Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

CopyCat Recipe: Cafe Rio (A Utah restaurant chain) serves a creamy tomatillo dressing that is a yummy combination of buttermilk, ranch seasoning, tomatillos, and cilantro.  My cilantro ranch dressing recipes tastes just like the real thing!

We love to make Cafe Rio Salads at home but this salad dressing would be delicious on any salad.

Ingredients Needed

• Buttermilk
• Mayonnaise
• Lime Juice
• Jalapeno, diced and seeded
• Tomatillos – Tomatillos can be found in the fresh produce section.  In my store they are near the peppers and jalapeños.  They look like a green tomato with a paper skin over them.  Be sure and remove the papery skin before using! Cut into quarters.
• Cilantro
• Garlic
• Ranch Dressing Mix. Use the original version.

How to Make Cilantro Ranch Dressing

• Place tomatillos, jalapeno, cilantro, and garlic in a blender or food processor.

• Pour in buttermilk, mayo and lime juice.

• Sprinkle dried seasoning on top.

• Pulse blender to blend ingredients together.

• Pour into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Try these other delicious recipes too!

• Cafe Rio Salad
• Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
• Costa Vida Chicken
• Instant Pot Cafe Rio Pork Recipe
• Cafe Rio Black Beans

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Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Cilantro Ranch Dressing is my version of Cafe Rio's Creamy Tomatillo Dressing. It can be made in minutes, it's smooth, creamy and full of flavor! Pour it on your salad, tacos or burritos. It's good on everything!

Course Salad

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 107kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Blender
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

• 1 Hidden Valley Ranch Mix Traditional
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tomatillos remove husk, diced
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeno

Instructions

• Put all ingredients together in the blender and blend.
• Blend to desired consistency, add some additional Buttermilk if too thick.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

1. If dressing is too thick for your liking, add in a little extra buttermilk.
2. If you prefer a dressing with a little more heat, add in some of the seeds of the jalapeno. Without the seeds, this dressing has very little heat.
3. Use real buttermilk, not a substitute whenever possible. If you don’t have buttermilk and need to substitute milk with lemon or vinegar, add in only 1/2 cup to the blender to start with, and then add a little more at a time until you get the consistency you like, this milk will be thinner than real buttermilk so you won’t need as much.
4. For best results, use regular mayonnaise not Lite or Fat Free.

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 52IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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• Drain black beans and add to cooked rice.
• Add spices and lime juice and stir to combine. 
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Be sure and also try these recipes:

• Balsamic Black Bean Salsa
• Black Bean Chili
• Restaurant Style Easy Green Beans
• Cafe Rio Black Beans
• Green Beans with Caramelized Pecans

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Black Beans and Rice Recipe

Black Beans and Rice can be served as a main dish or a side dish. Lightly seasoned with cumin, chili powder and lime juice makes this delicious and easy.

Course Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 77kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 2 tsp garlic minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup rice basmati or jasmin
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 3 cups black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 lime juice

Instructions

• In a medium pot, heat oil and add onion and garlic. Saute until onion is soft, 4-5 minutes.
• Add in rice and stir. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Add in broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is done.
• Add the seasoning and black beans.
• Serve warm or room temperature.

Notes

To cook beans on the stove top:

• Soak beans overnight to soften.
• The next day, strain and rinse soaked beans with fresh water.
• Place beans in a large pot and cover with water, enough water to cover beans by two inches.
• Add in 2 bay leaves.
• Bring the pot of water to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer until tender (90 minutes or up to two hours.)
• Drain.

For Instant Pot directions see this post:

Nutrition

Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

Continue reading Black Beans and Rice. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Comfort Food. I have to admit that when my children were growing up the only macaroni and cheese they ever ate came out of the blue box.  But since discovering this homemade version, this is the only kind of mac and cheese we’ll have at our house!

Dressed Up Version. This is definitely not your average mac and cheese. To dress it up, I added some panko breadcrumbs on top to give it a little crunch, four flavorful cheeses and a sprinkling of green onions to give it some color and even more flavor.

