Pumpernickel with Olive and Walnut Spread Tea Sandwiches

I think it was a need to do something other than sit at the computer working on taxes and financial aid applications and look out at the grey skies and snowy landscape that led me to issue an open invitation to my bookgroup buddies and their daughters to come have a girly tea party. We ended up with 22 of us, and with everyone's contributions, we had a pretty impressive spread of assorted tea sandwiches, scones, mini muffins, cupcakes, fresh fruit and other goodies. We had a decent showing of tiaras and fancy dresses, too. And, really, I had a lot more fun than it looks like from this photo. It was a good party, and the sun even came out briefly! Thanks, everyone, for coming and cheering me up!

I made my favorite celebratory sandwiches from the original Moosewood Cookbook.

Here's my easy version:

3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup black olives
8 oz. cream cheese
1 scallion stem, chopped
1 red bell pepper
mesclun greens or spinach leaves, washed
cucumber (optional)
1 loaf pumpernickel bread

Toast the walnuts in the microwave for 3 minutes. Pulse to chop in the food processor. Remove to bowl. Pulse black olives to lightly chop. Add the cream cheese and chopped scallion and walnuts and pulse until blended but not too pureed. Spread on pumpernickel, top with red bell pepper (I diced it first, but slices work fine), greens and optional cucumber. Cut as desired. (I cut off the crusts and cut them in triangles).