Good Afternoon Dear Reader:

I don’t know how recently you have done a search on the big wide world of the Internet, but there is really a lot of stuff out there! My search began simply enough, with a nice rolled pork loin I bought on special at the grocery store.

Coincidentally, and maybe not, my walking buddies were talking yesterday about this fabulous restaurant in Salt Lake City called Cafe Rio where they make the most amazing marinaded pork salad with tomatillos and guacamole, and lots of other good stuff that they could not remember.

In fact their discussion of the deliciousness of this dish lasted at least half of our walk. Of course, I asked for the recipe. They both assured me that it was easy to just download online. The word “easy” was what hooked me.

I took that little porker out of the freezer to thaw and could literally taste that sweet-spicy salad concoction. About 2 hours ago, I started Googling the restaurant and began clicking on links that promised the recipe. I enjoyed several blogs where I read about their adventures shopping at a book sale in Phoenix and deep sea diving. I found Carrabbas recipe for their dipping sauce, and a recipe for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (um…that’s a hard one).

For the actual Pork Salad Cafe Rio, I found at least a dozen–all different. Some proclaimed the secret to be using real Coke in the marinade. Others swore it was Dr. Pepper. Some cooked the pork 18 hours in a crock pot, others 4-5.

I tried printing what looked like the best of the lot, and 1/3 of a ream of paper later, I still don’t have a good recipe, but I have some swell comments, like “Did we meet each other at Brigham Young?” or “I think you know my cousin, Jose” and about 200 more like that.

I tried to cancel the printing, but the printer completely ignored me like children do when they are having fun and don’t want to come inside for dinner. Then I took all the paper out of the printer and when it began begging for more paper, I turned the thing off.

Problem is, I’m pretty sure when I try to print something really important, like a color picture of these shoes I am really in love with, I’m going to first get another 200 comments, like the one from Erica that said: “Sometimes it is a little runny. I don’t think it is too cilantro-y though.”

Just so today isn’t totally wasted, I am sharing the recipe for Dipping Sauce.

Carrabbas Italian Grill Bread Dip Mix

1 T. crushed red pepper

1 T. black pepper

1 T. dried oregano

1 T. dried rosemary

1 T. dried basil

1 T. dried parsley

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

Grind together. Put 1 tablespoon of mixture in a small bowl. Pour extra-virgin olive oil over and mix well. I like to add to my oil mix on my bread plate either two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or two tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese–fantastic, but the balsamic vinegar is definitely lower in calories.

The source for this recipe is: www.all-restaurantrecipes.com.

Stay warm, the freeze is coming!!!

Cover those pansies tonight!!!

Diane