Cheddar-carrot tea sandwiches with pesto

I was perusing the intertubes one day and came upon a cheddar and pesto sandwich, which looked quite tasty.  Not sure why I added carrot, except that a bag o'shredded carrot was "aging" in front of the cheddar.  But it still needed something added because it was a bit dry.  

Mayo!  Eureka!  Now I had an alternative for the veggies attending the shower picnic.  You know, the picnic I have only mentioned once ... in every post ... for at least a week.  Anyway, one of the picnic invitees needed an egg-free alternative.  No biggie -- for her I replaced the mayo with some of the hummus I conveniently had on hand for the crudite dip.

This sandwich was a hit, even for the meat-eaters!  Only 3 of the massive quantities (12) of petite triangles were left by dessert time.

Like several other picnic items, I used a ready-made product to speed up assembly, and this recipe is no exception -- purchased pesto.   Whether your pesto is homemade or pre-made, this sandwich is a keeper.

Cheddar-carrot tea sandwiches with pesto
Yield:  4 servings (2 triangle quarters per person) as part of a tea or picnic, or 2 servings (4 quarters per person) as lunch

4 slices bread, white, whole wheat or a combination
4 ozs. cheddar cheese
3/4  packed cup shredded carrots
2 Tbl. pesto (ready-made okay)
2 Tbl. mayo (or hummus)

Spread pesto onto 2 of the bread slices.

Cut  thin slices from the cheddar (the exact number will depend upon the size of the slices).

Top each pesto-covered bread slice with enough cheddar slices to cover to pesto.  Follow with a small handful, (about 1/4 cup) of shredded carrots.

Spread mayo or hummus onto remaining bread slices and place on top of carrots.

For a tea or buffet, trim off edges, then cut each sandwich crossways into 4 small triangles.  If you are serving immediately, separate and arrange triangles decoratively.  If you are traveling, wrap sandwiches securely and keep cool until ready to serve.