Ingredients Needed

• Small Elbow Macaroni, you can also use cavatappi, elbow, and rotini because they hold cheese sauce well.
• Cheese, I used Monterey Jack Cheese , Gruyère Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, and Sharp White Cheddar Cheese but feel free to use your own favorite combination.
• Whole Milk, you could also use half and half or whipping cream to make it even creamier.
• Panko Bread Crumbs
• All Purpose Flour
• Butter, salted
• Seasoning, I like to use Oregano and Red Pepper Flakes but you could also use Cayenne Pepper for a little kick.
• Green Onions, this adds some nice color and a little flavor.
• Salt

How to Make Homemade Mac and Cheese

• Prepare shallow 2 qt. baking dish with cooking spray.
• Boil a large pot of water and cook elbow macaroni until al dente.
• Drain pasta, reserving the pasta water.
• Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk to combine and cook until it turns light brown, making a roux.

• Pour in milk, whisking as you pour. Stir until smooth.

• Add in seasoning and cook until sauce thickens.

• Stir in cheeses, one at a time. Wait until each cheese is melted before adding next.
• Add in pasta and stir to coat with cheese sauce. Use pasta water to thin sauce if needed.

• Place mixture into greased dish.
• Melt butter and add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine

• Sprinkle over top of pasta.
• Bake at 400 degrees F until browned and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.

• Garnish with sliced green onions.

Check out more of my favorite comfort food recipes:

• Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
• Small Batch Mac and Cheese
• Rice Cooker Mac & Cheese
• Olive Cheese Bread
• Turkey Soup

• Shepherds Pie
• Chicken and Dumplings
• Lasagna Casserole

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Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Baked Mac and Cheese is comfort food at it's finest. The combination of three different cheeses gives it lots of flavor and creaminess.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 564kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Baking Dish (8×8)
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp butter divided
• 2 cups small macaroni dry
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese grated
• 1 cup gruyere cheese grated
• 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese grated
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese grated
• green onions chopped for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spray a shallow 2 qt. baking dish with cooking spray.
• Boil a large pot of water and cook pasta until al dente.
• Drain, reserving the pasta water for later.
• Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk to combine and cook until it turns light brown.
• Add in milk, whisking as you pour. Stir until smooth.
• Add in seasoning and cook until sauce thickens.
• Add in cheeses, one at a time and stir until each cheese is melted before adding next cheese.
• Add in pasta. Use remaining pasta water to thin sauce if it has thickened too much.
• Place mixture into greased dish.
• Melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter and add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine
• Sprinkle over top of pasta and bake until browned and bubbly. About 15-20 minutes.
• Garnish with sliced green onions.

Notes

• Cheese. I used one of my favorite cheese combo in this recipe but you could also use Pepper Jack Cheese, Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese or Colby Jack. Come up with your own favorite combo of cheeses.
• Shred your own cheese. I recommend NOT using pre shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese may have an anti-caking agent on it that will prevent it from melting smoothly. You also get a better flavor from freshly grated cheese.
• Breadcrumbs. Don’t skip this part, it adds a nice texture contrast to the creaminess of the mac and cheese.
• Dress it Up. To make it even better, add in some crispy, cooked bacon!

Nutrition

Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 880mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1043IU | Calcium: 629mg | Iron: 1mg

Continue reading Baked Mac and Cheese. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

I lost track of how many times I made this Roasted Garlic Artichoke Dip over the holidays.  It is definitely my favorite appetizer of all times!  I’ve been making it for years. This is probably my most requested appetizer when I am asked to bring something to a party and it is always the first thing to disappear.

