Ingredients:

  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill or chives
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 4 slices white, sourdough, or whole grain bread
  • 1/2 cup English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh spinach or arugula
  • 1 tbsp butter, for grilling

Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter. Whip together with a spatula until velvety and uniform. Stir in the lemon juice, dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
  2. Lay bread slices flat and spread a thin, even layer of the cream cheese mixture from edge to edge on two of the slices to create a moisture barrier.
  3. Arrange thinly sliced cucumbers in an overlapping pattern over the cream cheese, then add a layer of fresh spinach or arugula on top.
  4. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices. For cold version, trim crusts and cut diagonally. For grilled version, butter the outside of the bread and sear in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.