Is it really Sunday night? I would love to share every detail of my cooking retreat this weekend, but it will have to wait for another time. I’ll share a few photos and recipes from the weekend as soon as I can. All I can say is it was a beautiful, cool and crisp weekend at The Vintage Round Top spent with 12 smart, interesting and fun women. We met as strangers on Saturday morning and left as fast friends Sunday afternoon. There is something about cooking together that breaks the ice, and brings heart to heart. We talked about travel, kids, food and health… I learned that some of these women were intensely world traveled, with backgrounds stretching from New Zealand to Russia, Lebanon, France, Canada, Peru, Venezuela and Japan. Sometimes it feels like the world is full of strangers pitted against each other. But I can tell you, when you turn off cable news and spend real time with real people, there is nothing that divides us. Especially when there’s food and a crisp Vouvray involved. Happy Sunday!
MONDAY
Last meatless Monday we had an amazing Chinese noodle dish with cabbage and green onions, but maybe I shouldn’t repeat it so soon. It’s darn tempting, though! I have goat cheese, green onions, red peppers and spinach to use up, so I’m thinking a frittata would be wise. You can follow the recipe for my BLT frittata, but I plan to tweak it with caramelized onions, red peppers, potatoes, goat cheese, gruyere and green onions. Follow along in Instagram stories to watch the process. A salad from my garden tossed with super simple salad dressing will be on the side.
TUESDAY
Taco Tuesday is calling my name. Chicken enchilada casserole to the rescue. I need to post this recipe, until then here you go:
1 15-ounce can enchilada sauce (I use Hatch brand)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce (not pasta sauce, just plain ol’ tomato sauce)
6 flour or corn tortillas (grain-free Siete Foods tortillas work great, too)
2 cups shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken is the answer here, folks)
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup Monterey jack or cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a round pie dish or cake pan with avocado oil or cooking spray. Primal Foods avocado oil is my go-to “spray.”
Combine the enchilada sauce and the tomato sauce in a medium mixing bowl.
Dip a tortilla in enchilada sauce mixture. Place the tortilla in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer with shredded chicken, pinto beans and ¼ cup enchilada sauce. Top with another sauce-coated tortilla, shredded chicken, pinto beans and sauce. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and shredded chicken. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and grated cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
WEDNESDAY
Whole chicken in the slow cooker with chermoula and honey roasted root vegetables. I’m trying to use up odds and ends, and I just happen to have an organic chicken from Whole Foods in the freezer. I also have apples, collard greens that I intended to use for sandwich wraps (but haven’t made one, if that makes you feel better!), pecans and apple cider vinaigrette, so I may make my signature Thanksgiving salad on the side.
THURSDAY
Grandparents arrive from California! I have a private cooking class group today and my husband and I have a school party tonight. My mother-in-law is the original “Smart in the Kitchen” and has learned from pros such as Marcella Hazan, Mimi Thorisson and Patricia Wells. So naturally, she’s making sloppy joe’s for my kids for dinner. Just kidding (although, if my kids have anything to do with it, maybe not).
FRIDAY
Cooking class! It was a super popular menu, and almost the exact same dinner menu I made at my retreat this weekend. Kale Caesar, spicy garbanzo beans, roasted sweet potato chips, jalapeño-avocado green goddess, chili-rubbed flank steak and Instant Pot gumbo. We have a fun night on the town with my in-laws: heading to the Menil to check out the renovations, Better Luck Tomorrow for cocktails, Nancy’s Hustle for dinner. Thank you, and goodnight.
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