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Recipes for your Garden Haul: Cucumber Sandwiches


The garden haul in this photo is from a few weeks ago. I haven't been taking pics lately, but I need to. Next week I'll share some photos of the garden itself, along with the fun stuff we're harvesting (and, of course, some garden recipes).

So, we're moving on from zucchini recipes (as promised) to cucumbers...because that's what's coming in in my garden right now. I've got a few simple cucumber recipes to share this week. (I think every recipe involving cucumbers is simple.) In addition to those, my husband's been making lots of fun cucumber drinks and we've canned some cucs for dill pickles (as well as some hot peppers) that will be ready to eat later this month.

I also highly recommend using up extra cucs by making cucumber water. It's lovely. To make it extra interesting you can add some fresh ginger and lemon to your cucumber water. It is light and refreshing and very spa-like.

But today, we're talking cucumber sandwiches.

They're not just for English High Tea!

(And they are actually quite delicious. Seriously. Give them a try.)

These are so simple. They are cool and light. Perfect for a hot summer day. And they are a delicious way to use up the 542 cucumbers that are growing in your garden...or is that just in my garden???

Seriously people, those things are taking over! They have squeezed out the summer squash plant; they would be squeezing out the beans and lettuce if I hadn't put up a barricade; they might be trying to take over the world! It is a crazy tangled mess in there, but boy are those cucs delish.

So here's another way to use them...dainty, proper, English cucumber sandwiches.

Cucumber Sandwiches (makes 4 sandwiches)

recipe originally found on www.chindeep.com
3 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp mayo
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cucumber, sliced (I leave the skin on unless it's really tough)
8 slices, bread of your choice (I think a softer bread works best, but any kind will do)

Mix the cream cheese, mayo, garlic and Italian seasoning together in a small bowl. (If you let your cream cheese sit out for a little bit before mixing, you can just mix it by hand. If your cream cheese is very firm you can either soften it a bit in the microwave (just a little though, don't heat it up) or you can mix this all in a mini food processor.) Spread cream cheese mixture on all 8 slices of bread. Add one layer of cucumber to 4 of the slices of bread. Sprinkle cucumber lightly with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with other bread slice. Cut and serve. (You can cut the crusts off to be extra proper, but I don't bother...I like crust.)

There you have it. Super simple summer sandwiches...say that 5 times fast.

Until next time, happy eating.




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