Spring is Sprung – Benedictine Spread

I don’t have a clue how this got the name.  I just know it is good – either as a sandwich spread or as a dip.  Pale green, vibrant with veggie flavor, just plain ol’ yum food.  I was introduced to this years ago by another Southern girl (from Kentucky).  Yeah, it can be a prissy girly shower type food, but…..from this non-prissy, logical, sci fi girl, it is also good for any occasion and any reason.

it is perfect for spring and hot summer – cukes, onion, cream cheese – oh my!  I like to make open faced sammiches with this spread on a nice hearty whole grain bread and topped with alfalfa sprouts or a bit of shredded lettuce.  it also is an excellent thing to stuff into hollowed out cherry tomatoes.

Try it.  You’ll like it.  If your onion is a bit strong, rinse thin slices or soak a few minutes in cold water. Or use chives. If you don’t have a food processor (I don’t and am a bit of a snob about my knife work), just finely mince the veggies. Use a hand mixer to put the ingredients together.

•1 large cucumber
•8 ounces cream cheese, softened
•2 tablespoons grated onion
•1/4 tsp salt
•1 tablespoon mayonnaise
•dash green food coloring (optional)

Pare, grate, and drain cucumber. Combine with remaining ingredients in food processor.   Serve as is or as a sandwich or canape spread. Thin with sour cream to make a dip for vegetables.  Use low fat cream cheese and mayo to make it healthier.

Sink Sammich

OK….I am going to start a contraversy here.  I am a Southerner and I hate Duke’s Mayonnaise. Don’t won’t use it.  I use that good ol’ Yankee Hellman’s mayo.  Okay????  Don’t hate me because I don’t like Duke’s.  Recipe for Sink Sammich is:

Two pieces of fresh white bread

Nice juicy SUMMER tomato (this is vital – those mushy

     storebought tomatoes don’t work)

Plenty of HELLMAN’s mayo

Salt and pepper – extra

 

Peel the tomato.  Some people leave the peeling on.  That is tacky. Slather mayo on both slices of bread.  Slice nice thick slices of tomato onto the bread.  Salt and pepper if desired.  Give it just a

little mash to squish the mayo and tomato around.  Put the sammich in

your paws and stand over the sink and chow down.  This is a real true

Summer Sink Sammich.  No basil, argula, goat cheese, whole grain bread.

None of that trendy sustainable, green, rustic/hand/artisan crafted stuff.  This ain’t

gourmet science – it is simple, true, and yummy. If you just have to NOT use Hellman’s, then use a good mayo and not the cheap stuff.  If juice doesn’t run down your arms or drop on your shirt, you made the sammich wrong.