Spiced Pomegranate Sangria

This sangria is pretty strong, so make sure you've got some hearty savory pie ready to go! 

Ingredients:  

• 4 cups Castañeda sangria (aka, the whole bottle)
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 cups pomegranate schnapps
• 1 cups brandy
• 1/2 cup ginger ale
• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 cup frozen grapes
• 1/2 cup orange slices
• ice cubes

Preparation: 

• Mix raspberries and grapes, and hold into the freezer.
• Mix sangria, schnapps, juice, orange slides and brandy in a large pitcher.
• An hour before serving, add the frozen fruit.
• Top off with ginger ale to taste. 
  
• Add ice cubes, if desired. 

Adapted from: http://daydreamerdesserts.com/2013/08/spiced-pomegranate-sangria.html/

Alice's Ham and Cheddar Scones

Here's another favorite.

Ingredients:  

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1&1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup diced Cheddar cheese (I use Dublin cheddar)
• 1/2 cup diced Gruyere chese
• 3/4 cup chopped sliced Black Forrest Ham (I used trader Joe's)
• 1/4 cup chives (or rosemary)
• 1&1/4 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or cream)

Preparation: 

• Preheat the oven to 425 F
• Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the cheeses, ham, and chives (or rosemary) to the mix. 
• Make a well in the center of the incredients and add the melted butter and milk. Mix together until combined.
• On a floured surface, force the mixture together with your hands until combined. (It will appear very dry, but will still stick together. Do not fret - it will still taste moist.)
• Once the dough is mostly combined, separate it into individual scones about 1&1/2 inches thick, and 3 inches wide. You should get about 12 scones.
• Bake the scones for about 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned.

On cheese substitutions: If substituting cheeses, stick to a hard cheese, as others will melt during cooking and may not stay within the scone. (They will still taste great, though!)

Adapted from: Alice's Tea Cup, by Haley Fox and Lauren Fox

Candy Corn Fruit Cup

Looks like candy corn, but tastes like fruit!

Ingredients:  

• pineapple, finely chopped
• mandarin oranges, soaked in orange juice
• fresh whipped cream

Preparation: 

• using a towel, pat dry the mandarin oranges
• In a small glass (I used mini-zombie glasses), layer the mandarin oranges, pineapple, and whipped cream. Each should fill approximately 1/3 of the cup.

Adapted from: http://nomnomcrunch.com/healthy-halloween-candy-corn-fruit-cup/

Pears With Blue Cheese and Prosciutto

An easy healthy treat for fall, that feels just a little fancy

Ingredients:  

• 2 pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett), each cut into 
• 8 wedges
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup arugula
• 3 ounces blue cheese, cut into small pieces
• 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise

Preparation: 

• In a large bowl, toss the pears and lemon juice.
• Layer a slice of pear, an arugula leaf, and a piece of cheese on a piece of prosciutto and roll up.

Adapted from : http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pears-blue-cheese-prosciutto-10000001694964/index.html

No-bread cucumber sandwiches

For your gluten-free friends. Though your other friends will eat them up too!

Ingredients:  

• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• goat cheese
• tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch fresh basil

Preparation: 

• Pat dry the sliced cucumber between two sheets of paper towels
• Spread goat cheese on each cucumber slice
• Layer 1-2 basil leaves, and one tomato on every other slice
• Place un-layered slices cheese-slide down over the tomato

I haven't tried these yet, but here are 15 other no-bread sandwiches that look great : http://www.buzzfeed.com/ailbhemalone/15-mouthwatering-no-bread-sandwiches

Goat Cheese Quiche with Hash Brown Crust

This adds variety to the normal display of tea sandwiches, and makes an excellent breakfast the next day. 

