The bread

There's no need to spend a lot of money on tea bread or other more expensive types of bread. Buy several loaves of very inexpensive, thin white or wheat bread.

For several of these recipes, you will need to cut the bread into various shapes. Using large cookie cutters, cut the bread into circles, ovals, hearts, triangles or whatever suits your fancy.  Try to use cookie cutters that are close to the size of your bread, so that you do not waste much.  You can also just cut the sandwiches into quarters, if you don't want the special shapes.

Set aside the crusts and excess bread (you can feed it to the birds or save it to make stuffing at a later date). You can make the sandwiches appear fancy by combining simple ingredients and garnishing with a colorful complement, such as a slice of mandarin orange or chunk of pineapple.

Apple chicken salad finger sandwiches

Ingredients

• One large apple
• 1 pound prepared chicken salad
• 20 slices of white bread (cut into shapes)

Directions

1. Buy prepared chicken salad from your neighborhood deli or supermarket.
2. Slice an apple into very thin wedges.
3. Spread chicken salad evenly on two slices of bread.
4. Top one of the pieces of bread with a couple thin wedges of apple and make into a sandwich.
5. Repeat, making 10 sandwiches.

Pineapple tea sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• large loaf sandwich bread

Directions

1. In a frying pan, combine all pineapple, flour, walnuts and sugar.
2. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and cool. Mix in mayonnaise.
4. Cover and cool overnight in refrigerator.
5. Spread on bread that has had the crust removed. Cut each sandwich into quarters.
6. Makes 25 to 50 tea sandwiches.

Cucumber cream cheese sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber (peeled, thinly sliced)
• 8 ounces whipped cream cheese
• mandarin orange slices
• 20 slices of white bread (cut into shapes)

Directions

1. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on two slices of bread.
2. Place two cucumbers on one of the pieces of bread.
3. Make into a sandwich. Repeat, making ten sandwiches.
4. Garnish with a mandarin orange slice on top of sandwich, securing with a toothpick.

Bacon tomato finger sandwiches

Ingredients

1. 8 slices bacon
2. 1 cup mayonnaise
3. 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4. 20 slices white bread
5. 10 thin, large tomato slices
6. 1 small can chunk pineapple

Directions

1. Cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels.
2. Chop or tear bacon into 1/4 inch pieces.
3. In a bowl, stir together bacon, mayonnaise and mustard.
4. Spread mixture on two slices of bread.
5. Place one slice of tomato on one piece of bread and make into a sandwich.
6. Repeat, making ten sandwiches.
7. Remove crusts with a sharp knife.
8. Cut each sandwich into four triangles.
9. Garnish with a chunk of pineapple on top, securing with a toothpick
10. Makes 40 mini-sandwiches.

Party food and appetizers

• Sloppy joes and potato salad
• Low carb appetizers
• Appetizers for easy entertaining