Tea Sandwiches, Cookies, and Baby Showers!

(Originally posted on Monday, November 22, 2010)

My sister and I are both pregnant (her first and my second--both boys! Plus, we're due only 5 days apart!). We were so happy to have her come to town so that we could throw her a baby shower. My mom actually made all of these tea sandwiches (I helped by scouting out the recipes). She has been so busy and her computer has been on the fritz, so I thought I would do her a favor and put the recipes onto our blog to save her some time. However, I will leave it up to her to edit this post later and add her explanations, notes, and suggestions.

The shower was beautiful and the tea sandwiches were oh so yummy! They got gobbled up quickly! In addition to the tea sandwiches, my aunt made some awesome cupcakes and my sister-in-law brought her famous sugar cookies (aka cugar shookies because my mom kept mixing up the name the first time she shared them with us).

I am including recipes for the four tea sandwiches pictured here (though we made quite a few more kinds--but these were the best of the best!). I am also including the wonderful sugar cookies recipe.

You will love them. And we are all anxiously awaiting my mother's additions and comments to this post!



Cucumber Tea Sandwiches with Mint-Chile Butter

Use this recipe as a template, and customize according to your preferences. Try adding watercress, baby lettuce greens, or thinly sliced poached chicken breast.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 sandwich quarters)

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
12 (1-ounce) slices white sandwich bread
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced English cucumber
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions:

Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring until well combined.

Trim crusts from bread; discard crusts. Spread each bread slice with about 1 1/2 teaspoons butter mixture. Place cucumber in a small bowl, and drizzle with lime juice; toss to coat. Arrange cucumber slices in an even layer over buttered sides of 6 bread slices; top with remaining bread slices, buttered side down. Cut sandwiches diagonally into quarters.

Nutrition information: CALORIES 89 (63% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 3.6g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.2g); IRON 0.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 15mg; CALCIUM 25mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.9g; SODIUM 163mg; PROTEIN 1.2g; FIBER 0.4g

Source: Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

Goat Cheese-Pecan Finger Sandwiches

Instead of pimiento cheese for your party sandwiches, try this filling of creamy goat cheese and crunchy pecans. These sandwiches are great with wine for a fun night with the girls.

Ingredients:

4 ounces goat cheese, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 bread slices, divided
1/3 cup red pepper jelly

Directions:

Stir together goat cheese, cream cheese, pecans, and parsley. Spread on 7 bread slices. Spread 7 more bread slices with red pepper jelly; top with cheese-covered bread slices. Remove crusts; cut into desired shapes.

Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2009



Smoky "Pimiento" Cheese Sandwiches

Hands-On Time: 10 min.; Total Time: 15 min. Cut into smaller sandwiches for easy pickup.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Other Time: 5 minutes
Yield: Makes 7 servings

Ingredients:

1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded smoked Cheddar cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1/2 (8.5-oz.) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
14 bread slices (sourdough and dark wheat)

Directions:

Stir together cream cheese and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Stir in shredded cheeses and sun-dried tomatoes until combined.

Spread cheese mixture on half of bread slices (about 1/3 cup on each); top with remaining bread slices.

Source: Southern Living, OCTOBER 2009

Crisp Vegetable Tea Sandwiches

You can change the flavor of these simple sandwiches by varying the herbs you add to the cream cheese. Any favorites will work well alone or in combination.

Makes 8

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, basil, tarragon, or mint
8 slices wheat bread
1 piece (4 inches) cucumber, very thinly sliced into rounds
2 radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons softened butter

Directions:

Place cream cheese and herbs in a bowl; stir with a rubber spatula until combined.

Spread cream cheese mixture on 4 slices of bread; layer with cucumber and radish slices. Spread remaining slices of bread with butter. Place, butter side facing down, on radishes. Trim crusts; cut sandwiches in half.

Source: Martha Stewart website.

Sugar Cookies aka Cugar Shookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. flour (you will need more flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Cream butter, eggs, and sugar. Combine rest of ingredients and mix well. Add extra flour until dough isn't too sticky, and chill for a couple of hours or overnight. Roll out and cut (they will be sticky so add more flour to roll them out). Bake 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Frosting:

Ingredients:

Powdered sugar
Butter
Milk
Vanilla, almond, or coconut flavoring

Directions:

Mix ingredients together in the proportions you desire to attain the consistency of frosting you prefer.

Happy Halloween!

