Recipe(tried): Shower ideas

Barbara - How about an assortment of small sandwiches, a pretty crudite and dip arrangement, a green salad (a caesar salad is always popular), a fruit salad (use the salad bar at the grocery store for ease), and some cookies and a cake? That should be MORE than enough food for a shower.

Depending how many people you are feeding, make 3 to 5 (or more, if you want) different sandwiches, using party-sized breads and thinly sliced breads of different varieties. Use pumpernickle, white, and wheat breads, maybe mini pita breads, biscuits or even mini bagels, (you can cut them in triangles, long “fingers,” or cut the bread with a flower-shaped cookie cutter). Make a chicken salad, a ham based sandwich, maybe an
egg salad or egg and bacon salad, maybe one without meat (cream cheese, olives, nuts or
cucumber or asparagus), and a tuna salad of some sort - if you can, a shrimp or crab salad is always special. Most of these recipes below are reposts for you from searching on this site. A nice assortment, placed on your prettiest plates and cake stands or baskets should be very easy to do. Just make sure you wrap them very well until serving, since the bread dries out so quickly!
Enjoy your party!Black Forest Sandwiches
Makes 25 small sandwiches

1-1/2 lbs. Brie, rind removed while very cold, then brought to room temp.
3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, very soft
3 TBL very soft butter
1/2 lb. very thinly sliced Black Forest Ham (from deli)
1 loaf party-size black bread

Blend the cheeses and butter until smooth, then stir in minced ham. Spread thickly on slice of bread and top with another slice.Shelby,IA (10:19:00) : Curry Chicken Croissants

2-1/2 cup cubed cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
2 Tbsp grated onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sour cream
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp Cajun seasoning
Lettuce leaves
4 to 6 croissants, split

In a food processor or blender, process chicken until finely chopped. Transfer to a large
bowl; add walnuts, celery and onion. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream,
curry powder and Cajun seasoning; mix well. Pour over chicken mixture and stir well.
Refrigerate for a least 1 hour. Place lettuce and about 3/4 cup chicken mixture on each
croissant. Yield: 4-6 servings.calliope,.NY (09:56:44) :

CHICKEN SALAD TEA SANDWICHES WITH SMOKED ALMONDS

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

3 cups chicken broth or water...with a bay leaf and a touch of Sherry
2 whole boneless chicken breasts with skin (about 1 1/2 pounds),
halved
1 cup mayonnaise, at least...jazzed up with balsamic vinegar or a touch of mustard
you could even try raspberry vinegar!
1/3 cup minced shallot or red onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves...........or you could use dill instead
24 slices white bread of your choice
1/2 cup finely chopped smoked almonds
some minced celery and some currants or raisins
*some minced watercress...if you can get it!*

In a deep 12-inch skillet bring broth or water to a boil and add chicken breasts in one layer. Reduce heat and poach chicken at a bare simmer,
turning once, 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool chicken in cooking liquid 20 minutes. Discard skin and shred chicken fine.

In a bowl stir together chicken, 1/2 cup or more, of mayonnaise, the vinegar or mustard, shallot, celery and currants, tarragon or dill, and salt and pepper to taste.

Make 12 sandwiches with chicken salad on each side of the bread and the watercress in the middle, pressing together gently.
*Trim crusts from bread first, when made, cut diagonally for triangles

Put almonds on a small plate and spread edges with more of the mayonnaise, coating them well. Roll edges in almonds. Sandwiches may be made
ahead, put on a platter and covered with plastic wrap, and chilled.

Makes 24 tea sandwiches.PARTY FINGER SANDWICHES
2 sm. cans chunk chicken or ham
1 med. onion, chopped
1 sm. can crushed pineapple
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. mayonnaise
Combine all ingredients. Take 18 slices of bread and cut the crust off.
Make 9 sandwiches and cut them each into 4
squares. Makes 36 finger sandwiches. CURRIED CHICKEN TEA SANDWICHES
(from Martha Stewart)
Makes 8
Make these sandwiches as close to serving time as possible, so the avocado doesn’t turn
brown.

1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Salt
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon curry powder
Freshly ground black pepper
4 slices whole-wheat or multigrain bread
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 avocado cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts

1. Fill a small saut pan with water. Add peppercorns and salt to taste; bring to a boil.
Add chicken breast, reduce heat, and poach gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked
through. Remove from heat, and let cool.

2. Coarsely chop chicken. Place in a bowl and combine with mayonnaise, mustard, curry
powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Spread chicken mixture on 2 slices of bread. Spread butter on remaining slices. Place
avocado slices on chicken mixture, and top with sprouts. Cover with buttered bread. Trim
crusts, and cut into quarters. PECAN-BACON CHEESE SPREAD

1/2 c. pecans, finely chopped
2 strips bacon crumbled
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 t. seasoning salt
I c. grated cheddar cheese
1 T. green onion, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill several hours before making sandwiches. Will spread
about 7 or 8 sandwiches the size of a slice of bread.