![Virtual Tea Time Logo](logo2.png)
Chicken
Salad Tea Sandwiches
Overview
Instead of Men are from Mars and
Women are from
Venus, in the sandwich arena, it's more like Men Like Savory Food and
Women Like Sweet Food. Sounds incompatible, doesn't it? Well,
here's a
recipe for chicken salad tea sandwiches that have both a slightly
savory and a slightly sweet taste all at the same time. These
sandwiches are delicious fresh and they stay delicious for several days
after the party. Okay, they don't actually last that long. They are so
good that the leftovers from the party will all be eaten within a day
or two. Another way of putting this is that the ingredients in the
salad marry well. Time passes and the flavor grows better--just like
good marriages.
In fact, the sandwich is a metaphor for relationship. The bread
symbolizes the two partners, who together must hold the sandwich
filling inside. The filling symbolizes the real values in life--the
meat of living. While bread is fine, it's the stuff in between the
slices that makes life happier. Whenever we are in relationship with
another person, we share the filling. In some cases the filling is God
himself, for "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God."
Recipe
4 - 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (enough to make 4 cups chopped
chicken)
1/3 cup McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Seasoning (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup green olives
1/2 cup marinated artichokes (drained)
1/3 cup chopped sweet pickles (I use chopped sweet pickle relish -
drained)
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onions
1/3 cup feta cheese
2 teaspoons mustard
1 cup mayonnaise (I use Best Foods Light Mayonnaise)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Variety of good quality dense bread (Pepperidge Farm Thin White,
cocktail bread, pumpernickle, soughdough)
Butter, softened
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sprinkle the chicken breasts on both sides with Montreal Chicken
Marinade and salt and pepper. (If you don't have Montreal Chicken
Marinade, you can use garlic and onion powder.) Use a
pastry brush to rub the olive oil on the chicken breasts. Put the
chicken in the pan in a single layer and roast until the chicken is
cooked through, about one hour and 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Chop the cooled chicken and put it into a large bowl. Add the
next five ingredients and toss. Combine the mustard and
mayonnaise in a small bowl and add to the chicken mixture until all
ingredients are mixed well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble sandwiches, spread the fillings on top of the bread slices
and cover with another slice. You may remove the ends of the
crust and cut each sandwich in half, squares or circles. Arrange
on a platter and garnish with a sprig of rosemary or some other herb.
If sandwiches will not be served right away, spread slices of bread
with softened butter before you assemble the sanwiches.
Enjoyment
There's a saying, "Friendship needs no words, but
it often
desires many words, because friends delight in sharing." Inviting a
friend over for a cup of tea and a handful of these sandwiches can
produce a warm and friendly setting for some relationship bonding. When
people share themselves (and some tea and sandwiches), they grow closer
together and learn about each other. If you are feeling a bit lonely,
or think that you don't know anyone in town, invite a neigbor over and
serve some tea and these sandwiches. These are real conversation
pieces. And the act of offering a neigbor (1) an opportunity to get out
of the house and take a break from the burden of life, (2) food, (3)
fellowship and friendship, and (4) a new recipe--all these will add to
your own happiness. Besides, there is another saying, "Everything
tastes better with a friend." So pour a couple of cups of tea and make
a few of these sandwiches. Invide that person you want to know better
and exchange some thoughts.
Commentary by Bob
My mother used to make finger sandwiches like these for the members of
an organ owners club. I would cheer when I heard that tonight was club
meeting night, because it meant at least three days of eating these
really tasty sandwiches. Mom kept them in the bottom drawer of the
refrigerator, covered with a damp cloth to keep them from drying out
while in the fridge. It was the glorious time when that bottom drawer
was filled with sandwiches, crusts cut off and nicely filled. The
8-year
old could help himself to a sandwich or two when he passed by. My mom's
extra labor in making more sandwiches than necessary created an
inadvertent happiness in her son. So go ahead and add a little extra to
the lives of those around you.
Other recipes of note
Peanut Butter
Banana Bread
Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
Very Raspberry Very Merry Coffee Cake
with Chocolate
Spinach and Bacon Quiche
Lemon Cupcake Surprise
Quadruple Chocolate Brownies
Intensely Lemon Cookies
Macaroni and Cheese Supreme
v i r t u a l t e a t i m e . c o m
Copyright 2013 Marie Harris
All Rights Reserved
Contact Marie