Make It Happenings Retreat 1 // The Food

Thursday // Grocery Shopping

After unloading our cars at the house we set off for grocery shopping. We had a long list, we shopped and shopped for hours. 

It was Awbree's first time at a Costco, can you tell she was excited?

Of course we had to stop and get some Rita's.

Friday // Lunch

Grilled Cheese with Ham and Granny Smith Apples 

Lemon Orzo Salad

1 box Orzo, cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water

Baby spinach

2 lemons

1 container of Feta Cheese

1 bag of Craisins

Olive oil

Salt/pepper

Optional: Fresh Basil

Pour orzo into large bowl. Cover generously with olive oil to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add in 2-3 handfuls of baby spinach. Add in craisins and feta. Add the zest and juice from two lemons. Add fresh basil if you have it. Stir! Enjoy!

Lemon Honey Cookies

½ c sugar

7 T butter, soft

2 t grated lemon zest

⅓ c honey

½ t lemon extract OR 3 drops of lemon oil 

1 egg

1 ¾ c flour

1 t baking powder

½ t salt

¼ c plain yogurt

glaze:

1 c powdered sugar

2 T lemon juice  

Preheat oven to 350. Beat first three ingredients until light and fluffy. Add honey, lemon extract or oil, and egg. Beat until blended. Add in dry ingredients. Add in yogurt. Drop with spoon or use a cookie scoop to form small balls. Place on baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 min, until bottom of cookie is very light brown. Allow to cool on a rack completely. Mix glaze and brush onto cooled cookies.

Friday // Dinner

Mexican Chicken Bowls

Crock pot chicken, grilled onions and peppers, cilantro-lime rice, black beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocado.

Chips & Salsa

Margaritas

Recipe for one batch, found on Meg Duerksen's blog, also known as "Meg-arita's":

1 can frozen limeade

tequila

triple sec

1 beer (I used blue moon) 

Pour the limeade into the blender. Use the empty limeade can as your measuring cup.

 Fill it 2/3 full of tequila, then 1/3 full of the triple sec.

Pour it in the blender. Fill your blender with ice. Blend until it is the right consistency.

After that is done, THEN you add one bottle of beer. Mix with a spoon. If desired, salt the rim of your glass and add a lime slice.

(DO NOT USE THE BLENDER after the beer is poured in. You will have margaritas all over the place.)

http://megduerksen.typepad.com/whatever/2010/05/margaritas.html 

S'mores

Saturday // Breakfast

Muffins (homemade by Betty Imboden, thank you!)

Cocoa Banana Muffins

Makes 12 MuffinsPreheat oven to 35012-cup muffin pan, lined with paper liners.

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking powder

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1⅓ cups mashed ripe bananas, the riper, the better

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 cup chocolate chunks

Turbinado sugar to top muffins

- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder.

- In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, egg, bananas, and oil until well blended.

- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in chocolate chunks.

- Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Top each muffin with turbinado sugar.

- Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

- Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 3 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

1 homemade or store bought pie crust

½ onion, chopped

salt + pepper

6 eggs

¾ c heavy cream or milk

¾ to 1 c steamed broccoli, chopped small

1 c grated cheddar cheese

Lay pie crust in pie pan, press on bottom to fill. Use a fork to press down the sides along the top edge and create a little pattern (pat yourself on the back, you are baking). In a bowl, beat the eggs and cream/milk together. Add in all other ingredients. Stir.

Bake at 350 for 45 min. Let stand for 20 min. Enjoy!
*You can make with any veggies, and can leave off the crust for a yummy gluten free frittata.

Granola/ Yogurt

Fruit

Lunch // Saturday // Packed Picnic

Chicken Salad on a Croissant

Apple

Mediterranean Terra Chips

Brownie

Dinner // Saturday

Liz's Salad with Lemon Chive Dressing

Lemon Chive Dressing

¼ c olive oil

2 t chopped fresh chives

½ t grated lemon zest

2 T lemon juice

1 T dijon mustard

1 small clove of garlic, minced

¼ t each salt + pepper

In small bowl, wisk together oil, chives, lemon zest & juice. Stir in mustard, garlic, salt + pepper.

Toss dressing with mixed baby greens or spring mix, add thinly sliced onion and croutons.

Pioneer Woman Baked Ziti

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 whole Large Onion, Diced 

1 pound Italian Sausage 

1 pound Ground Beef 

1 can (28 Oz. Size) Whole Tomatoes, With Juice 

2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce 

2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning 

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 

Salt And Pepper, to taste 

16 ounces, weight Ziti Or Mostaciolli, Cooked Until Not Quite Al Dente 

1 tub (15 Oz. Size) Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese 

1-1/2 pound Mozzarella Cheese, Grated 

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 

1 whole Egg  

Fresh Minced Parsley 

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, or until starting to soften. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture.
Add tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. After that time, remove 3 to 4 cups of the sauce to a different bowl to cool down.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps.) Add the cooled meat sauce and toss to combine.
Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce, and the mozzarella.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
(Sprinkle chopped parsley over the pasta before serving!)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/11/baked-ziti/ 

Garlic Bread

Wine

Whoopie Pies (bought locally by Betty Imboden, thank you!)

Breakfast // Sunday

Unbelievable Blueberry French Toast Casserole

yield: 12 SERVINGS 

Minimal prep work and unbelievable taste! Let the refrigerator do all the work and wake up to sweet blueberry french toast casserole in the morning. 

prep time: 25 MINUTES 

total time: 9 HOURS, 20 MINUTES

Ingredients:

1 (12-14 ounce) loaf french bread, sourdough bread, or challah

1 cup (180g) fresh or frozen blueberries

8 large Eggland's Best eggs

2 and 1/4 cups (540ml) whole milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon (15ml) vanilla extract 

STREUSEL TOPPING:

1/3 cup (69g) packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup (42g) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 Tablespoons (86g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Optional: extra blueberries, fresh fruit, maple syrup, and/or confectioners' sugar for topping

Directions:

Grease a 9x13 pan with butter or spray with nonstick spray. Slice then cut the bread into cubes, about 1 inch in size. Spread cubes into the prepared baking pan and top evenly with blueberries. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Pour over the bread. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator for 3 hours - overnight. Overnight is best.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove pan from the refrigerator.

Prepare the topping: Whisk the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Sprinkle the topping over the soaked bread.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top. I usually bake it for 45 minutes because I like it softer. Serve immediately.

Make ahead tip: Prepare the topping in advance, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. Sprinkle over the soaked bread before baking. For freezing, prepare the recipe through step 4 (without preheating the oven) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bake as directed.

Additional Notes:-This recipe can easily be halved in an 8 or 9-inch baking pan. The bake time will be slightly less, around 30-35 minutes.-Day-old, crusty bread is perfect for french toast casseroles. I typically use a loaf of challah bread that I slice and let sit out overnight.-Instead of blueberries, try strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. In the fall, try cranberries or thinly sliced apples or pears. So many options!

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/03/25/unbelievable-blueberry-french-toast-casserole/ 

Granola/Yogurt

Fruit

Muffins

Snack Bar // For the weekend

Trail Mix

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

Snicker Doodles

Fruit