Recipe: Cocktail Party Finger Sandwiches

Cocktail Party Finger Sandwiches
rec.food.recipes/Diane M. Ferrell (1997)

Here are a few fillings for finger sandwiches for a large cocktail party

4 loaves of Pullman bread, (colored bread, if desired)
can be sliced as for regular sandwich slices or lengthwise to use as pinwheel sandwiches

Fillings:

Watercress and Cream Cheese Filling:
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup butter or good margarine
1 small can of crushed pineapple (well drained)

Mix all together in a the food processor until soft enough to spread.

Walnut and Cream Cheese Filling:
8 oz softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter or good margarine, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, up to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Mix all together in a food processor until soft enough to spread.

Chicken Salad Filling:
4 chicken breast halves, deboned, no skin, and boiled
Softened butter
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp walnuts
2 stalks celery
garlic salt and pepper to taste

Boil the chicken breasts until well done. Shred, then finely chop the chicken. Add the mayo, garlic salt and pepper and mix well. Chop the celery and the walnuts finely and add to the chicken mix well. Spread the butter on one side of two pieces of the bread and then spread the chicken on the bread. NOTE: if the chicken spread seems a little dry, add a few teaspoons of olive oil. More mayo seems to make this spread very heavy.

Pullman bread is a dense, 1 lb loaf of bread that is square--like sandwich bread. I usually have it colored for the occasion--such as red and green loaves for Christmas, or orange and brown for Thanksgiving, even blue and orange for Bronco parties. This makes it very festive.

If you have the bread sliced as for sandwiches, spread the fillings on one side of a slice of bread about 1/4-inch thick--a little more--then place another slice on top and either cut into squares or triangles. If the bread is sliced lengthwise, use a heavy rolling pin to completely flatten a slice. Trim the crust from the sides then spread the filling over all about 1/4-inch thick. Roll up the bread jelly roll style and carefully slice so as not to mash the roll. Should get 4 or 5 "sandwiches" from a roll.

These can be arranged attractively on large wicker trays in circular patterns. I have made Christmas trees with the red and green sandwiches that were lovely.