Retreat Recipes

FRIDAY NIGHT:

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

1 chicken, baked and boned (or you can use 4 baked chicken breasts instead)
1 - 15 oz. can tomatoes and chilis (I use Trader Joe's brand.)
1 - 7 oz. can chopped green chilis
1 1/2 - 2 cups chicken broth
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 15 oz. can olives, sliced
12 sprouted corn tortillas (I use Food For Life) or regular tortillas.

Mix the chicken and the can of tomatoes and chilis together.

Make the enchilada sauce by blending the chopped green chilis and chicken broth together in a Magic Bullet or blender.  Set aside.

In a greased 9x13 type pan, layer 1/3 of the enchilada sauce, 6 tortillas, half the chicken mixture, half the cheese and half the olives.

Repeat the layers and then pour the rest of the sauce over the top.

Bake at 350* for 45 minutes and then let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Red Rice

2 cups organic white basmati rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup salsa (I use Baja Cafe Pico de Gallo or my own fermented salsa)
1 teaspoon sea salt

Bring all ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.


Black Beans

5 cups organic black beans, soaked for 24 hours with 2 Tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar and enough water to cover by 3 inches.
1 medium sweet onion or 5-6 green oninons
Several cloves of garlic
A bunch of cilantro
Salt to taste


Drain beans and rinse well.


Put them in a stock pot and add enough water to cover them by about an inch.
Bring them to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.


Meanwhile, chop up a sweet onion and saute it in butter until carmelized.
Or, if you have trouble with bulb onions, use 5 or 6 green onions, sliced up, and just throw them in the pot without cooking them first.


Mince the garlic and toss that in the pot, too.


Chop the cilantro and add half of it to the pot.


Simmer the beans, etc. until the beans are tender and most of the water is absorbed.  If they get too dry, add a little more water.  When they are done cooking, you want the mix to be loose, but not watery.


At the end of the cooking, add the rest of the cilantro and salt to taste.  Don't add the salt until the end of cooking, or the beans will be tough.


I serve these over rice with salsa, cheese, sour cream, etc.

Date Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup nuts
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½  teaspoon salt

Directions

Dissolve baking soda and water and pour over dates. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes.

Beat together the sugar, egg and butter. Add flour, nuts, vanilla and salt. Add date mixture; beat well.

Bake in 9x9" pan for 35 to 40 minutes at 350°. 

It will have a moist, shiny appearance when it is done.

Serve warm with whipped cream. 

SATURDAY:

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

Lemon – sugar topping
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated zest from one lemon

Muffins
• 2 cups fresh blueberries (about 10 ounces)
• 1 ⅛ cups sugar plus 1 tsp.
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

For the topping: stir together sugar and lemon zest in small bowl until combined; set aside.

For the muffins: adjust rack to upper – middle position and heat oven to 425°.

Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or use cupcake papers.

Bring one cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1/4 cup, about six minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.


Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk remaining 1 1/8 cup sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and homogenous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture till just moistened. Batter will be very lumpy with a few spots of dry flour; do not over mix.

Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups, batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly. Spoon teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of batter. Using chopstick or skewer, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure 8 motion. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over muffins.


Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for five minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool five minutes before serving.

Quinoa Salad

2 cups organic quinoa, soaked 7 hours or overnight in 4 cups water and 1 Tablespoon whey, lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar.

Don't drain the quinoa.  Just cook it by bringing it all to a boil and then simmering for 20-30 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.  I let it sit for a bit after cooking and then fluff it with a fork.

The rest of the ingredients.....

2 large carrots, in small dice
2 large cucumbers, in small dice
1 15 oz. can of olives, sliced
2-3 Tablespoons of chopped chives, or 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Handful of basil leaves, chopped
2-3 Tablespoons pine nuts

Mix all veggies with the cooled quinoa and then dress with this dressing:

Dressing:

1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper

Chicken Salad

3 baked chicken breasts
1 can of pineapple tidbits 
1 green onion, sliced
1 cucumber, diced (or equivalent of celery)
toasted almonds
1/2 - 1 cup mayonnaise
Dice the chicken. Combine the rest of the ingredients. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Cream Tea Scones With or Without Cranberries

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 heaping tablespoon raw or coarse sugar
• Butter and lemon curd or jam for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture to the flour mixture all at once and stir until a sticky dough forms. Quickly stir in the cranberries, just until evenly distributed.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead gently until the dough holds together, about six times. The dough should be soft; do not overknead. Divide into two equal portions and pat each portion into a round about 1 inch thick and 6 inches in diameter. Cut each round into four equal wedges.

