Friday, April 18, 2008

Easy Tea Sandwich Spreads


Two of the tea sandwiches we had at Cari's birthday tea party yesterday are also two of the easiest tea sandwiches I've ever made, Egg-Olive Sandwiches and Cucumber Cream Sandwiches. (The Waldorf Chicken Salad Mini-Croissants on the bottom tier are easy and tasty as well, but I shared that recipe on Sept. 26, 2007.)

The thing I like about both these spreads is that they can be made ahead, which is something I very much like to do when hosting a tea. When I make the Cucumber Cream Sandwiches, always with white loaf bread, I like to cut out bread shapes with one of my teapot cookie cutters to make them a little more special. For the Egg-Olive Tea Sandwiches, I cut out wheat bread using a tiny (about 2 inches tall) old Tupperware cup. Women "of a certain age" will remember these pastel colored cups, which make perfect little circles for these sandwiches.


Cucumber Cream

4 ounces (half a large block) cream cheese
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash of garlic powder, if desired

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse a few times, just 'til blended. (You don't want the cucumber completely liquified so that you can still enjoy some of the crunch.) This recipe makes enough spread for about 2-3 dozen small (1-1/2 to 2 inch) tea sandwiches.



Egg-Olive Spread

4 boiled eggs
4 ounces (half a large block) cream cheese
2 teaspoons mustard
20 green olives
1 teaspoon olive juice
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse a few times, just 'til blended. If you like olives, you will love this spread! Cut out circles or other shapes in wheat bread, spread filling, then garnish with a slice of olive. Makes enough spread for 3 to 4 dozen small tea sandwiches.

3 comments:

  1. These sandwich spreads sound yummy. I really like that you have eliminated the tedious paper thin slicing of the cucumber and also that they can be made ahead.

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  2. Mmmmm! I really love the sound of that olive-egg spread. Will try it!

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  3. Thanks for the recipes and your photography is great!

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