Ingredients:  

• half of one yellow onion 
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus more for pan
• 1 package (1 lb) frozen hash brown potatoes
• 10 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 package (4 oz) soft goat cheese
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation: 

• Preheat oven to 375˚F. Brush a 9-by-2 1/2-inch springform pan with butter or cooking spray. It may help to line the sides with parchment paper, if available.
• Squeeze excess moisture from thawed hash browns.
  (Sometimes it helps to hose-down the hashbrowns under a tap, then squeeze the moisture in fist-sized chunks over a colander in the sink. Once dry, add a small amount of lemon juice to deter browning.)
• Mix hash browns in a bowl with butter, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Press into bottom and up sides of prepared pan.
• Place on a rimmed baking sheet; bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges start to turn slightly golden brown.
• Dice the onion and red bell pepper.
• Saute the onion in a pan with olive oil for about 2 minutes, then add the red pepper and saute for another minute.
• Add the baby spinach and saute for another 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk sour cream and goat cheese until combined, then whisk in 9 remaining eggs. 
• Stir in the red pepper-spinach mixture.
• Pour the egg mixture into the hash brown crust, and sprinkle the top with scallions.
• Bake until the quiche is set, 45 to 50 minutes. 
• Tap the side of the pan, if the sides of the quiche are set and the middle is slightly jiggly, the quiche is done.

Adapted from: http://www.dashofeast.com/2011/12/holiday-brunch-with-friends-a-quiche-a-quick-bread/

Simple Veggie Sandwich

The vegetarians and health conscious are keen on this one.


Ingredients: 

• 1 container of hummus
  (I like the roasted garlic at Trader Joes)
• slices of 3-4 in wide whole-wheat baguette
• good quality stone-ground dijon mustard
• 1 bag field green mix
• 1 finely sliced tomato

Preparation:

• Divide the slices into groups of two, and spread the hummus on one side of one slice.
• Layer the field green mix over the hummus and top with tomato. 
• Coat one side of the remaining slice with dijon mustard, and place it mustard side down over the sandwich.

Alice's BLT

This is a favorite of the guys in my life.

Ingredients: 

• 4 oz blue cheese 
• 1 tablespoon sour cream 
• 2 tablespoon whole milk   
• 12 lean bacon strips
• slices of 3-4 in wide baguette
• 1 bag field green mix
• 1 finely sliced tomato

Preparation:

• Mix the sour cream, whole milk and blue cheese to create 1/4 cup blue cheese spread.
• Cook the bacon until crispy, but not burned.
  (I do this by laying out the bacon on a 3-layer thick sheet of paper towels and cooking in the microwave on 2 minutes. After that, I add a minute more at a time until crispy).
• (optional) While cooking the bacon, lightly toast the bread slices.
  (You can do this in the oven at 350°F for about 1-2 min.)
• Divide the slices into groups of two, and spread the blue cheese spread on one side of each slide of bread. (This will be the inward-facing side of the sandwich, as the spread will prevent the moisture from the tomato and field greens from soaking the bread.)
• Layer the field green mix on one side of each sandwich and top with tomato. Layer the bacon on top of the tomato in a crisscross pattern.
• Top each slice with the other bread slice, blue cheese spread side down.

 Adapted from: Alice's Tea Cup, by Haley & Lauren Fox

Apple-Boursin Cheese Sandwiches

This is a favorite of my friends.

Ingredients:

• 2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin slices
• lemon juice
• slices of 3-4 in wide baguette
• Boursin cheese

Preparation:

• Place the apple slices in a large bowl and mix with lemon juice. You only need enough to coat the sides of each slice, as this is enough to prevent browning.
• If leaving overnight, lay each layer of soaked apples between sheets of paper towels in the fridge, as soaking the apples in liquid too long will make for mushy apples.
• While the apples soak, spread the Boursin cheese on the top of the bread strips. 
• Layer the apple slices on the top of the cheese.
• Slice each sandwich diagonally.

 Adapted from: http://whatscookingamerica.net/EllenEaston/AppleADayRecipes.htm

Carrot-Ginger Tea Sandwiches

This is a favorite of Patrick's.

Ingredients:

• 4 grated carrots
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• slices (multi-grain, four-cheese, etc.) 3-4 in. wide baguette
• Alfalfa sprouts

Preparation:

• In a medium bowl, combine carrots, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and ginger.
  (This can be done the day before tea.)
• Top the bread with carrot/ginger mixture (about 1/4-inch thick).
• Top with alfalfa sprouts.  
• Cut each sandwich in half diagonally
• Add toothpicks as needed to hold sandwiches together

Adapted from: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Sandwich/CarrotGingerSandwich.htm 

My name is Sarah and I host a lot of tea parties.