Interesting thoughts for a sandwich reception

[marmalady]

I'm doing sandwiches this Friday, for an open house at the Rutgers University Spinal Cord Injury Project, as a freebie donation for the wonderful people who work at the project and who are doing cutting edge research into a cure for SCI.

Here's the 'twist' - a lot of the people who will be attending are quadriplegics, and don't have the use or only partial use of their hands. For those who don't have any grasping abilities at all, they will have assistants with them who can help manage. But for those, like my son, who has partial grasp and can lift light things between his thumb and his palm, I've been trying to think what sandwiches would be the easiest for them to handle.

I've come up with two different wraps, which I can cut in half, and then wrap the ends in foil to make a 'mitt' to help hold the sandwich in their hand, and also a mini-pocket bread, wrapped the same way in foil.

We/ve had to become so creative with my son's injury and subsequent disabilities, but sometimes don't see the obvious (the forest for the trees bit); if y'all can make some suggestions you've seen or thought of, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

[pollyg]

You seem to have it covered.
I can't think of much besides keeping the sandwiches small, the type of thing someone with partial grip could pop into their mouth in one go.
Good luck with it all, pol

[snakelady1]

I don't know if this will work for you but I seem to remember that the pampered chef sold a large ravioli cutter. They would use it to cut sandwiches out using soft bread the edges woould all be crimped keeping the filling inside. I think it would be easy to handle...

[Athenaeus]

Marmalady without wanting to change your plans.

Why don't you make some tyropitakia?

Little cheese pies baked in the oven.

They can hold perfectly in roon temperature for hours and they freeze very well.

Light in weight and in taste, small, an easy solution for the assistants too.
They do not leave grease hands, this is important too.

I have a recipe, mezzaluna has a very good recipe too.

[lynne]

Stuffed breads? Mini calzone/breadsticks?

[chiffonade]

How about using a sticky filling like a cream cheese based spread on a tortilla which you can then cut into spirals? The size would be manageable and they would stay together.

[Isa]

Here are a few recipes I found in one of today's paper.


SUN-DRIED TOMATO PATE

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, coarsely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese; reduced fat or fat free OK
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
¼ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. rosemary
¼ tsp. basil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Blend well, pausing frequently to scrape sides of bowl. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Note: May substitute prepared sun-dried tomato pesto for sun-dried tomatoes.

SPICED PITA CRISPS WITH STRAWBERRY SPREAD

2 large pita bread rounds or 4 7- to 8-inch flour tortillas
2 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 to 2 tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
2 to 3 fresh strawberries
1 tbsp. sugar
1 (8-ounce) container cream cheese with strawberry or pineapple
1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
1 tbsp. orange juice
Sliced fresh strawberries, for garnish


Cut each pita round or tortilla into 6 wedges. Cut pita wedges in half crosswise to make single layers.

Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Arrange wedges in single layer on a baking sheet. Brush with margarine; sprinkle with sugar and spices.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or till golden.

Meanwhile, crush fresh strawberries with 1 tablespoon sugar until strawberries are in small pieces. Stir strawberries into cream cheese along with orange peel and orange juice. Spread onto crisps. Garnish with sliced strawberries, if desired.

Makes 24 wedges.

DATE-WALNUT SANDWICHES

3 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
4 large slices or 8 small slices fruit or raisin bread
1 tbsp. honey
½ cup dates, finely chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Pinch ground cinnamon
Additional dates and walnuts for garnish

Spread cream cheese onto all bread slices. Spread honey over half the slices on top of the cream cheese. Scatter dates and walnuts over the honey-coated slices and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cover with remaining bread slices, cheese sides down, and press together.

With a knife, remove crusts from bread. Cut large sandwiches into 4 squares or small ones in half. Arrange on serving plate, decorated with dates and walnuts.

Makes 8 sandwiches.

AVOCADO-BACON SANDWICHES

¼ lb. bacon slices, coarsely chopped
1 ripe avocado
½ tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tbsp. butter, softened
4 large slices whole-wheat bread
Lemon twist and parsley sprig, to garnish

Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Peel avocado, taking care not to remove bright green flesh just inside the skin. Cut in half and remove seed. In a bowl, mash avocado, then stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Butter bread. Spread avocado mixture on buttered sides of 2 bread slices. Scatter bacon over avocado. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered sides down, and press together.

Cut off bread crusts. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles. Arrange on a serving plate, garnished with a lemon twist and parsley sprig.

Makes 8 sandwiches.

SCALLION BISCUITS WITH SMOKED-SALMON SPREAD

1 small red onion, quartered length wise and thinly sliced crosswise
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 ¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2 large green onions, minced
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
¾ cup plus 1 ½ tbsp. milk
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 ounces thinly sliced cold-smoked salmon
½ tsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. minced fresh dill

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a baking sheet. In a small bowl, toss onion and vinegar. Cover and set aside to marinate at least 30 minutes or as long as 3 hours.

To make the biscuits, sift flour, baking powder, salt, dry mustard and black pepper into a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives; then stir in green onions and parsley.

Using a fork, lightly stir in enough milk to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly pat dough into a round ¾-inch thick. Sprinkle with a little flour. Cut into 15 rounds with a 1 ½-inch biscuit cutter.

Place biscuits, sides touching, on the baking sheet. The biscuits can be prepared up to this point, then refrigerated as long as 4 hours before baking. Bake until golden, 18-20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

To make the spread, combine cream cheese and half of smoked salmon in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; process until smooth. Add horseradish and lemon juice; process until smooth. Add dill and process until incorporated. Transfer spread to a small bowl. Mince remaining salmon; stir it into the spread until blended.

Split biscuits in half horizontally. Spread bottoms with the salmon spread and top each with a little of the pickled onion. Arrange biscuits on a serving platter, replace the tops and serve immediately.

Makes 15 biscuits.

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH WITH LEMON-HERB DRESSING

¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
½ tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt, or to taste
2 cooked whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-inch dice
4 lettuce leaves, optional
8 slices multigrain bread

Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add chicken pieces. Toss with dressing.

Place lettuce leaves on 4 slices of bread. Divide chicken salad among 4 slices. Top with remaining bread; cut each sandwich into 4 pieces.

Makes 16 sandwiches.

[marmalady]

Thanks, all; Chif, I think I'm going in your direction; a roast beef wrap with a green peppercorn sauce that I'll make with cream cheese/goat cheese instead of the usual, to make it thicker, and a roast chicken wrap with a cranberry/cream cheese spread.

I tried making the foil 'cuffs' and had my son try them out, and they worked pretty well.

Isa, those recipes sound fantastic!! Love the strawberry one and will absolutely add it to my list of yummy things!

[panini]

Marm,
I know this is late(can't read much anymore"busy") but you know Soph and I are on the board for MPS and a lot of our kids are in the same situation, sometimes using both palms or top and palm as a grasp. You might want to look into those late night hawking sandwich presses. We have used them with great sucess. any bread, any filling as long as it holds together.
Jeff