TEA PARTY TEA SANDWICHES, 3 FILLING RECIPES

TEA PARTY TEA SANDWICHES, 3 FILLING RECIPES image

I'm so excited for the return of Downton Abbey. We were late to the party on this one, but played catch up last Spring just in time to watch this new season live. I can't help but wonder if the show's popularity will cause a surge in tea parties for showers and other occasions. I love the mini foods served at a tea party, especially tea sandwiches {I'm definitely more of a savory lover than a sweets lover}. They're just so cute and full of flavor, and the possibilities for fillings are endless. Make sure to use fresh white bread for a classic tea sandwich, or wheat for a "healthier" choice.

Provided by Raven Higheagle @ravenhigheagle

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

CHICKEN SALAD FILLING
3 cup(s) shredded or chopped chicken
1 1/4 cup(s) mayonnaise (or more if needed)
1 teaspoon(s) curry powder
1/2 cup(s) dried cranberries
2/3 cup(s) celery, diced
2/3 cup(s) slivered almonds, lightly toasted
PINEAPPLE-NUT FILLING
8 ounce(s) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup(s) crushed pineapple, drained
2/3 cup(s) chopped pecans, toasted
APRICOT & HAM FILLING
8 ounce(s) cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoon(s) apricot preserves
- sliced ham

Steps:

CHICKEN FILLING: Chop chicken very finely (I put it in a food processor and pulsed 3-4 times until minced).
In a bowl, combine chicken and mayonnaise, and mix well. Add curry and continue to mix.
Fold in remaining ingredients.
Spread on bread, top with another slice, remove crusts, and cut into shapes.
PINEAPPLE-NUT FILLING: Combine cream cheese and crushed pineapple until well blended.
Add pecans and fold into mixture.
Spread on one slice of bread and top with other. Remove crusts and cut into shapes as desired.
APRICOT & HAM FILLING: Combine cream cheese and preserves until well blended.
Spread a layer on both slices of bread, place a slice of ham on one side, and top with the other side.
Cut off crusts and cut in to shapes as desired.
Be sure to follow these tips for serving tea sandwiches at your next tea party: Make the fillings a day ahead so the flavors have time to fully develop.
Spread your filling on the bread, cut off the crusts, and cover sandwiches with a damp paper towel. Wrap them with saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to set out for the party. This will keep the bread from drying out.
Cut each of the different sandwich flavors into different shapes. Here I cut the chicken salad into rectangles, the pineapple-nut into hearts {using a cookie cutter}, and the apricot & ham into triangles. This makes them easily recognizable as well as adds a decorative touch. You can even print out a sign so guests know which shape correlates to which flavor.
Use a serrated edge knife to get clean cuts through the bread.
Remember these ingredient measurements can be increased or decreased according to your own taste. The idea is to combine the given flavors, but you may want to add a more or less mayonnaise, nuts, or cream cheese if you like it a certain way.