(Originally posted on Sunday, October 31, 2010)

Bwa ha ha ha! No, I didn't gouge out someone's orange bloodshot eyeballs or tear off a witch's fingers. These sweet confections are all in the name of Halloween. Even food can get a little spooky at this time of year.

The eyeballs are a more festive version of buckeyes. They are peanut butter balls dipped in white candy coating and the pupils are M&M's.

As for the fingers, they couldn't be easier. They are marzipan (if you love almonds, you'll love these).

The next recipe is for bone bread sticks. My bread sticks didn't turn out nearly as pretty as the ones that the folks at Rhodes Dough made. My church is at 1 p.m. and I had to be there early for our Primary program, so the rolls had a lot more time to rise than the recipe called for. As a result, my rolls turned out a little...let's just say they're "big boned" rather than chubby.

Then, of course, there is a lovely Halloween cheese ball.

To drink? Brew Ha Ha Punch.

And for dessert? Ghosts in the Graveyard!

Who could resist this holiday?

Peanut Butter Eyeballs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, chopped
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 ounces white chocolate candy coating
1 small bag M&M's candy
Red decorating frosting or decorating gel

Directions:

In the bowl of a large mixer, blend peanut butter and butter until creamy.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla to peanut butter mixture and continue beating until it looks smooth.

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or waxed paper.

Using a spoon, scoop out a ball of peanut butter and roll between your palms to get them as round as possible. Place on the cookie sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Place the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir thoroughly until it is smooth.

Dip the peanut butter balls into the white chocolate candy coating. You can use two forks or spoons to balance the candy on, or just grasp it in your fingers and roll it around until it is covered completely. Return it to the cookie sheet and proceed to dip the rest of the peanut butter balls.

While the chocolate is still wet, press an M&M candy into the center for the iris.

Return the eyes to refrigerator to harden.

Once the eyeballs are firm, you can use the red decorator frosting or gel to make squiggly blood vessels.

Source: About.com recipe created by Elizabeth LaBau.

Notes: I've used the frosting and the gel to make the blood vessels. Both work great, but the gel is a little easier to control.

Marzipan Fingers

Ingredients:

7 ounces marzipan, homemade or purchased
8 whole blanched almonds or 8 pieces of sliced almonds
Red food coloring
Small, food-safe paintbrush

Directions:

Pour a small amount of red food coloring on a small plate, and use a small paintbrush to paint the almonds with food coloring. Set painted almonds aside to dry while you form the fingers.

Coat your hands with powdered sugar, or use plastic gloves. Knead the marzipan until it has softened slightly. Divide the marzipan into 8 equal pieces.

Working with one piece at a time, roll the marzipan between your palms so that it forms a thin tube. Work the tube until it resembles a finger: pinch small sections close together, leaving other sections wider to resemble knuckles. Use a toothpick or knife to create ridges on the knuckles.

Taper one end of the finger, and press an almond firmly into the end to resemble a fingernail. Using your nails, fray the other end of the finger so that it looks severed. Dip the severed end of the finger into food coloring (or paint the finger with the paintbrush) and place the finger on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining marzipan and almonds.

Store marzipan fingers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze well-wrapped marzipan fingers for up to 3 months.

Source: About.com recipe created by Elizabeth LaBau.

Notes: I skipped the severed finger part of the recipe. I was running short on time and thought that the fingers looked great without the "blood" on the bottom. Also, I couldn't find blanched almonds, so I used sliced almonds. Finally, rather than painting each almond with red food coloring, I simply put them in a plastic sandwich baggie and put the food coloring in the bag. I then swished around the almonds and food coloring until the almonds were completely coated. I then put the almonds on a paper plate covered in a paper towel to blot them and let them dry completely.


Bone Chillin' Breadsticks

Serves 12

Ingredients:

12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed, but still cold
1/4 cup butter, melted
Parmesan cheese
Poppy seeds
Garlic salt (this isn't part of the original recipe--it's my addition)

Directions:

Using the flat of your hand, roll the center part of a roll into a 6-inch rope leaving both ends large and rounded. With scissors, clip 1 1/2 inches into the center of each end. Separate and lay the cut sides flat on a large sprayed baking pan. They will look like bones. Brush well with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, poppy seeds, and garlic salt to taste.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise about 20-30 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Source: Rhodes Dough recipe. You can find the recipe and a picture of the bread sticks on their website here.

Cheddar Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup dry sherry (see notes)
1 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/3 cup poppy seeds

Directions:

Process all ingredients except poppy seeds in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl lined with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Unmold onto a plate, Press poppy seeds evenly over surface, rounding top. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.

Source: Martha Stewart website.

