Strawberry Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
(From Tea Time Magazine)
12 slices firm white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Style
2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken, pulled from a rotisserie chicken
1 cup chopped strawberries
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained and chopped
1 recipe Poppy Seed Dressing (recipe follows)
Garnish: Sliced Strawberries
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Using a 2 1/4 inch square cutter, cut 2 squares from each bread slice. Cover with a damp paper towels, or store in a resealable plastic bag to keep from drying out. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, strawberries, pecans, celery, green onion, mandarin oranges, and poppy seed dressing, stirring to blend. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, approximately 4 hours.
3. Place approximately 3 tablespoons chicken salad on a bread square. Top with another bread square. Garnish with strawberry slices if desired. Repeat with remaining bread and chicken salad.
Poppy Seed Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbs. champagne vinegar (or rice vinegar or white balsamic vinegar may be substituted )
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, poppy seeds, sugar, salt and pepper, whisking to blend.
Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Shortbread Tea Cookies with Lemon Curd
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
lemon curd (homemade or store bought)
fresh blueberries
Instructions
1. Make the shortbread. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt. Add the butter and vanilla and mix until combined and the dough comes together.
2. Shaping round shortbread. Divide the dough in half and form it into 2 logs, 7 to 8 inches long. Place the dough in the center of a large piece of parchment or wax paper. Fold the parchment in half over the dough. Then, hold the bottom half of the paper and with your other hand, press a bench scraper or ruler into the crease between the dough and parchment. Move the scraper back and forth along the length of dough log to even it out. Roll the dough into the parchment, firmly twist the ends, and tie to keep secure. Refrigerate the dough inside a paper towel roll or a bed of raw rice to keep its shape. Chill until firm; 1 to 2 hours.
3. Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the chilled shortbread cookies into 1/4 inch rounds and place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool completely.
4. Garnish: Spoon lemon curd onto each shortbread cookie and top with a fresh blueberry. Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
Lemon Curd
1 cup sugar
finely grated zest from 2 lemons
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 egg yolks
3 large eggs
4 ounces salted butter (1 stick) cut into cubes
Instructions:
1. In a large microwave safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt until smooth . Add butter cubes. Microwave on high power 45 seconds. Remove and stir vigorously with a whisk.
2. Continue to cook 45 second intervals, stirring after each interval. It will take 4-7 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave. Lemon curd is done cooking when it coats the back of a metal spoon. You can also check it with an instant thermometer. It's done when it reaches 175 degrees.
3. Remove from the microwave and whisk well. Add lemon zest and stir. Allow the curd to cool at room temperature. It will thicken as it cools. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
Easy No Bake Cheesecake Bites
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbs. vanilla
3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
30 mini shells
Raspberries/Blueberries/or strawberries for garnish
Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Fold in whipping cream. Use a decorating bag to fill the shells with the cream cheese mixture. Top with desired garnish. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Note: I used mini tart shells (shortbread and chocolate ones) found in Walmart in the section where you find graham cracker crusts aisle A15)
Easy Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
4 slices white bread
1/4 English Cucumber
1 tbs. salted butter, softened
2 tsp. chives, finely chopped
Instructions:
1. Make chive butter by mixing chopped chives and butter. (set aside)
2. Slice cucumber. Blot cucumber slices with paper towels. The cucumber needs to be cut into two different thicknesses. Use a mandolin slicer to cut cucumber into 2 sizes. 4 slices at 1/8" and 4 slices at the thinnest setting so that it's paper thin. After slicing the cucumbers, place them flat on paper towels and clot to make sure they're dry.
3. Use a round cookie cutter that's the same size as the sliced cucumber.
4. Cut circles out of the bread using the cookie cutter. Avoid cutting the crust. Cut 8 bread circles
5. Assemble tea sandwiches. Spread a thin layer of chive butter on the top side of the bread, add a slice of the 1/8" cucumber, then top with a piece of bread that is buttered on the side that faces the cucumber.
(Yield: 4 tea sandwiches)
