Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwich on Raisin Bread

Congratulations! If you are here, it's probably because you are a curious soul who simply must find out about a sandwich that admittedly sounds a little strange the first time you see it in print.

Weird? Maybe.

Delicious? Definitely!

I've enjoyed this sandwich for many years and occasionally see it on restaurant menus, mostly in southern states. But I will grant you that it is not widely available anywhere. It's the kind of sandwich that is made on bread without crust and cut into fingers or small triangles. You know - tea sandwiches - found most often in quaint tearooms or at lunch counters with stools that swivel around, if your feet touch the floor that is.

But don't be too quick to judge! These tasty treats can be made and eaten in the privacy of your own home, just in case you have a man-size appetite. Oh yeah! Men eat these and love them too! Trust me. I've seen them do it!

In fact, I served these for dinner last night for my reunion committee friends. Yes, if you've been keeping up with my cooking, you know that the committee had regular dinner meetings at my house leading up to the reunion. And, yes, the reunion was in September. And yes, we're still meeting for dinner. And I'm still very happy to have a reason to cook!

So back to the sandwiches. I set up a buffet of four sandwich spreads -- Pesto Chicken Salad (made with Chasmo Pesto), Pimento Cheese, Ham Salad and Cream Cheese and Olive Spread, along with white bread, whole wheat bread and raisin bread. We also enjoyed a big pot of Rodney's Blackeyed Pea Gumbo and a salad with romaine lettuce, mandarin oranges, red onions, chow mein noodles and sugar and spice pecans with a sweet and sour dressing. I guess we were all over the map with this riot of flavors, but let's just think of it as something for everyone - yum!

Well, let me tell you, there were some skeptics in the group and I don't know how many actually tried the cream cheese and olive sandwiches on raisin bread, but I heard several surprised voices admit that they liked it and wanted the recipe! Music to my ears!

OK, so recipe may be a generous description for this little list of ingredients. Usually I just wing it,  so I've come up with  a reasonable ratio of ingredients for those not so daring in the kitchen. I'm pretty sure you can't mess it up.

Tell me what you think:

1. Too weird to try. 
2. I'm running to the store to pick up the ingredients right now.
3. I've got everything on hand and I'm making it right this minute.
4. Oh, for heaven's sake, I've been eating these since forever!
5. I don't like raisins. (That one's for you Munner!)
6. Thank you, thank you, thank you for opening my eyes to this amazing combo!

Oh, the picture at the top of the page is the kitchen all cleaned up after dinner with the reunion committee. I really can load the dishwasher all by myself. But ... shhhh ... don't tell My Favorite Husband, who continues to think he is the Household Efficiency Expert. He skipped out early tonight to go to his career job.

And BTW, he likes Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwiches on Raisin Bread.

CREAM CHEESE AND OLIVE SANDWICHES ON RAISIN BREAD

½ cup chopped green olives with pimento

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

¼ cup mayonnaise

dash or two of Worcestershire sauce

sliced raisin bread (I'm partial to Pepperidge Farm)

Chop green olives in food processor to measure ½ cup; remove from food processor and set aside. Add cream cheese, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce to food processor and blend until creamy. Add olives and pulse several times just enough to blend into cream cheese. Use as a sandwich spread on raisin bread.

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