Cucumber Sammies
It’s been awhile since I’ve tested and shared a family or friend recipe so I figured now would be the best time to start that up again! Especially since summer is coming to a close. ((finally)) But simultaneously I’m like, SHIT I still have a few bangers to share with y’all! This one coming up is definitely one of them & I’m so excited about it!
My excuse of late is that most of my personal family recipes are more winter-themed in my opinion….so that means 2 things : look out for some SCRUMPTIOUS winter specialties coming up when the weather turns and clearly, MY generational recipes that I’ve been sharing are gonna be the new multi-seasonal wave of Wood / Layne / Deane favorites for years to come. ((at least I hope so, shit))
ANYWAY.
what women want.
My dear neighbor-friend & I have an ongoing tea-club of sorts and she has always made THE MOST delicious cucumber tea sandwiches I’ve ever had. Like EVER. She makes them on request for me & was even kind enough to share her recipe with me and have all the fun and photographs along the way!
I’ll go ahead & give you some key-points of why this recipe is so drool-worthy. Firstly, it is damn delicious, duh. These little sammies are perfect & refreshing to cool you off on a hot summer day. I can’t describe how satisfying these little gems are after yard work, at the pool, or DUH a tea party – or just after a really shitty work week when all you want to do is nom on some cucumber sammies & guzzle Rose – which we also totally did.
lack of difficulty is not the reason.
I’ve honestly never looked up the ins & outs of a cucumber tea sandwich – don’t ask me why, but they always seemed daunting as hell to me. Thin, but not too thin slices of cool cucumber, soft pillowy bread, perfect triangles, no crust & then a beautifully thick schmear of WHATEVER deliciousness made up the inside – it seemed like the perfect mystery.
But then I was like, umm hello girl you have a blog! Share this goodness with the world! ((with Kodi’s blessing, of course)) She & I have had many cooking and baking adventures over the years. Those beautiful little pink Galentine’s macarons? YUP. That was an us project. She’s got a few other delicious recipes she’s willing to share & that means I get to learn, share, write, AND eat them – woo hoo! Let’s get to it!
Ingredients
· 8 oz light cream cheese, softened
· 3 TBS light Duke’s Mayo
· 2 TSP dill ((she said she has used both fresh & dried and sees no difference BUT she prefers the Fresh Market brand of dried dill – soooo delicious))
· ½ TSP garlic powder
· 1 English cucumber, peeled ((they are ACTUALLY seedless))
· 1 loaf Honey Wheat bread
Instructions, 1
Gently & carefully peel the cucumber with a vegetable peeler.
Once your cucumber is fully peeled, place it on a cutting board & using a sharp knife, slowly cut coins of cucumber.
The thickness or thinness is of no consequence. We prefer a *schmedium* thickness to our cucumber sammies so we just eyeball it.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Or cucumber-cutter. WHATEVER.
Each Sammie usually holds about 9 cucumber slices so keep that in mind when you are cutting the cucumber.
Lay out a few paper towels & lay each slice of cucumber overtop the towels – sprinkle with the tiniest dusting of salt ((this helps remove excess water)) and once you have sliced your entire cucumber, lay another sheet or two of paper towels overtop everyone and gently press down to continue absorbing the water.
In a medium bowl, using a stiff spatula, cream the creamed cheese so it is softened & no longer in its brick form.
Measure out the mayo, dill & garlic powder – dump directly into the bowl overtop the cream cheese.
Mix WELL – everything together may take a few moments to truly come together so a fork will also come in handy to mash the cream cheese with the other ingredients.
Using the spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure there are no ingredients left behind and no chunks of plain cream cheese throughout – you want the consistency to be smooth & well incorporated.
NOW YOU ARE READY TO START ASSEMBLING!!!
((NEWS TEAM, ASSEMBLLLLLEEEEE))
This next step is much easier to do with the use of a cutting board – it keeps everything on the straight & narrow.
Ingredients, 2
Using a butter knife, scoop out your cream cheese mixture & gently spread a GENEROUS amount on 1 piece of bread.
Edges to Edges, my friends.
Lay the piece of bread with the thicc schmear down on the cutting board & artfully arrange your cucumber slices – jk but don’t go crazy. Simply lay your slices down & don’t worry if they need to overlap or if they slightly hang over the sides – its all good!
On the other piece of bread, apply a thin layer of schmear – obviously you need the schmear for the cucumbers to stick AND it acts as a barrier to help keep any moisture off the bread.
It’s both a science AND an art – I mean, no pressure, but don’t fuck it up *wink*
Once you are satisfied with your Sammie, lay the other slice of bread directly overtop.
With the flat palm of your hand, GENTLY give it a little smoosh – A LITTLE SMOOSH.
Just to make sure everyone is sticking to everyone – but DO NOT SQUISH it. There is a difference between smoosh & squish – you feel me?
Taking a super sharp knife ((not serrated)) and using 1 clean, swift chop – cut off the crusts of your Sammie. Repeat on all 4 sides.
Some schmear & cucumber bits may come off with the crusts, that’s totally fine. Either have yourself a much-deserved lil snackie-poo or give them to the birds.
Next is the BIG CHOP – when you cut your whole Sammie into little Sammie quadrants.
You can either make 4 sammies ((also known as tea sandwich-size)) or leave them in halves – totally up to you!
Pour a glass of your favorite fresh & bright Rose and get to snackin! These sammies are perfect for any occasion & will WOW anyone who has the pleasure of eating them!
Recipes Shouldn’t Be Secrets
Does anyone remember an *old* video that came out before *viral* was even a word? Well, I do. This girl was shopping ((if memory serves me right, it was in a DEB store – omfg do you REMEMBER those?! Every HoCo dress EVER was purchased there!!)) ANYWAY. So, homegirl #1 is shopping & sees another girl shopping as well. Girl #1 sweetly & politely tells girl #2 that she loves her shoes & where did she get them? – Girl #2 rolls her eyes and DOESN’T EVEN RESPOND. I mean…the shock & embarrassment from Girl #1 is clearly felt. So homegirl #1 does the unthinkable, she follows the girl around the store saying shit we all feel from time-to-time : “I’m not copying you, I just wanted to give you a compliment & now you can’t even answer me?!” – I don’t believe it turned into an altercation or got out of hand…
but my point is….WHY DO SOME WOMEN ACT THIS WAY & WHY DO SOME WOMEN ACT THE SAME WAY ABOUT RECIPES?! Like damn. Could you imagine if nobody wanted to share their wealth of an awesome recipe?! How boring would the world be?? Cultures would NEVER collide & literally all food would be boring AF.
ANYWAY.
My point is, share the recipe. Give the compliment. Receive the acknowledgment. Be friends! I think everyone wants to feel justified that “being copied” is downright annoying AF, but giving credit & thanks where it is due can make all the difference. I’m lucky to have quite a few ladies in my life that are willing to share their secrets & recipes with me – it makes the world go ‘round! So I’m trying to do the same for y’all & hope you are enjoying this journey!
So basically, if you’re being Girl #2 and you don’t wanna share your family recipes, all I have to say is shame on you & you should feel sad that no one else will get to experience the greatness. Rethink yourself! Be cool like a cucumber.
Thanks for stopping by!
I appreciate you stopping by! If you loved it, I’d love to hear from you.
If you hated it, then same.
Have a great day & look for my next entry!
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