Ingredients Needed

• Marinated Artichoke Hearts, you will find them in a jar or can in the vegetable aisle of the grocery store.
• Mayonnaise
• Parmesan Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese 
• Roasted Garlic 
• Salt and Pepper

This particular artichoke dip has a secret ingredient which is roasted garlic.  Don’t leave this part out and don’t think that substituting regular diced garlic will do it.  You need and want the roasted garlic.  Making your own roasted garlic is easy. You can find a detailed tutorial on how to roast garlic here.

How to Make Garlic Artichoke Dip

• Drain artichokes and place in a blender or food processor.

• Pulse to chop up artichokes but don’t pulverize. You can also chop them up with a knife.
• In a medium size bowl, mix together chopped artichokes, cheeses, mayonnaise, roasted garlic . Add salt and pepper to taste.

• Stir until well combined and then place in a 1 quart glass baking dish.
• Bake 20 minutes or until bubbling in a 375 degree F oven.

My favorite part of the dip is the brown, crunchy edges that form around the dip as it bakes.   I usually eat my way around the edges.

Check out more of my favorite party appetizer recipes:

• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Grilled Artichokes
• Olive Artichoke Dip
• Bacon Wrapped dates
• Jalapeño Poppers
• Brie Crostini

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Garlic Artichoke Dip

The addition of roasted garlic to this Garlic Artichoke Dip takes the flavor factor over the top.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 266kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

• 1 6.5 oz marinated artichokes drained and chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese grated
• 1 head garlic roasted and mashed
• salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

• Drain artichokes and place in a blender or food processor.
• Pulse to chop up artichokes but don't pulverize. You can also chop them up with a knife.
• In a medium size bowl, mix together chopped artichokes, cheeses, mayonnaise, roasted garlic . Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir until well combined and then place in a 1 quart glass baking dish.
• Bake 20 minutes or until bubbling in a 375 F degree oven
• Serve with pita bread, baguette, crackers or vegetables
• To Roast Garlic:
• Slice off the top of the head of garlic, exposing the cloves.
• Place on a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the foil around the garlic.
• Bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 45 minutes or until the garlic is golden brown and soft.
• Squeeze garlic out of the skin.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 1mg

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

1. Quick & Easy: This dish literally takes minutes to put together and cook. All you need is 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of your asparagus.
2. A Family Favorite: This is one green vegetable that everyone in my family loves. The grandkids especially love picking it up with their fingers and eating it! It’s a must at our Easter dinner.

Ingredients Needed

• Asparagus. I prefer my asparagus thin. It cooks faster, is more tender and less woody.
• Olive oil
• Salt. I prefer a coarse or flaky sea salt.
• Black Pepper. I like a coarse freshly ground pepper.
• Parmesan Cheese. Freshly grated is best.

How to Make Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

• Trim your asparagus spears.  I cut off the bottom inch or so to get rid of the white, woody part of the asparagus or you can also snap off the end.
• Place asparagus in a single layer on a sheet pan.
• Drizzle with olive oil and toss or roll asparagus to coat lightly with oil.

• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Cook in a 400 degree F oven.  The cooking time will vary a bit depending on how thick your asparagus is.  Thinner asparagus will only take about five minutes. You want it to be fork tender, not too soft.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to oven for a minute or so to melt the cheese.

Try these other delicious recipes:

• Grilled Asparagus
• Roasted Balsamic Asparagus
• Grilled Vegetables
• Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus
• Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

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Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

Roasted Parmesan Asparagus is the quickest and most delicious asparagus ever!  

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 62kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Sheet Pan
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. Asparagus
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Pepper
• 4 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese grated

Instructions

• Cut off an inch or so from the bottom of the stalks Remove the white woody part.
• Lay asparagus in a single layer on a cookie sheet
• Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
• Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes, depending on size of asparagus. Cook until just fork tender.
• Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and return to oven for a minute so that cheese melts.

Notes

• You can also squeeze some fresh lemon juice onto the asparagus or sprinkle with lemon zest for added flavor. Do this when you are adding the cheese.
• Drizzle with some balsamic glaze before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 468IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg

Continue reading Roasted Parmesan Asparagus. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.