Let’s talk about brunch for a minute. Do you guys do brunch?
Here in NYC it’s kind of a big deal. Come Saturday and Sunday afternoon, if you’re strolling around any hopping neighborhood you’re sure to bump into bustling crowds of people lined up eagerly awaiting their chance to plop their tired bottoms down for some eggs and bottomless mimosas.
Sounds pretty dreamy, eh?
And it is.
My only issue with the whole brunch scene is – and here’s the part where I start sounding like a jaded New Yorker – that after a week of subways, strangers, and not a moment of quiet to be found (thank the LORD for sound machines), I don’t always feel in a people mood. There, I said it! Sometimes the idea of random noisy people makes me cringe. Does that make me a bad person…?
To battle the whole brunch debacle once and for all I’ve found the 50/50 balance works out delightfully. About twice a month we go out (which is in all honesty lovely and inspiring) and the other 50% of the time we make brunch a special occasion at home.
A few weekends ago we hosted some friends and made these adorable little sliders boasting smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and whipped dill cream cheese.
With some fresh squeezed OJ, a crisp bottle of bubbly, and a little Sinatra to swoon us in the background, brunch at home sounds pretty damn dreamy too, right?
Smoked Salmon Sliders with Whipped Dill Cream Cheese – Baker by Nature
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
8 ounces smoked salmon, divided into 8 even pieces
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup red onion, sliced very thin
8 slider rolls (if you can’t them use hawaiian rolls or even cut hot dog rolls in half)
For the whipped dill cream cheese –
In a blender combine the cream cheese and dill and pulse until light and fluffy. Taste and add more dill if needed.
Assembly –
Toast your slider rolls if desired. Spread a small amount of the dill whipped cream cheese on each bun, then top with salmon, onion, and capers. Go get your brunch on!
Oooo, the creamy dill spread – me want!!! These sliders look yummers, Ashley! Happy Friday!
We lived in NYC for a few year and you’re absolutely right…brunch is a big deal! We definitely went out for our share of brunches, but my favorite thing to do was to pick up some H&H bagels, some smoked salmon at Citarella, and then head down for a little picnic “brunch” in Riverside Park. Your sliders would have been the perfect treat on mornings like that.
I’m totally all about the stay-at-home brunch scene versus the going-out one. Especially if these sliders are involved. YUM, girl! 🙂
Wow, do I ever miss Brooklyn brunch–especially since every single breakfast dish seemed to come with a side of simple mesclun salad. Salad for breakfast is the greatest! This dill cream cheese sounds amazing–and I love how the sliders are more or less a classic bagel in miniature. 🙂
These look amazing, so fancy yet super delicious! 🙂
brunch is so fun! and these sliders look perfect 🙂
Absolutely drooling. I LOOOVE this combo. I wish smoked salmon wasn’t so expensive, I would so make this in a second!
These are adorable! My husband and I would LOVE these 🙂 Thanks!
These look incredible Ashley. I love smoked salmon but don’t get to enjoy it often enough. And that dill cream cheese?! I must take your advice and make these at home one weekend. With mimosas, of course. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Ashley, these are so cute! My hubs would love them. I try to do a smoked salmon app for him once a year. He’d love this! We like to do our brunches on Saturday nights, btw. Weird, but super fun! 😉
What a beautiful snack my friend, classy and gourmet 😀
Cheers
CCU
whipped dill cream cheese sounds fab on just about anything!
Wanting to get away from the crowd definitely doesn’t make you a bad person and I totally relate. I actually live in a small town and I still enjoy being a recluse from time to time. It’s nice to get in some quality time alone or with friends/family. Your sliders look tasty and I love your idea of dill cream cheese!
We’re so lazy on a Saturday that we can barely force ourselves to leave the flat before lunchtime so I love the idea of a little brunch at home!
Sometimes the best brunches are at home. This whipped dill cream cheese sounds as if it would be great on everything but the smoked salmon is a clear winner.
ok Ashley… I need to make these. Like, yesterday. 😉 I love smoked salmon so much! And that cream cheese – oh my heavens! It sounds dangerously good. I love dill.
WOW- that photo with the cheese and chopped dill on the cutting board is fabulous! I’d love it on my wall 🙂
I love brunch but I don’t go out to enjoy it nearly enough! There’s no excuse except that I’m so lazy on weekend mornings. This looks delicious.
We’ve been enjoying smoked salmon sandwiches with goat cheese dill at home. Comfort food and delicious!
I’ll trade you! Your place in NYC for my place in Sacramento. I just got back from NYC and LOVED it. But I understand, after working with the public every day, sometimes being home is the bestest evaaahhh. So is this crazy-awesome dill cream cheese. Holy mother of pearl.
drooooooling.
I have done brunch once in NYC and loved it. I felt like such a grown up. When we do brunch here in Sacramento, I usually feel like a hungover twenty-something who doesn’t have her sh*t together (which is usually the case)!
Making something like this at home would be a perfect middle ground: you don’t have to have it together enough to leave the house…just enough to shmear some whipped dill cream cheese and assemble your sliders 🙂
Hi Ashley! I am a brunch person — in fact I prefer it to having breakfast. I totally know what you mean about not always being a people person, and there’s nothing wrong with that because a little quiet does us good. Your sliders look fantastic! I love smoked salmon and this would be a great brunch or lunch.:)
Growing up in Europe (Germany) brunch was a big deal on the weekends. In Western Canada I never heard about it but with these yummy sliders brunch at home would be awesome!
These sound so perfect Ashley. I love dill and salmon together. These are perfect! So glad to be back and seeing my blogging family again 🙂
If you can make this awesome sliders at home, there is absolutely no need to eat brunch outside! It’s nice once in a while to get new inspiration and all, but we can eat great food at home, especially your cooking!
My husband loves smoked salmon (lox) but I am not a fish eater, so I don’t buy it very often. He would really enjoy these sliders. I may just have to surprise him. 🙂
Love the combination of dill and smoked salmon…great little sandwiches Ashley.
Hope you are having a great week my dear 🙂
These sliders look so good! I’m going to have to make them!
OMG!!!! I just bought a slab of organic salmon today to make gravlax! Not quite like smoked salmon, but the ingredient list is silimar…capers, dill, red onion…and delish salmon! I’m so craving right now…