Created over one hundred years ago by Louisville, Kentucky caterer and author, Jennie Carter Benedict, Benedictine is so popular in my hometown, you can find it in the prepared food section of supermarkets year round.
I’ve had the best time digging through the archives of Weelicious for lunch recipes I made for the kids in years past including this delicious Benedictine making it perfect for Rewind Wednesday. It’s was a traditional recipe I ate a ton as a kid and now have been serving to my kids. I love that it’s a bit more exciting then you usual cucumber cream cheese sandwich with a few other interesting ingredients, but it’s still simple to prepare and keeps in the fridge for a week. If you’re looking for lunch inspiration ideas like this one you can peak at the Weelicious Instagram feed for a few more vegetarian ideas.
I feel very strongly that our childhood food memories play a large part in informing what foods we gravitate towards as adults. My husband and I have sat around more than once discussing the things we used to love eating as well as the foods we HATED as kids. Growing up in New York, my husband ate a lot of pizza, Chinese food, bagels, smoked fish and black and white cookies, while I was busy eating my southern diet of cheese grits, ham and my personal favorite, benedictine.
My husband likes to make fun of the fact that almost every recipe in our family contains cheese in obscene quantities, and it’s true, southerners do like their cheese. My grandmother used to make the most heavenly tea sandwiches for us using this homemade spread called benedictine. Her recipe called for green food coloring, but in keeping with our “no dyes” principal at weelicious, I left it out and was shocked that the cucumber still gave it a gorgeous green hue. Most kids I know love cream cheese, so why not let them give this twist on it a whirl. Whether I spread it on pita, rice cakes or toast, it’s a winner every time. Even with my husband.
Benedictine
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Cucumber, peeled (use english or seedless cucumbers if you can find them)
- 2 tablespoons Yellow Onion (about 1/4 of a small onion)
- 8 Oz cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- sandwich bread
Instructions
- Cut cucumber in half and remove the seeds with a spoon.
- Place the cucumber and onion in a food processor and puree.
- Place the puree in a stainer to drain off excess liquid.
- Place the cucumber mixture back in the food processor with the cream cheese and salt and puree until combined.
- Spread onto bread to make sandwiches.
- Serve.
Notes
- Always look for English, Persian, or hothouse cucumbers for a recipe like this. They are all smaller in diameter and nearly seedless, making them perfect for a sandwich filling.
thank you very much
My daughter LOVES tea parties, but we just have a Green Toys plastic set. The set you showed in the video is adorable! Could you share what brand it is? Thanks! Can’t wait to try these yummy little sammies 🙂
[…] Via: weelicious.com […]
This is so perfect for right now. My daughters love cucumbers and cream cheese but I never thought of doing this!
Sounds really good to me.
You are SO from Kentucky! hahhaha I noticed that looking through your recipes. If you aren’t from here then you’ve surely visited a lot. 🙂
How long does this last once made? What would you say is the best means of storage?
Yumm, I bet if you added a couple of spinach leaves you woulg have youe bold green color!
Thanks for posting! Just had these at my sons valentines day tea in KY and loved them. Thanks for making my search easier with this simple recipe! Can’t wait to try!!!
Found you on Pinterest… Just made this!! It was so good! My husband is from KY & Benedictine is a staple there. I’ve tried to make this before with no success. I was so glad your recipe worked! Thanks!!
It might, I’m not really sure but I think, maybe, it will separate from the liquid after sitting for a while in the fridge, if it does then just toss the liquid sitting on the top and just stir again. If it doesn’t then you made a fantastic veggie dip!!
I just made this…well sortof. It was my intention to make this but I got disctracted and forgot to strain off the liquid and it turned out way soupy. I’m so mad at myself. We just used it to dip cut up veggies in. VERY tasty!!! Do you think it will set up firmer in the fridge since I had the cream cheese softened when I made it?