Thursday, March 1, 2012

Tea Sandwiches Four Ways


Really, what's an afternoon shower without tea sandwiches?  They are the perfect size, you can try a bunch of different flavors and they are the quintessential dish to prepare for a ladies-only affair.  I actually let Cindy choose the flavors because I couldn't quite decide.  The funny thing was that in the back of my mind, I picked several of the same options that Cindy chose, so we really were on the same page.  Initially I thought I'd do three kinds--Ham, Brie and Apple; Salmon-Cucumber; and Caprese (my favorite).  But then I saw that perfect little loaf of rye bread sliced into perfect tea sandwich size and decided to use some leftover cooked chicken to make an Herbed Chicken Salad.  They were all delicious and only a few leftovers graced the plated by the end of the day.

One of my favorite parts of the Food Network Magazine is their little pull-out booklets of 50... included each month.  The first time I opened the magazine it was 50 Nachos, and I've had the pleasure of pursuing 50 Condiments, 50 smoothies, 50 Stuffed Potatoes, 50 Pies, and 50 Brownies, just to name a few.  Each month the booklet gets pulled out, scoured and marked up and then placed in a file with the rest of the 50...'s for easy reference.  In May 2011, they printed 50 Tea Sandwiches and I pulled it out, not knowing exactly when I would make tea sandwiches, but that I really liked the idea.  Lo and behold, a shower and tea sandwich-worthy event.  Make these, share these, love these.



Ham, Brie and Apple Tea Sandwiches


Ingredients (Note: Quantities are estimates and should be adjusted to your preferences.)

1 French baguette
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 pound deli ham
1/2 pound brie, sliced
1 Granny Smith Apple, sliced

Split baguette in half and spread butter and mustard evenly across the loaf.


Top with ham, brie and apple slices.




Replace top of baguette and cut into even pieces.

Makes about 16 tea sandwiches, depending on size of baguette and cut pieces.

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Salmon-Cucumber Tea Sandwiches


Ingredients (Note: Quantities are estimates and should be adjusted to your preferences.)

12 slices white bread
4 ounces softened cream cheese
6-8 ounces sliced smoked salmon
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin

Spread softened cream cheese on 6 slices of bread.  Layer on salmon and cucumber.


Top with remaining slices of bread, trim off crusts and quarter.


Makes 24 tea sandwiches.


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Herbed Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches


Ingredients (Note: Quantities are estimates and should be adjusted to your preferences.)

2 cooked chicken breasts, diced or chopped  (Note: Mine was seasoned with rosemary and garlic)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
30 slices rye tea bread
2 Roma tomatoes

Put chicken in a medium bowl and set aside.


In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, salt and herbs. (Note: Feel free to taste the mayo mixture and adjust as desired.)


Pour mayo mixture over chicken and stir until coated


Divide chicken salad over 15 slices of bread, top each with a tomato slice and the top with another slice of bread.


Makes 15 tea sandwiches.

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Caprese Tea Sandwiches



Ingredients (Note: Quantities are estimates and should be adjusted to your preferences.)

1 focaccia loaf
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
3 Roma tomatoes
2-3 stems fresh basil
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
(Note: The recipe called for quartered artichoke hearts to be added, which are pictured above, but I decided after to leave them out.)

Split the focaccia loaf and layer on sliced mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and basil leaves.




Sprinkle salt and pepper over filling and drizzle with olive oil to taste.


Layer on top of the loaf and wrap entire loaf tightly in plastic wrap. Place a heavy skillet on top of the sandwich and let press for 30 minutes.



Unwrap and slice into pieces.


Makes about 16 tea sandwiches.

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Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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