Pickle pinwheels

Pickle pinwheels on my mother-in-law's vintage plate

It became clear to me last weekend that my pickle pinwheels have become a family tradition. People often walk into a party asking for them. We’ve been enjoying this savory appetizer for a long time now. It’s one that we make year-round when the family gathers together.

I got the recipe from a co-worker in the 1980s. Once a month, his wife sent treats in for the entire department. They were mostly sweet treats but on one occasion, she sent these pickle pinwheels. Everyone loved them so we asked her to share the recipe.

This appetizer is very easy to make. I like them because they can be made the day before so that all you need to do the day of the party is slice and plate them. When slicing, don’t throw the end pieces away. They may not look pretty but they taste the same. Store them in the refrigerator and pull them out later for a nice treat.

If you like pickles, you’ll love this appetizer. They’re addictive. But let me offer a warning—they’ll give you a bellyache if you eat too many. My husband can vouch for that—one might say he deserved the bellyache though.

Here’s the recipe if you’d like to try them sometimes.

Pickle pinwheels

8 ozs. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash of garlic salt of powder
Mayo (not salad dressing)
Buddig Sliced Beef (thin sliced)
1 jar Claussen whole dill pickles

Drain the pickles and set aside. Combine the cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic with enough mayo to make it spreadable. Lay two slices of beef down, overlapping them slightly (I use a small amount of the cream cheese mixture to glue the pieces together on both ends and in the middle). Lay two more slices of beef on top of the first layer (again glue them together). Gently spread a layer of cheese mixture on top of the layered beef. Place a pickle on one edge of cheese and roll up so it is encased in meat covered cheese. Refrigerate, covered, at least two hours or overnight. Just before serving, cut into ¼ inch slices.

Note: The Buddig meat used to come in squares but now it’s round. It was nicer looking when it was square but it still works.