Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

My friend Shannon gave me this recipe when we did one of the volleyball team dinners together. It's genius. This fed 18 people for one of our family dinners and doubled it fed 40 volleyball players and coaches. (Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice.) If you're not feeding all those people, freeze some for next time.

2 Pork Sirloin Tip Roasts (they come in packages of four at Costco for under $20)

1 jar of Mango & Peach Salsa (refrigerated section at Costco)

1 cup brown sugar

Place two pork roasts in a large crockpot.

Blend salsa and brown sugar together in a blender. Pour over pork roasts in the crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. The roasts should shred easily with a fork when they're ready.

Mom's Pecan Pie

 

This is in the first Sisters' Cookbook. Every year I wonder if this recipe makes one or two pie fillings - it's one. Mom always made this for Thanksgiving, sometimes using walnuts when pecans were too expensive. It's one of my permanent Thanksgiving Dinner assignments. (I always use this pie crust recipe. The pastry!)

3 eggs

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp flour

2 c. dark corn syrup (buy it in October! Trust me. Each bottle is two cups)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. pecans, chopped

Beat eggs until they are thick and lemon-colored.

Mix flour and sugar together; add to eggs. Beat well.

Stir in corn syrup, vanilla, salt and pecans. Pour into an unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. (In Utah it's always at least 50 minutes.)

Sunday Scotcheroos

 

When Brian finally gets home from church on Sundays, he needs a Scotcheroo. You get it.

1 c. light Karo syrup

1 c. sugar

1 c. creamy peanut butter

6 c. Rice Krispies cereal

Topping

1 c. milk chocolate chips 

1 c. butterscotch chips

In a medium saucepan on medium heat, slowly heat Karo syrup and sugar, stirring constantly. When the sugar is completely dissolved and it's bubbling a little, take it off the heat and stir in the peanut butter until the mixture is smooth.

Put the Rice Krispies into a large bowl (like your biggest Tupperware bowl) and pour the syrup and peanut butter mixture over it. Mix with a spatula until combined. Transfer the mixture to a greased, 9x13" pan and spread evenly.

For the topping, melt the chips together over medium heat on the stove while stirring constantly, or microwave if you prefer. Once the chips are completely melted, pour over the Rice Krispies. Spread the butterscotch/milk chocolate topping evenly with a spoon or spatula. Cool until the topping has hardened.

Zuppa Toscana

 

There's a healthier version of this on Our Best Bites. I changed it so much to match what I have on hand that I created a totally different soup. My kids call it Pepperoni Soup and it's been a weekly favorite for the last few months.

16 oz. ground Italian sausage (I usually use Jimmy Dean)

1/2 tsp or more crushed red pepper flakes 

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 small sweet onion, diced

3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced

4 14.5-oz cans regular chicken broth

4 small to medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tsp Italian seasoning

2 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp flour

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

3 oz. cream cheese, softened and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup baby spinach, chopped (I chop more to add to individual bowls)

Parmesan cheese

Cook sausage in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. When sausage is just cooked, drain the fat and add the onions, continue cooking for 2 - 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Transfer to a soup pot. Add chicken broth, Italian seasoning and potatoes and gently boil for about 7 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. Slowly add milk and cream, whisking constantly to keep the mixture smooth. Turn heat down a little and add cream cheese. Continue to whisk until the cream cheese is melted completely. Pour the mixture into the soup pot when the potatoes are cooked. Add salt and chopped spinach. Serve with more spinach and grated Parmesan cheese.