The Townsend Poole Kitchen

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Chicken salad sandwich

Chicken Salad Sandwich

I used a rotisserie chicken for this salad. Here in HI they make a Huli Huli seasoned Chicken. It is de-li-cious.

other ingredients:

mayo

mustard

italian parsley

capers

grapes

raisins soaked in balsamic vinegar

colby cheese

chopped celery

onion

green olives

slivered almonds - best when sautéed quickly to brown

salt and lots of fresh ground pepper

all on toasted ciabatta

I found a new crust recipe yesterday. It was pretty good, but it has a LOT of yeast and rises quickly so you have to be ready with the toppings quick like a bunny if you prefer your crust thin like I do. I just put all the ingredients in my bread maker and move on with my life, but if you want to make it from scratch, the directions are here. http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/article/46/17753

1 c very warm water

1/4 c olive oil

2 tbsp honey

3 1/2 c flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tbsp yeast

I split the dough in two and rolled them out onto two cookie sheets. JP added a couple ladels of my homemade red sauce (from Lasagna recipe) on each, 4 oz shredded parmesan cheese, toppings, then 4 oz mozzarella.

I used prosciutto, sliced tomatoes, chopped basil, and thinly sliced white onion on the first pizza. JP used chopped spinach, a LOT of fresh garlic, thinly sliced white onion, and sliced tomatoes on the second.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Peanut butter and jelly cookies

I have always loved my mom's thumbprint cookies, so when I found this recipe that adds a bit of peanut butter, I had to try it. They turned out great.

A word of warning, I like my cookies less sweet than most, so I lower the sugar content. I think you will like them my way, but if you really need a sugar fix, you might want more white sugar.

1. Mix in mixer, until smooth

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

2 tbsp honey

1 c butter, soft

1 c peanut butter - I used a brand that called itself 'Natural'. It was a lot less sweet than name brands.

2. Add to mixer, until smooth

2 eggs

1/4 c milk

2 tsp vanilla

3. Mix in separate bowl, then add to mixer until blended

3 1/2 c flour (in HI I have to add extra flour because i live in the forest - but this is the mainland amount)

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4. 3/4 c jam.

Heat oven to 375. Roll dough into ball, place on ungreased cookie sheet. Push thumb into center. Fill hole with jelly. Cook 10 mins, cool on sheet 2 mins more, cool on rack.

Habanero Tacos

Tacos are a Poole family staple. I have finally, ten years later, figured out how to make the beef. Soooo good. Warm, but not too hot to eat. So much flavor and not too dry. The marinating seems to be the key.

1. Marinate beef

1 lb beef

10 leaves basil - chopped

2 tbsp italian parsley - chopped

4 lg leaves fresh sage - my sage leaves were 1"wide, by 2" long - chopped

3 cloves garlic - chopped

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chilli powder

pinch paprika

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

5 tomatoes from a can of whole tomatoes

6 green onion ends - the green parts - chopped

1/2 cup salsa - I recommend fresh from the grocery store, not jarred.

Smash tomatoes to release all liquid and mix all together. Marinate for 2 hours.

2 Chop veges.

white onion

white part of green onion

yellow squash

carrot

tomato

spinach

sour cream

avocado

sharp cheddar cheese

Chop all fine and set out in separate bowls.

3. Tortillas

Add 1 tbsp olive oil in pan. Allow to get hot, add one tortilla at a time to lightly brown, each side. Keep warm on plate in oven until all are ready to serve.

4. Serve.

Allow everyone to choose what ingredients go on their own taco.

I serve mine with tortilla chips.

Vegetarian Lasagna

LASAGNA

A meal which is requested over and over and over in the Townsend Poole home. One of our FAVORITE meals.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to make it without meat and something amazing happened.

This lasagna is all veges (...and a touch of cheese) and oh oh oh so good.

1. Tomato sauce

1 28oz can whole tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

2 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp italian parsley - chopped fine

20 leaves basil - chopped fine

2 tbsp celery leaves - chopped fine

4 cloves garlic

salt/pepper/marjaram/oregano/red pepper to taste (approx 1/4 tsp ea.)

3 tbsp chopped procuito

1/4 cup red wine

Place all ingredients into medium sauce pan. Simmer with a slight boil for 45-60 mins.

2. Veges:

1 bunch spinach - trim off stems and rinse. Dry with paper towel.

1 lg yellow squash - sliced into rounds

1/2 zucchini - sliced into rounds

8-10 brown mushrooms - chopped

1/2 white onion - chopped

3 roma tomatoes

Saute mushrooms and onion together with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Saute squash and zucchini with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Saute spinach with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Slice tomatoes. Set aside

3. Beschemel

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 c grated Fontina cheese ( I also used Havarti once and it was good too)

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper and hot pepper to taste

Melt butter, whisk in flour for 2 minutes. Add milk, whisk for 5 mins. Add fontina and parmesan. Stir until melted through. Add nutmeg, s&p, hot pepper. Set aside.

4. Cheese

10 oz fresh mozzarella

Slice. Set aside.

5. Assemble

Butter 8x8 or 9x9 square glass dish. Layer ingredients into pan:

1. Cover bottom of pan with red sauce to keep noodles from sticking.

2. Noodles - I used no boil noodles.

3. Veges - mushroom, onion, spinach, tomatoes, squash

4. Cheese

5. Red sauce

6. Noodles

7. Another layer veges, sauce and cheese

8. Noodles

9. last of red sauce and cheese on top

Cover. Bake at 375 for 50 min. Remove cover, broil 5 mins until cheese is browned.