Blue Cheese Walnut and Pear Tea Sandwiches

It was very fun to prepare for this tea party, and essential to the preparation was the book Tea Party by Tracy Stern. So many charming recipes and themes! Here's just one of them that was particularly tasty.

Blue Cheese Walnut and Pear Tea Sandwiches

(adapted)

4 Tbs softened butter (I always use salted even though recipes NEVER call for it. Sometimes you just have to follow your heart)

6 thin slices whole-grain bread, crusts trimmed

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

2 Tbs crumbled blue cheese

1/2 c finely chopped walnuts

1/2 ripe pear thinly sliced

Butter each slice of bread.

Mash together blue cheese, walnuts, and cream cheese.

Spread on three slices of bread

Add layer of pear slices

Top with remaining bread (butter side down, obv)

Cut however you want (triangles, squares, you know)

We adapted this recipe for Goat Cheese and Green Apple as well, also tasty!

Also on the menu:

Straight-up cucumber sandwiches

Bread (Crusts cut off)

Chive cream cheese

cucumbers slices

Dip along one side in chopped fresh dill

Nutella and Banana Sandwiches

Bread (crusts cut off)

Nutella

Banana slices

Cinnamon Raisin Apple-Butter Sandwiches

Cinnamon Raisin Bread (crusts cut off)

Apple Butter

Magnolia Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes

I have made these many many times, and love the best of all of the cupcake recipes.

Some links for you:

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Vanilla Buttercream Recipe

And finally, the trick to frosting them. I have watched this video no less than 23 times. It's enchanting.

Two drops of red food coloring made a light and lovely pink.

Get ready for Recipe and knitting inundation

Yesterday was my birthday and we had a lovely tea party here at the apartment. It was great fun to host many new friends, and to cook and to knit! AND I finally got to use a lot of the serving pieces that my Memere gave me. So much fun. Alot of red glass dishes and bowls that are dainty and marvelous. A very fun afternoon followed by complete and total exhaustion.

Drake made this lovely photo montage of the festivities :)

We found out that we're having a boy! when they picked him up on the Ultrasound, he was kicking furiously (which I couldn't feel at the time, though I do feel movement occasionally.) I hope that he's not able to kick like that as he grows bigger, or I'm in big trouble.

SO... this is just a mini-post to tell you that I'll be posting a number of recipes (and links to recipes) that I used at the party-- thought it might be fun to share, and would love to hear what your go-to dishes are for entertaining. I'm starting with Debby Moilanen's Cheese/Chipotle Hors d'oevre, which I call "Texas Surprise" :) I first had this as a Thanksgiving appetizer at the Dantzler's house, and immediately was enchanted and have since made it several times. Before you read the next post with the recipe, you must just trust me that this is seriously delicious. Don't be a mayo-hater.