The last couple of weeks I have been dealing with some health issues and while everything turned out better than expected, there have been some adjustments, and cooking has been very low in the priority list.

That is why Sweetbites has been a bit “dark”, as they say in the theater.

Then I took a quick little weekend trip to NYC, to meet up with “my people” to do some major wedding planning.

Happy to say, that we accomplished tons in 4 days. Colors are down, flow of event, flowers, décor, wedding dress! Hair, makeup and all the stuff that you think do not take time, until you actually start to talk about it. We had a conversation about cake for hours. Especially when I announced that I did not want one.

I had a major revolt from everyone in the room. Which then erupted in cries that I was crazy and “how I could possibly NOT HAVE CAKE at the wedding”. My MOH even went has far as telling me that she would not attend unless I had cake.

I had no choice guys.

I gave in.

We are now having one. No sense in fighting against the current on this one and “my people” can be very convincing.

Just like I’m going to convince you that these cute, tiny sandwiches are perfect for an afternoon snack. You can certainly use them in special events, like I did when I hosted the tea party last month. But, it makes a perfectly good spread to have hanging around in your refrigerator until it finds its way between two slices of bread for a quick sandwich.

You can poach some fresh salmon steak for it. Or you can go the total lazy way and use canned salmon as well. You can even use smoked if that is your preference.

The spread can be made an hour or two ahead and chilled; assemble sandwiches just before serving.

SALMON AND ASPARAGUS PARTY SANDWICHES

2 cans of salmon (if you go the fresh salmon route, just poach your favorite way with some aromatics and then flake)
8 ounces of cream cheese – at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
½ teaspoon of hot sauce (I used Sriracha chili garlic sauce)
36 spears asparagus (about 3 pounds), ends trimmed
½ teaspoon of white vinegar
1½ loaves whole-grain bread, thinly slice

Drain the salmon, flake the meat in a bowl. (Make sure the salmon is free of bones) add, the cream cheese sour cream, salt, hot sauce and lemon juice; stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as well by adding more salt or hot sauce. Set mixture aside.

Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Bring a wide, shallow pan of water, with the white vinegar, and a couple pinches of salt to a simmer over medium heat. Add asparagus; let simmer until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath; let cool. Transfer to a cutting board, and slice the asparagus in half lengthwise; set aside.

Assemble the sandwiches: Spread reserved salmon mixture onto each slice of bread. Top half the slices with six asparagus-spear halves, then cover with the remaining slices of bread. Trim crusts, cut each sandwich into four triangles, and serve immediately.