted from "The Art of Asian Cooking"

Grilled Chicken

Grilled Chicken 

This recipe came from Family Fun a few years ago. I liked it because with the herbs it is a little different than traditional barbeque sauce.

Marinade: 
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder with parsley
1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix above ingredients and marinate chicken. While grilling, baste with following glaze:

Glaze: 
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce

For freezer meal:

Thaw.  Grill chicken.  The glaze is included in a separate bag.  While grilling, baste with the glaze.