Cucumber Sandwiches

It's summer and that means my menu preferences are dishes that don't require turning on my stove or oven. Yesterday we drove to the other side of the island to explore the beaches and enjoy some "staycation" fun before school starts. As I packed our picnic lunch I realized my fridge was overflowing with cucumbers. Since I couldn't see us munching on cucumber spears/slices while sitting on a sandy beach (sand and finger foods don't mix) I bravely decided to pack our lunch with a completely different and random choice of sandwich, cucumber sandwiches.

Have you ever eaten cucumber sandwiches? I've never attempted these before and while searching for a recipe I found that most cucumber sandwiches are simply white bread and thinly sliced cucumbers.  Hmmm...the English seem to enjoy them but cucumbers and sponge bread just didn't sound like a hearty enough lunch for beach play. That's when I found this version with pickled cucumbers and an herb infused cream cheese spread. I served our sandwiches on freshly baked whole-wheat bread and my kids devoured their lunch. I'm not sure if it was because they were starving after the sun exposure but even my youngest and pickiest eater requested seconds.

Just a note: In my opinion eating these with wheat bread does detract from the subtle cucumber/cheese filling flavor but it makes a much heartier and lasting meal. Also, slicing your cucumber with a mandoline would be ideal since it would give you extra thin slices.

Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches
1 medium cucumber
1 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon dill - optional
a loaf of white or sourdough bread

Wash the cucumber, then peel and thinly slice. Mix the water and vinegar in a bowl and let the cucumber slices soak for half an hour. Remove and drain thoroughly.

One half hour before serving mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise and the spices. Put a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on two slices of bread and place the cucumbers between the two. Cut the crust off the sandwhich and cut diagonally twice; you will have four triangles.

Who Dished it first? Fun Tea Party Ideas


Here's a photo from the Fun Tea Party Ideas website of a crustless triangular cucumber and cream cheese sandwich on white bread, just perfect for a tea party snack!

Herb Focaccia

Tonight I made this yummy focaccia bread recipe to eat with our soup. The recipe isn't the quickest to make with the multiple resting and raising times but it turned out wonderful. I especially enjoyed the delicious flavor of the olive oil and fresh herbs from my garden on top. I think a focaccia sandwich is on my lunch menu for tomorrow with my leftover loaf!

Herb Focaccia

Family Fun Magazine October 2007

2 c lukewarm water

1 t sugar

1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 t)

1 1/2 t salt

4 1/2 to 5 c unbleached flour

5 T (for dough) plus 1/3 c (for herb drizzle) olive oil

cornmeal for dusting

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 T chopped fresh rosemary

2 t fresh thyme leaves

coarse salt (optional)

Pour the water into a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and set aside for 5 minutes to dissolve. Note: If the yeast doesn't begin to bubble within 5 minutes, repeat the process with fresh ingredients.

Add the salt, 3 cups of the flour and 2 T olive oil to the yeast mixture and beat the ingredients with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes. (I used my Bosch mixer with the dough paddle.) Add the remaining flour about 1/2 c at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough is too hard to be stirred, turn it onto a well floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, using more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.  (Again, still using my Bosch with bread paddles I added flour until the dough pulled clean away from the sides of the bowl and then kept the mixer running for 10 minutes to replace the hand kneading.) 

Pour 1 Tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of a large bowl. Roll dough around in the oil to coat it before covering the bowl with plastic wrap. Set dough aside in a warm spot to raise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. When the dough has doubled punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Knead it for 1 minute, then cut the dough in half and knead each half into a rectangle. Set aside on a floured surface to rest for 10 minutes.

While the dough is resting lightly oil a large baking sheet then sprinkle on a light coating of cornmeal. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Press and stretch it into oblong shapes, about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick, leaving 2 inches between the loaves. Brush the tops of the loaves with 2 T olive oil. Set dough aside to rise for 15 minutes and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a measuring cup combine the 1/3 c of olive oil with the garlic, rosemary and thyme and stir. Dimple the loaves with your fingertips then spoon the oil-and-herb mixture over each dough rectangle. Sprinkle the loaves with coarse salt if desired.

