Tea for N

How we have tea at our house. We usually have one of the sweets and three of the sandwiches, except on special occasions. (Note: regular mayo or Miracle Whip are acceptable, but NOT light/lite versions. Margarines must NOT have whey or any other dairy product in them. One commercial bread brand and variety that is Sam-safe Orowheat Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat bread; usually we make our own.)

Scones:

Use any standard scone recipe (e.g.), replacing the butter with a Sam-safe margarine (e.g. Fleishman's UNSALTED sticks) and the cream/milk with rice milk. Can also add a bit more margarine, to compensate for the lower fat content of the rice milk, but this is not required. Can include pecans, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, dried cherries, dried strawberries, apple pieces (dried or fresh), cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate chips, colored sugar on top. I usually cut them with cookie cutters appropriate to the nearest holiday, or into heart shapes, as a default.

Cucumber sandwiches (open faced):

• peel cucumber and slice very thin
  
• cut crusts from bread
  
• spread thin layer of margarine on bread, and place cucumber slices on bread, overlapping
  
• light sprinkling of salt and a blurp of mayo on top, with a sprig of parsley or rosemary or some other fresh herb (a plastic bag with the corner cut off makes a quick and dirty pastry bag)
  

Cucumber sandwiches (closed):

• peel cucumber and slice very thin
• cut crusts from bread
• spread thin layer of margarine on half of bread slices, mayo on other half
• layer cucumber slices on margarined slices and lightly salt
• sprinkle with dried or fresh parsley
• close and slice sandwiches
  

Curry chicken salad:

• cooked chicken breast meat, chopped very fine
  
• mayo
• chopped almonds
  
• 1/2 tsp curry powder/chicken breast

Cherry chicken salad sandwiches:

• cooked chicken
• dried cherries, cut into 1/4" pieces
• mayo

Toast bread; spread with a thin layer of cherry preserves, then cherry chicken salad, and top with second slice of toast.

Ham sandwiches

Remove crusts from bread and spread with honey mustard. Put a layer of fresh spinach leaves or other salad greens on bread, then ham slices.

Tuna Salad

Canned tuna (Bumble Bee albacore or 365 brand from Whole Foods) mixed with mayo, with a dash of Tobasco or lemon juice, a spoonful or two of sweet pickle relish, and some chopped celery.

Egg Salad

Hard boil eggs; slice and separate whites and yolks. Mash yolks and mix with mayo, a squirt of mustard, salt, pickle relish, maybe some chopped celery. Chop whites and mix with yolks.

Fruit Salad

Chopped fresh fruit, which can include the following: oranges, strawberries, shredded coconut, cantaloupe, apples, green grapes, cherries. I sometimes put in almonds or pecans, too.

Angel Food Cake

Most has no dairy or soy in it (soy oil is O.K.), but check to be sure. Slice into fingers or chop into chunks, and serve with jam/jelly/preserves to dip them in.

Meringues

The bite-sized ones are less messy; plain/vanilla are safer than other flavors.

Tea

Any decaf tea; Sam prefers mint or orange spice. Serve with sugar (cubes are always fun) and Rice Milk.