Notes: I didn't use the sherry (I'm pregnant! I know it's not a lot of alcohol, but I'm not taking any chances). Instead, I used about 1/6 cup red wine vinegar mixed with 1/6 cup water (to equal 1/3 cup liquid).


Brew Ha Ha Punch

Yield: 4 quarts

Ingredients:

2 quarts water
2 (0.13 ounce) pkgs. Green Lemon-Lime Kool Aid
1 (46 ounce) can pineapple juice
1 quart ginger ale

Directions:

Stir together sugar and 2 quarts water until sugar is dissolved. Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill.

Note: For a scary presentation, place punch bowl into a larger bowl, and add dry ice to larger bowl.

Source: Southern Living, October 1998.
Ghosts in the Graveyard

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. (3.9 oz each) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
3 cups cold milk
1 tub (12 oz) Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed, divided
15 Oreo cookies, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
Assorted decorations: Milan sandwich cookies, decorating gel, candy pumpkins, candy corn pieces

Directions:

Beat pudding mixes and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min. Stir in 3 cups Cool Whip and half the cookie crumbs. Spread into 13x9 inch dish; sprinkle with remaining crumbs.

Refrigerate 1 hour. Meanwhile, decorate creme sandwich cookies with decorating gel to resemble tombstones.

Insert decorated cookies into top of dessert just before serving. Add candies. Drop large spoonfuls of remaining Cool Whip onto dessert to resemble ghosts.

Source: www.kraftrecipes.com

Notes: My son wasn't feeling well today, so dessert was rushed. As a result, the ghosts didn't actually make it into the graveyard tonight. But the graveyard looked cute--even without the ghosts!

Buona Notte

(Originally posted on Thursday, April 29, 2010)

It's always a good night for Italian food, isn't it?

The first recipe is a very classy dish with the classic tastes of Italy (tomatoes, oregano, and Italian sausage). Make sure to use fresh mozzarella. It's rich and creamy. Polenta is an italian corn meal. My husband hates polenta and corn meal and he loves this dish. There won't be leftovers!

The second recipe is comfort, not classy. It's basic, tummy-pleasing Italian!



Baked Polenta with Sausage and Tomato-Pepper Sauce

5 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 medium yellow onion, halved lengthwise, then cut into thin wedges
1 medium yellow, red, or orange bell pepper, cut lengthwise into thin slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. each salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red chile flakes
1 pound bulk Italian sausage, sweet or spicy (or 1 lb. Italian sausage links removed from their casings)
2 tubes (16 oz. each) prepared polenta, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds (in the Italian portion of the supermarket)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, drained and sliced into 1/4" thick rounds

1. Preheat broiler to high. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a 2 - 3 qt. saucepan set over medium heat, then add tomatoes and oregano and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and chile flakes, and stir to combine. Cover pan, lower heat to medium, and cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, stirring and breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it firms up, about 5 minutes. Cover pan and cook until vegetables are tender and sausage is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes more. Add tomato sauce and simmer 10 minutes.

3. While sauce is cooking, pour remaining 1 1/2 tbsp oil into 1 9x13 baking pan and tilt to coat bottom. Add polenta slices to pan and turn to coat with oil, then arrange slices lengthwise in 3 slightly overlapping rows. Broil polenta about 4" from heating element until golden brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Pour sauce over broiled polenta, thena rrange mozarella slices over the top. Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Yeild: 6 servings

510 Calories, Fat 30 g., Cholesterol 82 mg., Carbohydrate 33g; Sodium 1505 mg; Protein 23g; Fiber 4.8g

From Sunset Magazine website


One-Pot Pasta

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 (8 oz.) pkg. sliced fresh mushroom
1 tsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (26 oz.) jars tomato-basil pasta sauce
1 c. water
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (20 oz.) pkg refrigerated four-cheese ravioli
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook ground beef in a Dutch oven or over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Wipe Dutch over clean.

Saute onion and mushrooms in hot oil over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and saute 1 minute. Stir in beef, pasta sauce, 1 cup water, and next 3 ingredients.

Bring sauce to a boil; add ravioli. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Stir in cheese. Serve immediately.

From Southern Living website

For testing purposes only, Sunset magazine used Classico Tomato & Basil pasta sauce and Buitoni Family Size Four Cheese Ravioli.

Notes: This dish is very freezer friendly. Simply freeze in a freezer friendly container (don't forget to label and date it!). When you are ready to use it, defrost it in the fridge overnight. You can either reheat it in the microwave or over the stove top.