Celebrating Elvis' birthday: tiny Elvis finger sandwiches

Tiny Elvis sandwich. Isn't it cute? Photo by Kit Pollard. 

Happy birthday to the King! Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935 - he would be 74 today. While celebrations are in full swing at Graceland, why not have a little birthday party of your own for the King of Rock & Roll?

Start with the music (my favorite Elvis song is Suspicious Minds, in case you needed suggestions) and throw together some of these simple, adorable sandwiches. After all, what says Elvis more than tea sandwiches?

Really, though, these sandwiches do celebrate Elvis' famous peanut butter-bacon-and-banana preferences, though they're not fried (so you can stick to those New Year's resolutions). I originally created them for the Bodega Party in a Box cookbook, benefiting the Neighbors Project - I'm sure Elvis would appreciate you checking them out, too.

Oh - and to drink? I'd go champagne. Or the champagne of beers, maybe (Miller High Life, of course).

Tiny Elvis Sandwiches

Makes 24 bite-sized sandwiches, serving 12 people as an hors d’oeuvres (I like it as an hors d’oeuvres for a casual brunch)

Ingredients

• 12 slices thin white or wheat sandwich breat (I like Pepperidge Farms Very Thin Whole Grain White Bread...it has a tea sandwich feel to it
• 2 bananas, cut into slices 1/4-inch thick (need 24 slices)
• 12 tsp creamy peanut butter (1/2 tsp per sandwich)
• 12 slices bacon (1/4 to 1/2 slice per sandwich)
• 6 tsp honey (one small drop per sandwich)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cook the bacon according to package directions – the crispier, the better. Set aside to drain and cool.

Slice the crusts off the bread then cut each slice into four equal rectangles.

Place bread on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes (depending on thickness of bread). The result should be lightly browned, crispy toasted bread squares.

Slice bananas.

To assemble sandwiches, spread about ¼ tsp. of peanut butter on a bread square. Add a piece of bacon (the flatter, the better) and a banana slice on top of that. Squeeze a drop of honey on top of the banana, top with another bread square and gently push down to flatten the sandwich, crumble the bacon (a little) and combine the ingredients.