Poetic Snacking

Pretty Little Cream Puffs All In A Row

Tonight is our monthly Writers Group.  Johan and I started the group after we met at a Split Rock Class taught by Kim Addonizio.  Johan and I bonded over our mutual love of Prosecco.  We continued to meet with several other students.  Now, we have expanded to included nearly a dozen additional writers.  We read our assorted poetry, novels, and screenplays and drink good wine. 

Tonight I'll be reading a few select poems from Kim's latest collection Lucifer at the Starlite as well as a new poem of my own.  And I'll be serving these awesome but easy treats.

Curry-Chicken Sandwiches

Note: I serve the chicken mixture on mini-cream puffs but use whatever bread you prefer. I make the cream puff recipe from an old Chicago Cutlery cookbook and use a small ice cream scoop to place pastry rounds on the baking sheet. You can also use a pastry bag, and pipe ~3 tablespoons of pastry onto the sheet.

Curry Chicken Spread
Ingredients:
sesame oil
olive oil
Jarred Thai Curry Paste
3-4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
Garam marsala or curry seasoning of your choice (Penzeys has some fantastic mixes)
Fresh ginger and garlic
Juice from one lime
1 C mayonnaise
Chutney (jarred/prepared is fine)
½ C red onion(diced)
~½ C raisins or craisins (chopped fine)
~1/3 C cashews (chopped fine)
Fresh cilantro (chopped fine)

Instructions:
Heat several tsp. sesame oil and tbls. olive oil, curry paste, ginger, and garlic.  Season boneless chicken pieces (roughly chopped in whatever size you prefer working with) with garam marsala or curry season of choice, salt and pepper. Saute chicken in oil. Just before thoroughly cooked, add lime juice (from lime used in mayo/dressing). Cool and chop fine.

Dressing:
1 C mayo, several tbsp prepared chutney, several tbsp lime juice, and curry oil (heat 1-2 tbls of olive oil and add several tbls prepared curry paste - cook a few minutes and cool - add to dressing).

Combine chicken with red onion, good handful of chopped cilantro, and handful craisins and cashews.

And, today, a bonus snack:


Bruschetta with Fresh Mozerella and Stone Fruit

Brush with olive oil and toast sliced french bread.  Top with fresh mozerella and return to oven to melt cheese. 

Combine fine chopped nectarines, plums, red pepper, red onion, and basil with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Top toasts with mixture.