Pinwheel Party Sandwich Recipe.

Did you know that the first of my sisters is due to have a wee one in March? I'm super excited although it makes me sad that she and her husband live a few hours away. Her baby shower was this past weekend and I put together some pinwheel sandwiches for the festivities! I also ate quite a few. They're so yummy! A favorite past-time of mine is creating my own recipes, and while I can't say what the cookbook instructs about these delightful little treats, I thought I'd share my own recipe with you.

The following recipe is great for parties, as it makes 80-90 pinwheels sandwiches. If you choose to use multiple types of lunch meat, I prefer not to mix them into the same sandwich as it can overpower the taste of the spreads.

You will need:

• 3.5 ounce bag sun-dried tomatoes

• extra virgin olive oil

• salt & pepper

• 12 ounces cream cheese

• 3-4 scallions (green onions)

• 12-14  tortillas (10")

• 2 pounds lunch meat

• romaine lettuce

Tomato Spread (can be done ahead)

Pulse the sun dried tomatoes in a blender with a good drizzle of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until no large chunks of the tomato remains. It won't be smooth, but should be even in appearance with very crumbly, small tomato pieces.

Cream Cheese Spread (can be made ahead)

Be sure to let the cream cheese soften just a little so that it will be easier to mix. Dice scallions and mix in well with the cream cheese. (Pretty easy, huh?)

Pinwheel Sandwiches 

To build sandwich, cover a tortilla with a thin later of cream cheese mixture. Then place slices of lunch meat (turkey is always a favorite) in a thin layer, leaving about 1" of cream cheese exposed at the far edge. (This cream cheese kind of glues the tortilla closed when rolled.) Place leaf lettuce across the center of the tortilla (from left to right, or right to left), and spread some of the tomato mixture along the lettuce. You are now ready to roll! Starting at the edge closest to you, roll away from yourself. Press firmly as you roll the far edge, making sure that the cream cheese seals the edge. Before you slice the actual sandwiches you'll have to cut away either end to prevent from getting two misshapen and half-empty sandwiches. I always put these scraps in a bowl to munch on: waste not, want not! Now cut the log into approximately 1" slices. You should get 6-7 pinwheels out of each tortilla.

Please enjoy! The sandwiches are best when served the same day they are made. You can also trim away the left and right edge of the tortilla before assembling instead of during the assembly process, but I like the little snack it provides when trimmed after the tortilla is filled and rolled. 

Happy Monday!