Sweet Radish and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

These light, sweet finger sandwiches are basically the child of two more classic sandwiches: cucumber-and-cream-cheese and radish-and-butter.  Enjoy!

For about four finger sandwiches, you'll need:

+ sourdough bread, sliced

+ radishes, cleaned and thinly sliced, about 4

+ sugar, 1 teaspoon

+ about 1/4 of an English cucumber, thinly sliced

+ fresh parsley, finely minced, 3 tablespoons

+ butter, softened, 4 tablespoons

+ S&P

Whip the chopped parsley and the butter in a food processor until well-mixed.  Refrigerate until needed.  (I made this two days in advance, and the parsley flavor was stronger than ever.)

After slicing the radishes, sprinkle with sugar and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes.

Lightly butter the bottom slice of bread; top with a thin layer of cucumber slices, several radish slices, and one more cucumber slice and a bit of salt and pepper.  Finish with the second piece of bread, and dig in!

Spicy Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I was inspired to make this dish by the curried chicken sandwiches one sees so often at tea parlors, but wanted to put my own twist on the recipe.  I poached chicken in homemade stock, cooled it, and shredded it with two forks.  I prepared a spicy, creamy dressing, and allowed the chicken to soak up the flavors.

For four finger sandwiches, you'll need:

+ 1 large chicken breast, poached and shredded

+ butter, 2 tablespoons

+ garlic, finely minced, 1 clove

+ heavy cream, about 1/2 cup

+ paprika, cumin, and chili powder, to taste

+ S&P

+ whole-grain bread, sliced

+ fresh arugula

In a small skillet, melt butter over low heat.  Add garlic, and saute until just softened.  Add the spices (small amounts to begin) and the cream.  Whisk to combine; the sauce should take on a lovely orange color.  Salt and pepper to taste; add more spices if desired.  Pour directly over shredded chicken, and refrigerate for at least one night.

Top one slice of bread with chicken.  Add fresh arugula, and top with the second slice.  Enjoy!

Grown-Up Turkey Sandwiches

You'll need:

+ whole wheat rolls
+ hummus (with roasted garlic, if you can find it)
+ baby spinach
+ fontina cheese
+ bacon
+ deli turkey (get the good stuff, kids, not the watery kind)
+ pesto


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake bacon (heehee) for 5-6 minutes, or until brown. Allow to drain on paper towels.

Assemble. (I'll spare you the tedious details, I think you can put together a sandwich.)