Bread Pudding and Cheese Blintzes

For Tonya :)

Bread Pudding
6 cups bread pieces
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs (or more - I use more because I like it more custard-y)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
about 2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup raisins or apples (optional)

Beat eggs, add sugar, vanilla and milk. Pour over bread and raisins, mix together. Bake in lightly greased 9x13 at 350*F for about 30 minutes. The middle should not jiggle when it is done.


Cheese Blintzes
2 loaves thin-sliced sandwich bread
16 oz cream cheese
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
cinnamon sugar mixture
sour cream

Cut crusts off bread, roll each slice flat. Beat cream cheese, egg yolks, and sugar with mixer until smooth. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling on each slice of bread. Roll up, cut each roll in half. Dip blintzes in butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350*F for 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with sour cream if you like. Makes about 100 blintzes.

Cafe Rio

Cafe Rio Pork
5-6 lb pork roast
21 oz Dr Pepper
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
7 oz can chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
6ish oz jar red taco sauce (mild, medium or hot - whatever you want)
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place roast in crock pot, cover half-way with water and cook on low overnight or for 12 hours. Then drain pork. Mix remaining ingredients until sugar dissolves. (I use the Dr Pepper to rinse the chipotle chilis to get the sauce off, then throw away the actual chilis. It has plenty of spice just from the sauce.) Add the Dr Pepper mixture to the roast and cook on low an additional 4 hours. Then shred the roast and cook another 2 hours.

Tomatillo Dressing
1 package ranch dressing mix
3 tomatillos
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cilantro (or more - I just use half a bunch)
3 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp green tabasco sauce
juice from 1 lime

Dump everything in the blender and blend until smooth.

Cafe Rio Rice
4 cups water
2 cups rice
4 tsp chicken bouillon
4 tsp garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilis
3/4 tsp salt
1 T butter
1/2 an onion

Blend cilantro, green chilis and onion together in food processor. Bring water to boil and add all ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes.

Serve with:
tortillas
black beans
lettuce
pico de gallo (or salsa)
guacamole
cheese
sour cream