Tasty Tuesday

I am kinda debating about having a weekly recipe post, (seeing as though the family cookbook was such a hit, don't you want to try some?) but I am not quite sure yet. So here is my first attempt, please also note that this might be my only attempt. But welcome to Tasty Tuesday.
My sister-in-law Merisa, invited us over to her house on Friday for Cafe Rio salads, not the bought kind, the homemade kind. (Some of you might remember that I was extremely allergic to cilantro, tomatillos and bunch of other crap. Like throat swell shut allergic. But the oddest thing happened, after I got pregnant allergies turned off. So bring back Cafe Rio!) ANYWAY, Merisa is one of those cooks who claim that she can't cook, but yet EVERYTHING that she makes is super yummy. You should try this woman's banana bread and sweet and sour chicken. I tell you what... she can cook. So here is the recipe for yummy cafe Rio salads:

Cafe Rio-Like Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
Cook all ingredients in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred the meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Cafe Rio-Like Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch-dressing packet
1 c mayonnaise
2 tomatillos, husk removed and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (w/o seeds makes it milder)
Blend all ingredients well in food processor. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.

Cafe Rio-Like Rice
3 c water
4 tsp chicken bouillon
4 tsp garlic mixed, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp salt
1 TB butter
1/2 onion
3 c Minute rice
Blend cilantro, chilies, and onions together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients. Simmer covered for 30 minutes.

So there is a lot of food processing, but it is worth it! Enjoy!