Thursday, April 30, 2009

Delightfully Inexpensive Tea Sandwiches

When it comes to pretty little sandwiches, homemade quick breads are easy and affordable.

I omit nuts, use a recipe without sour cream, and bake in a long, skinny loaf pan for less waste.

Combine pumpkin bread with orange cream cheese for a surpringly delicous combination.

Here's how I make these with minimal cost and time:
  • Soften 8-oz cream cheese (on sale for $1).
  • Mix in zest of one orange (using what might be thrown away)
  • 1 Tbsp. frozen OJ concentrate (a frugal staple)
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar (stock up at Christmas).
Slice each sandwich into 2 fingers and turn filling-side up for best presentation!

25 comments:

Mary Ellen said...

Looks delicious! Would go well using the sweet potato bread I made this morning!

Anonymous said...

What can I say but yum!

Lynn said...

Great idea.

Erika said...

This looks fabulous. What a great idea. Can't wait to try out that orange cream cheese recipe. Yum.

Charlotte (WaltzingM) said...

Where might one find a long, skinny loaf pan? I don't think I have ever seen one before. Would you mind sharing the dimensions of your pan? Thanks!

Sarah @ Fiddledeedee said...

I LOVE this! As usual, simple and inspiring. Thanks, Meredith ;)

John and Lisa said...

This looks great! For some reason I would not have thought to include this in a special lunch. I have a huge can of pumpkin I opened for another recipe- guess what the rest will become?

Amy said...

That is delicious!! I am definitely going to have to try that one!

Rebecca said...

Yum. I could really use a lovely high tea right about now, with all the fixings!

:>)

Meredith said...

thanks.

I modeled this after a favorite lunch plate from a long-closed tea room: some kind of salad, either banana bread or pumpkin bread made into these sandwiches, and fruit salad.

I liked it because it gives a bread complement to the meal but is also just sweet enough to double as dessert.

Meredith said...

Charlotte, my pan is a vintage one, but it is similar in size to Wilton's long loaf pan (16 x 4 x 4) or a small Pullman bread pan. I fill it about 2/3 full of batter; any more and the top center will not bake as done as the sides.

You can also use the canape bread molds I see at so many yard sales. the point is to get the longest sliceable loaf which minimizes the waste of slicing crusts, irregular ends, etc.

An Adventurer in the World said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
An Adventurer in the World said...

Sounds just right, not too heavy, not too sweet.

deb meyers

Anonymous said...

Wow I hadn't thought of actually making tea sandwiches with quick breads, what a great idea!

One thing I'd really love to have are large loaf pans, but I've never seen them sold anywhere. Any ideas?

Bonita said...

Those sound so yummy and they look good too!

Sonya --Dime Store Thrift said...

Oh, My! Those look so gooooood!

laurel said...

Those sound delicious!! I am definitely going to have to try these!

Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks said...

Thanks for the orange cream cheese recipe. I'll use it soon.

A few years ago I attended a youth symphony concert and the reception which was held later.

Someone had made similar sandwiches from a quick bread with cream cheese filling. Half looked similar to yours. The other half had been buttered on the outside and then rolled in finely chopped nuts.

I thought that a brilliant idea since some of my family and friends like nuts and some don't. It's a lot more frugal than making two loaves of quick bread, one with nuts and one without. :)

I always look forward to reading your ideas.

The Bloom Girls said...

Your tea sandwiches look and sound delicious. Definitely one for the recipe file.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Nola @ The Bloom Girls
Nashville, TN

Nicola said...

yum yum and ummm.....yum
nicola
http://whichname.blogspot.com

K. Messerly said...

I want to be your neighbor. Not in a stalker kind of way. Just in a I-could-learn-so-much-from-her and maybe-she'd-bring-me-yummy-treats-like-this kind of way.

Shell in your Pocket said...

Oh..that orange cream looks delightful. I copied that one!
sandy toe

Tracy said...

That recipe for pumpkin bread looks scrummy....except for one thing. There is waaayyyy more sugar than flour in the recipe. Surely that's a typo?

Martha A. said...

What a good diea! Maybe i will take these to a tea we are having next week!

Kristine said...

You inspired me for a preschool graduation evening :) Thanks!