Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

I got this recipe from my Taste of Home cookbook. It was so moist and super yummy!

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sour cream
1 (12oz) bag semisweet chocolate chips (minus 1/4 cup)

Glaze:
1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 Tbs. butter
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350*. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, powder, and soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour into greased and floured 10 inch fluted tube pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely.

For glaze, in a saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat. Remove from heat; whisk in the sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Working quickly, drizzle over cooled cake.

Foot scrub that works wonders

Foot Scrub

Sugar
Olive Oil
Vanilla

Put some sugar in a cup, add olive oil until the sugar mix spreads relatively easy. You don't want it to be runny. Add some vanilla (or scented oil if you have it) to make it smell a little better if you want.

Daniel and I used this for pedicures last night, and it works wonders!

Michele's Lime Rice

Lime Rice

2 cups rice
2 cans chicken broth (plus some water)
cilantro, to taste
Juice from 1 lime
1 small onion chopped

Saute the onion in some olive oil. Add rice. Stir constantly until rice becomes opaque (3-5 minutes). Add broth and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook on low for 15 minutes. Add cilantro, and lime juice. Stir. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, or until rice is done.

Pico de Gallo/ Mom's fresh Salsa

Pico De Gallo

4-5 Roma Tomatoes
1/2 white onion (or one small one)
1 jalepeno (chopped)
cilantro, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Tomatillo Dressing

Tomatillo dressing

1 packet buttermilk ranch dressing packet
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo
2 tomatillos (rinsed and husks removed)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
jalapeno, seeded (you can use half or whole, depending on how much heat you like)

Place in blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.

Cafe Rio Salad

I pulled back some of the lettuce so you could see the different layers.

Sweet and Spicy Shredded Pork

3-4 lb. pork roast (I used chicken)
1 large can El Pato Sauce
1 small can tomato sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup coca cola

Cut the roast into chunks and place in crockpot. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and pour about half over the pork, reserving the rest. Cover pork and cook on high for about 4-5 hours. Remove pork and shred. Discard sauce and wipe out crock pot. Put shredded pork back into crock pot and pour remaining sauce over it. Cook on low for another 2 hours. (The chicken cooked a little faster).


Serve Cafe Rio burrito style (or salad style): Melt monterey jack cheese on tortilla (try my tortilla recipe), top with rice, black or pinto beans, pork and tomatillo dressing. Fold and top with guacamole, lettuce, pico de gallo, etc.