Bake the focaccia on the center oven rack until the tops are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack. 

*For a slightly thicker bread bake in a round cake pan instead of on a cookie sheet. 

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Hoagies

My husband likes a hearty dinner and my kids like spagetti so this was a great crowd pleaser for our family tonight. I have a french bread recipe so instead of buying hoagies I cut the recipe in half and then divided the dough 12 ways into these somewhat larger-than-life hoagies but we all loved them! Thanks Jenny at Picky Palate for the meatball recipe!

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Hoagies

(Original recipe from Jenny at Picky Palate)

1 lb ground beef
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon Tabasco Hot Sauce
½ Cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
½ Cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 T fresh)
¼ teaspoon dried basil (or 1 T fresh)

12-15 1 inch mozzarella balls (or cut fresh mozzarella in 1 inch cubes)
1 26oz jar favorite pasta sauce, or homemade sauce
4-6 Hoagie Rolls, cut in half
4 sliced provolone cheese, each cut into halves (I think this is optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place beef, egg, milk, hot sauce, bread crumbs, parmesan, salt, pepper, oregano and basil in a large bowl. With hands or large spoon, mix until well combined.

2. Scoop about ¼ Cup meat mixture in hands; press 1 mozzarella ball into middle of meat and form a ball around the cheese. Do this until all meat and cheese is used up; makes about 12-15 large meatballs.

3. Place all meatballs into a 9x13 inch baking dish that has ¼ Cup olive oil spread into bottom. Bake for 20 minutes; flip all meatballs. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

4. Place pasta sauce into a large pot. Place cooked meatballs in sauce.Simmer on low heat.

5. Place ½ slice of provolone onto the cut sides of rolls. Place onto tin foil or baking sheet and broil in oven for 1-2 minutes or until rolls are toasted and cheese is melted.

6. Place 3-4 meatballs onto bottom halves of toasted rolls. Spoon pasta sauce over meatballs and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Close with top roll and serve warm.

**Jayne's Notes: When broiling my Hoagies I buttered each, put mozzarella on one half and a quick shake of Parmesan and garlic salt on the other. Also, the fresh herbs made a HUGE difference in the meat mixture! (I actually think the meat would have been a bit drab if not for the intense flavor of fresh herbs.)

Also, I cut my meatballs in half when serving so they fit better on the sandwich. (I don't like to get a huge chunk of meatball when I bite into the sandwich so that was an added bonus of halving your meatballs.)

Grilled Turkey & Cheddar Sandwiches with Mango Chutney

This recipe mixes ever so slight indian flavors with mango chutney for a delicious grilled panini. I served this tonight with oven-roasted potato wedges drizzled with olive oil and onion soup mix. The weather has been very warm lately so it was nice to have a light sandwich for dinner. My little girls also enjoyed the sandwiches so count this recipe in as family friendly.

Grilled Turkey and Cheddar Sandwiches with Mango Chutney

recipe and photo courtesy of Finecooking.com

2 c grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 c finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 c Major Grey's mango chutney

4 naan breads

12 oz sliced turkey breast

1 T unsalted butter, melted

1/2 t ground cumin

Heat a panini or sandwich press according to manufacturer's instructions. (Alternatively, heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat and put a heavy pan on top of the sandwich while cooking, turning sandwich over once.)

While the press is heating, combine the cheese and cilantro in a small bowl and stir until blended. Spread the chutney inside one half of each of the naan breads. Top with the turkey and cheese mixture. Fold the naan in half to cover the sandwich filling. Combine the melted butter and cumin; brush on both sides of the sandwich.  Put the sandwich on the press, pull the top down and cook until browned and crips, about 3-6 minutes. 

Jayne's notes: Eat these hot off the grill or the bread will get soggy. Naan is a slightly puffy Indian-style flatbread that can be found in most grocery stores in the bakery section by pita breads. Other flatbreads can be substituted but I recommend they not be too thin or too dry or else it won't grill nicely and it might fall apart. Also, Major Grey's is the name of the mango chutney and not the brand. I did find this in the condiment section of my local grocer but I've also seen it in the international section of the store.