Cucumber Sandwiches

There is something about Raleigh and going straight from winter to summer. I hope you have enjoyed the 70 degree weather the past week as I anticipate my spring and summer menu.

I am not sure where this came from, but I have fallen in love with cucumbers. It may have been when I was collecting so many from my CSA, but I am now an avid fan.

Which leads me to my new favorite snack: cucumber sandwiches. I used to think this was just a standard tradition for bridal and baby showers, but they are actually tasty! I have tried a few variations and want to share my favorite.

Savory Cucumber Sandwiches

"white" bread

one large cucumber (not English)

4 oz cream cheese

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

splash of Worcestershire sauce

onion power

garlic pepper

Trader Joes has an imitation white bread that works great for this recipe. I have never bought into white bread but for cucumber sandwiches, it is a must. I keep the crust on because there is no real need to waste, but if you are preparing this dish for company, it looks better clean cut.

Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, sauce and seasonings. You should only need enough mayonnaise to make the cream cheese spread easily. Do not add too much Worcestershire sauce or onion powder or your sandwich will be too savory. What makes this sandwich great is the lite taste. There is enough salt in the sauce, mayo and cream cheese, so there is no need to add additional salt.

Spread mix on two slices of bread. Thinly slice cucumber and heavily layer on one side - I use about 9-10 slices. Cut sandwich into quarters. I love this sandwich for a snack or with cherry tomatoes for a lite lunch. This will be ideal in the summertime when it's too hot for a heavy meal.

Other alternatives I have found use cream cheese and dried mint leaf for a "fresh" taste. I am also dabbling into a creamy goat cheese variety. I will let you know how it turns out ;)