Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

2 lbs pork
3 cans cherry coke - maybe a bit more!
1/4 cup brown sugar
garlic salt
1/4 cup water
1 can sliced green chilies
1 can enchilada sauce
1 cup brown sugar

-put pork in ziploc bag. add about a can and a half of coke & 1/4 cup brown sugar - marinade overnight
- drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can coke, water, & garlic in crock pot on high for 3-4 hrs. - shred pork- remove pork and drain liquid.
-in food processor or plender, blend 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and remaing brown sugar. if too thick - add coke little by little
-put pork and sauce in crock pot for 2hrs!

I marinaded it overnight, then put it in at 12:00pm before church - came home at 4:oo pm, drained and put it back in for the last two hrs. We ate dinner at 6:00pm! it was perfect and wonderful!

Homemade Tortillas

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup shortening

3/4 cup very hot water

in large bowl mix flour, salt, & baking powder.

cut in shortening

add water & mix until dough comes together

knead for a few mins

place in bowl, cover & let sit for 1 hr.

divide into 6 pieces

preheat large skillet - medium high heat

roll out doug into thin round tortillas!

do not over cook!

Feta Brushetta

I found this on that back of Ritz cracker box and we loved it!

1 lrg tomatoe - chopped
1/2 cup Athenos crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 cup chopped olives
1/4 cup italian vinagrette with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1tbls chopped fresh basil
-ritz crackers

combine all but crackers
refriderate 1 hr - but it tastes great not refriderated
spoon onto crackers and Enjoy!

Royal Icing

6 egg whites - room temp.

1 pkg - 8 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. cream of tartar

food coloring

don't let sit out! it will dry quickly

This makes a lot of frosting!!! like way too much for two gingerbread houses! I would half or quarter this is you are doing a small job! I used a quarter recipe on the back parts of this birthday cake and it was way too much!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I did mini cupcakes for fun for kids, but obviouse you can do big ones too!

1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. butter flavor extract
(if no butter flavor extract - you can cancel the shortening and extract, just add 1 cup butter)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
4 tbls red food coloring
2 tbls unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk - (I used 2% milk and it worked just fine)
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbls distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda

preheat oven to 350
-cream shortening , buter extract, sugar and eggs with mixer - until fluffy.
-in separate bowl, make paste with food coloring & cocoa powder.
-add to other mixture
-in separate bowl combine; buttermilk, salt, baking soda and vinegar - add to other mixture
-slowly add flour to mixture in batches
bake @ 350 for 20-22 mins ( If you do mini cupcakes, just bake for less time)
let cool and frost
buttercream frosting is best, but cream cheese is really good too!

Orange Julius

1 cup water ( I use 1/2 cup and add more ice)
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup milk
1 6 oz can frozen orange juice

put in blender; as blending...add 6-8 ice cubes (or more if used less water)

Homemade Mac & Cheese

1 pkg elbow macaroni noodles
1/2 cup butter - cut into chunks
1/3 big block Velveeta - cut into chunks
1 1/2 -2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste
Paprik ( optional )

Cook noodles according to pkg in salted water
when noodles are cooked, drain and put back into pot and put on low hear
immediatley add butter
when butter is melted add cheese and milk
keep stirring until cheese is all melted
if too think, add milk
if to thin add more cheese!

add seasoning!
Enjoy!