Pinterest Challenge #13-14: Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Friends:

My biggest cravings this pregnancy (besides the sugar ones... which may also be just regular Jamie) have been meat-related (which is weird, because I am not much of a meat eater in real-non-pregnant-life). First trimester it was bratwurst. Then I started feeling better and I couldn't eat enough hamburgers. And now that we're edging slowly toward the third trimester (26 weeks tomorrow) I have been dying for some Cafe Rio sweet pork.

Thanks to the magic of the internet, I had a copycat recipe to throw in my crockpot. And since it required shredding, I also snuck in another Pinterest tip.

13. Shred Meat in a Stand Mixer

source: a million places, but here is one

worth doing again: Yes.

Halfway through the copycat recipe (linked/discussed below) for that sweet pork, I found myself with a pair of forks and a big piece of pork to be shredded as a two-year-old who shall remain nameless clung crying to my leg, and I thought to myself, Ain't nobody got time for that!

So I put my pork in my Kitchenaid (loooove) mixer on low for like 20 or 30 seconds, and my pork was all shredded. YAY! One more bowl for my dishwasher to wash, but way less time for me.

You can also do this with a hand mixer and a big bowl or any stand mixer.

There is no picture, because shredded pork isn't super appetizing looking.

14. Copycat Crock Pot Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

source: Favorite Family Recipes

worth doing again: Yes!

Oh snap! This stuff was good!

I think this was officially my third time cooking pork (not counting bacon), and the other two times were ribs. So I was nervous even buying pork at the grocery store because I know nothing about it. I went with a pork loin (great choice) and it came out nice and tender. I also bought a 2L bottle of Coke since it was cheaper than cans.

I followed the instructions pretty carefully, marinating overnight, etc. I opted to cook on high instead of low, and 3hrs 30mins had it cooked but not dry. And I was skeptical because the mixture they have you blend up does not smell sweet at all. And I needed the sweet. But I just kept the faith and let it cook all together, and when I sat down with this salad (you can't see the pork but I promise it is in there, right under the cheese--I took a picture of it by itself and it didn't look very, um, appetizing... even though it was) after my kids were in bed, with an episode of the West Wing on Netflix and my pajamas, I was one very happy pregnant lady. Which, I think we all know, can be a pretty big deal.

Now, was it Cafe Rio perfect? I don't know. I haven't been there enough times to tell a true Rio-phile if it is legit. But it tasted how I remembered it tasting, and that was good enough for me. I am happy that Steve hates it, because it means I get to eat it all by myself! :)

AND if you are a purist, the same website has the FULL recipe for the exact Cafe Rio salad, complete with their rice, their black beans, and either of their fancy salad dressings. I was much to lazy pregnant to care to make those things, though--I just needed the pork. Yummmm.

More Pinteresting stuff here. :)