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TEA PARTY RECIPES
"Christopher Robin was home by this time, because it was the afternoon, and he was so glad to see them that they stayed there until very nearly tea-time, and then they had a Very Nearly tea, which is one you forget about afterwards, and hurried on to Pooh Corner, so as to see Eeyore before it was too late to have a Proper Tea with owl." A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner
I’m often asked what type of foods a mom can provide for a tea party and specifically for a birthday tea party. The "recipes" that follow are so simple that you may be deceived into thinking that you should do "more." Realize however, that children seldom eat much, especially at a party.
The true thing to a great tea table is it's appearance! Take the time to put sugar cubes, creamer and honey with a small bouquet of flowers for your table. Use placecards that your kids made themselves. Any dish will look special sitting on china decorated with a sprig of mint and dressed with the best silver.
By making your table more formal you are creating an atmosphere of being "grown-up" and that a special occasion is about to occur.
Sandwiches ~ Use white bread and after putting your spread between two slices, trim the crusts off and than cut in four triangles. To be fancier you can use cookie cutters to make shapes, just realize you will have more waste. For our own tea parties, we decorate our sandwiches with a pastry flower on each as shown above.Peanut butter and jelly ~ use smooth/creamy... it's easier to spread.
Cream Cheese ~ comes in many different flavors... strawberry (is the favorite), pineapple, and honey nut.
Pimento cheese
Cucumber sandwiches are made from thinly sliced cucumber, and placed between bread slices that have been spread with mayonnaise.
Breads ~ remember that "playing pretend tea" can only be enhanced when you put your breads and treats on special trays, arrange them in a basket wrapped with a decorative dishtowel, or displayed with a sprig of mint or fresh flowers from your garden.
Warm cinnamon rolls can easily be made from a can! I personally like Pillsbury's Orange Rolls best.
Breadsticks
If you have a bread machine, nothing is better than homemade bread especially warm from it's little "oven." Invest in a bread knife... it can slice your bread thinly while other knifes just don't measure up.
Make your own cinnamon sugar shaker for toast. Use a salt shake or similar "herb" bottle with shaker style lid. Mix sugar with cinnamon. Keep your shaker dedicated to cinnamon-sugar and kids can help you make the toast. Cut toast into shapes if you wish.
Bagels
Muffins ~ My kids especially like "mini-muffins." I just use a muffin mix and pour it in a small mini-muffin pan that can be found anywhere cake pans are sold. Blueberry seems to be the favorite around here!
Cookies ~ now they are so easy to make that no mom has an excuse! Choose homemade, a grocery store cookie mix or use those cookie dough rolls. Kids love to make cookies so what a nice thing to involve them too!
Sugar cookies can easily be cut with a cookie cutter shaped into a teacup!
For store bought cookies I prefer Pepperidge Farms for that elegant look. However, I notice that kids go for that traditional Chocolate Chip! Buy and use what your kids like as I have found that doing fancy-shmancy cookie recipes for the 6 and under crowd is a waste of time.
Cakes ~ if your planning a tea party (that isn't a birthday party) why not try these cakes?
A spicy ginger cake with powdered white sugar sprinkled on top (this is especially scrumptious when hot out of the oven);
A Bundt cake was always a special treat in my house. I don't know why since all it takes is a special pan but it was still a special occasion when those cakes graced the table;
A carrot cake.
Meatballs, small quiche tarts and other finger-size pastries can be found in the frozen food section at Sams' Warehouse. I used to have a friend who catered her weddings (she was a wedding consultant) from this store. Don't underestimate their selection.
Additional Finger Foods ~
Cube cheese into squares and, for older children, insert toothpicks.
Grapes and strawberries.
Fruit cups.
Carrot sticks.
Cheese puffs.
Crackers.
A favorite dessert of mine and one that is quick to make…
Use vanilla ice-cream and put a scoop in the middle of a plate or flat dish. Sprinkle blackberries, sliced kiwis, and sliced strawberries around the edges. Dribble caramel and chocolate syrup in thin trails over all. Decorate the side with a sprig of mint.
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