Place the wedges, 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet. Brush each wedge with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake the scones until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve right away with butter and lemon curd or jam.

Blackberry Cream Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs plus
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 pound blackberries
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce envelope)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions

STEP 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan, and line with parchment paper. Butter and flour paper and sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

STEP 2
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in 3 parts and milk in 2, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.

STEP 3
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Using a serrated knife, split cake in half horizontally; place bottom half, cut side up, on a serving plate.

STEP 4
Make topping: In a large bowl, combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside. Place 2 tablespoons cold water in a small saucepan, and sprinkle with gelatin; let soften 5 minutes. Place saucepan over very low heat, and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool.

STEP 5
Using an electric mixer, beat cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until very soft peaks form. Continue to beat, and gradually add gelatin mixture; beat until soft peaks form.

STEP 6
Arrange half of blackberries over bottom cake layer; top with half of whipped cream, leaving a 1-inch border. Cover with top half of cake, cut side down. Top cake with remaining whipped cream, leaving a 1-inch border. Refrigerate cake and remaining blackberries separately, at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day). Just before serving, spoon blackberries over cake.

Coconut Layer Cake


INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 cups sifted cake flour, not self-rising, plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup superfine sugar
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Coconut Cream Filling

6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
4 ounces (1 1/2 cups) sweetened angel-flake coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Unsalted butter, for wrap
11 ounces (about 3 3/4 cups) sweetened angel-flake coconut
DIRECTIONS

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange two racks in the center of the oven. Line the bottom of three 6-by-2-inch buttered round cake pans with parchment paper. Dust the bottom and the sides of the cake pans with flour, and tap out any excess. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set the bowl aside.


    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-low speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar, and keep beating until the mixture is fluffy and light in color, about 3 minutes. Gradually drizzle in egg yolks, beating on medium-low speed between each addition until the batter is no longer slick. Beat until the mixture is fluffy again, about another 3 minutes.


    Alternate adding flour mixture and sour cream to the batter, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in vanilla. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans in the oven, if needed, for even browning. Transfer cake pans to wire racks to cool, about 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, and let cool completely on racks, tops up.

    To assemble, remove parchment paper from the bottoms of cakes. Split each layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Set aside the prettiest dome; it will be used for the final layer. Place another domed layer, dome side down, on the serving platter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of flaked coconut over the cake. Spread a generous 1/2 cup coconut-cream filling over coconut flakes. Repeat sprinkling and spreading process on the remaining layers until all but the reserved domed layer are used. Top cake with the reserved domed layer. Transfer cake to the refrigerator to firm for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator, and frost the outside of cake with seven-minute frosting. Sprinkle remaining coconut flakes all over cake while frosting is soft; do not refrigerate. Cake can be left out at room temperature for several days.
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 large egg whites, room temperature
    In a small, heavy saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Rub a bit between your fingers to make sure there is no graininess. Raise heat to bring to a boil. Do not stir anymore. Boil, washing down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water from time to time to prevent the sugar from crystallizing, until a candy thermometer registers 230 degrees about 5 minutes. (Depending on the humidity, this can take anywhere from 4 to 10 minutes.)
    Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Remove the syrup from the heat when the temperature reaches 230 degrees (it will keep rising as pan is removed from heat). Pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl (to avoid splattering) containing the egg-white mixture, with the mixer on medium-low speed.
      Beat frosting on medium speed until cool, 5 to 10 minutes. The frosting should be thick and shiny. Use immediately.
    From Martha Stewart Living

    SUNDAY
    Granola

    Ingredients

    1/2 cup brown sugar
    1/2 cup honey
    1/2 cup butter (or oil)
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    2 teaspoons vanilla
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    1 cup nuts/seeds
    1/2 c. shredded coconut
    7 cups old fashioned oats
    Dried fruit (optional)

    Directions

    Melt together brown sugar butter and honey. Mix remaining ingredients together, and pour honey/butter mixture over everything and stir until well coated.

    Bake at 375° for 10 minutes (careful not longer) then take out and stir… Press down a bit and put it back into oven which has been turned OFF. Go to bed! :)



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