Serve sandwiches as versatile finger foods

The term sandwich covers a world of quick and literally handy bites, from picnic fare to school lunch boxes, from stylish afternoon-tea items to spicy burgers.

Cosmopolitan variations include canapes, the French ham-and-cheese croque monsieur, and open-faced Scandinavian sandwiches, including Danish smorrebrod and the Swedish smorgasbord.

Back home, as the weather cools off, use sandwiches to bridge the gap between outdoor and indoor eating, to ease into entertaining mode, and when you want to try something different but not difficult.

Here are some recipe suggestions, both savory and sweet, for light lunches, afternoon snacks, smart parties, back-to-school -- your choice.

Open-faced sandwich with basil butter and tomatoes

For butter:

1 1/2 ounces fresh basil leaves

1/2 ounce parsley leaves

1/8 cup white vinegar

1/8 cup water

1/2 cup olive oil

1 large clove garlic, peeled

Salt

Fresh ground black pepper

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly melted

Put the basil, parsley, vinegar, water, olive oil, garlic, pinch of salt and pepper in the blender and puree. Add pureed mix to the melted butter and stir until incorporated.

(This yields 1 1/2 cups butter, which is more than is necessary for the recipe.)

For sandwiches:

8 baguette slices cut on an angle

2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes, chopped

Fresh ground black pepper

Salt

1/4 cup cooked, crisp bacon, julienned

8 sprigs fresh basil

1 small piece of Parmesan, cut into thin shavings

Spread baguette slices with basil butter. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste, and spoon 1/8 of tomatoes onto each buttered baguette slice. Garnish with bacon, basil sprigs, and fresh, shaved Parmesan cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

(Recipe created for the American Butter Institute by Sarah Stegner, chef of the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago)

Beef sandwich with tarragon and horseradish

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

3 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish (horseradish must be peeled first, then grated)

Salt

4 servings sliced rare roast beef (3 to 4 ounces each)

8 slices pumpernickel bread

6 radishes, thinly sliced

Mix butter with fresh tarragon and horseradish. Season to taste with salt.

Spread butter onto 4 slices of pumpernickel bread. Arrange roast beef over 4 unbuttered, bottom slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt. Spread a thin layer of the sliced radishes on top of the beef. Place a buttered slice of bread on top of the radish slices. Cut crusts off sandwiches and cut in half lengthwise.

Makes 8 servings.

(Recipe created for the American Butter Institute by Sarah Stegner, chef of the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago)

Smoked salmon and watercress sandwich

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

16 slices smoked salmon

16 sprigs watercress

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 slices white bread cut in half lengthwise

Mix together butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, pepper and salt. Spread about half butter mixture over bread slices. Put remaining butter in a plastic piping bag.

Arrange 2 slices of smoked salmon on top of each buttered slice of white bread. Mix together sherry vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil in a small bowl and drizzle on top of salmon. Pipe 1/8 of remaining butter on top of sandwich as a small dollop. Place 2 sprigs of watercress on each sandwich and serve.

Makes 8 sandwiches.

(Recipe created for the American Butter Institute by Sarah Stegner, chef of the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago)

Sweet tea sandwiches

(Preparation 15 minutes)

1 cup (about 6 ounces) pitted dried plums, finely chopped

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

6 slices white bread

6 slices whole wheat bread

In small bowl, combine dried plums, yogurt, orange marmalade and orange peel; mix well.

To make sandwiches, spread 2 tablespoons of dried plum-yogurt mixture evenly onto one side of each white bread slice. Top each with one slice of whole wheat bread. Using sharp knife, trim crust; cut each sandwich diagonally into quarters.

Makes 24 tea sandwiches.

Nutrition information per serving (2 sandwiches): 123 cal., 2 g fat, 178 mg sodium, 24 g carbo., 3 g pro., 1 mg chol., 1 g fiber.

(Recipe from the California Dried Plum Board)

Olive salad tea sandwich

(Preparation 15 minutes, chilling time 1 hour)

6-ounce can pitted black ripe olives, drained, finely chopped

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

3 tablespoons sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, chopped

3 tablespoons green onion, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 slices firm white sandwich bread

6 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except bread and cream cheese; mix well. Cover; chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours before assembling sandwiches. Cut crusts from bread, forming 4-inch squares; reserve crusts for another use.

Spread cream cheese over bread. Spread olive mixture over 6 slices bread; close sandwiches with remaining bread, pressing lightly. Cut diagonally in half or lengthwise into rectangles. Makes 12 sandwiches. (Recipe from Lindsay Olives)