A relaxing weekend away is a rare thing for us, and probably for you too. Life is so crazy busy. With an invitation to a friend’s 40th birthday party, we headed up the coast and stayed at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. My breakfast two mornings in a row was their terrific Huevos Rancheros. I recreated the recipe when we got home.
The Ojai Valley Inn and Spa
Nestled in the hills 60 miles north of Los Angeles and south of Santa Barbara lies a beautiful oasis called the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. Built in 1923, the red tile roofs and white stucco walls radiate the welcoming warmth of an old Spanish village.
Something for Everyone
Hit the links for championship golf, melt into the world class spa, take a yoga class, play tennis, visit the Artists Cottage and Apothecary for a lesson in blending essential oils, or soak up the sun by one of the four pools, this resort has something for everyone. You can even take your dog, which we plan to do next time. Tate will love the Ojai Valley Inn!
The Best Huevos Rancheros – Ranchers Eggs
At home I make a smoothie to start my day almost every morning. When we travel, one of my favorite breakfasts is Huevos Rancheros or Mexican-style Ranchers Eggs. Ojai Valley’s version of this popular dish was terrific. It was lighter than many I have had yet very flavorful and healthy.
Instead of using the classic red chili sauce, Ojai Valley uses a green tomatillo sauce. It gives the eggs a nice tang. The dish is colorful and bright with crunch from crisp tortillas, black beans, creaminess from avocado, topped with poached eggs.
For the sauce, you can make my easy homemade tomatillo sauce recipe, or you can use a jarred sauce such as Salsa Verde from Trader Joes. If you have extra homemade, use it for tacos, enchiladas or freeze the extra.
After breakfast, we lazily parked ourselves at the Herb Garden pool basking in the sunshine under a brilliant blue sky and rediscovered what it was like to really relax. And with smiling, attentive poolside service, we never had to lift a finger.
If you need a weekend away to get rid of the kinks of modern life, check into the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, then really, check out. And be sure to try their Huevos Rancheros.
Huevos Rancheros (Ojai Valley Inn)
Ingredients
- 4 small organic corn tortillas
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 2/3 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup tomatillo sauce divided use
- Salt and pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 2 ounces grated cheese Cheddar, Jack, or Queso Fresco
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped tomato
- 1/2 avocado sliced or diced
- 1/4 cup red tomato salsa
Instructions
- To poach the eggs, bring a wide pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to come to to a boil, start the beans and tortillas. Add oil to a small pot over low heat, add onion and cook until softened, 1-2 minutes, then add beans, and 1/2 cup tomatillo sauce. Stir and warm over low heat. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Poach eggs. When water boils, turn down to simmer (small bubbles), and add vinegar. Crack one egg into a small, fine strainer to drain off the watery part of the white, then slide the egg from the strainer gently into the simmering water. Repeat quickly with three more eggs. When all eggs are in the water, time for approximately 4 minutes. When eggs are done poaching, lift out of water gently(with a spoon or spider and drain on paper towels.
- To serve, place one warm tortilla on each plate. Top with warm black beans, then two poached eggs, then another tortilla. Top last tortilla with cheese, cilantro, avocado, and tomatoes. Spoon the rest of the tomatillo sauce and salsa around the tortillas and enjoy.
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