I planned to make these sliders for lunch on Saturday but, hadn’t prepped ahead. We spent the whole day in Destin so, the sliders became Sunday’s dinner. My family often chooses small plates to replace the Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. There’s nothing tastier than my Dad’s smoked turkey and my Mom’s cornbread dressing! We wouldn’t dare give up both holiday meals. But, lets face it; bathroom and base board cleaning coupled with cooking and baking numerous recipes of exra-large portions that result in an overabundance of leftovers is stressful! Eating leftovers quickly becomes monotonous and eventually, much of the sweat and tears end up in the garbage bin. Moreover, there’s the back-breaking task of washing piles of dishes that most likely have to be hand-washed because we feel the need to get out the pretty stuff! Then there’s the necessary scrubbing of baked on cheeses and cream sauces or whatever else decides to attach itself for life to the casserole dishes. Agh! Once a year is enough for us! For the appetizer holiday of choosing, these delicious rolls are a tried and true! One, that if forgotten would bring about major disappointment. There would likely be an empty spot at the table everyone would stare at during the meal with a longing expression. It might even be as disappointing as forgetting to make blueberry cream cheese pie….nah. That would be devastating.
King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls are so good, but any sweet rolls will do. I used the awesome pick-up service at Walmart so, I didn’t actually have to do my own shopping!!!!!!! Sometimes they make substitutions, but WHO CARES?!?!? I don’t actually have to do my own shopping!!!!!!
Preheat oven to 350°. Slice swiss cheese if using a block. Slice rolls in half and spread a thin layer of mayonnaise (I use Canola Hellmann’s mayo) on the bottom half. Place 2 slices ham and 2 slices swiss cheese on top, then replace bun tops.
Place sandwiches tightly together into a baking dish.
Melt butter or margarine in microwave safe bowl. Whisk butter, dijon mustard, poppy seeds, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce and melted butter together in a small bowl.
Pour mixture over rolls and pop into oven, baking for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
I served these with hand cut rosemary and thyme sweet potato fries. For the sweet potato recipe, see this post: Juicier Than Juicy Cheeseburger
Even my kid who only likes meat when it is deep fried ate them! I’m writing that down in my book of “Accomplishments I Make as a Mom” book that no one will ever read but me.
To make these healthier, use whole grain buns, leave out the mayo, use reduced-fat cheese and use half the butter.
By the way, I think there’s an unwritten law in the south that allows all men to be exempt from any cleaning-up duties on holidays. I would like to exercise the ability to veto.
- 1. vegetables of choice for roasting (sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, broccoli or cauliflower florets, root vegetables, kale or bok choy, onions and garlic)
- 2. fresh or dried herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary, mint, cilantro, curry, turmeric). If using fresh, wash, pat dry and roughly chop
- 3. quinoa (any variety)
- 4. Vegetable stock
- 5. salt and pepper TT
- your quinoa should be proportional to the amount of vegetables you use. Use the amount of stock recommended on the back of the quinoa container according to the amount of servings you desire.
- 1. 1/3 cup tahini, well stirred
- 2. 1/3 cup water
- 3. 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4. 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 5. 3/4 Tbsp salt
- 6. 1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Chop vegetables of choice. Roughly chop fresh garlic. Place chopped veggies on a roasting pan covered with parchment or a silicone mat. Coat vegetables with olive, avocado or grape seed oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and fresh or dried herbs of choice.
- Roast vegetables for 25-35 minutes, tossing at least once while roasting.
- While vegetables roast, cook 2 cups of dried quinoa or more, according to number of desired servings. Follow directions on package. Use vegetable broth to replace water for a more flavorful outcome.
- As veggies and quinoa cook, whisk tahini, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and sugar, if using in a small bowl until well combined.
- When quinoa is cooked, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Place quinoa into serving bowls. Drizzle half of the tahini dressing over quinoa. Add salt and pepper, as desired.
- Top quinoa with roasted vegetables and drizzle vegetables with the remaining tahini dressing. Top with herbs.
- To save time, use pre-chopped vegetables, as available
- Use dehydrated garlic or garlic powder to save time
- In a pinch, use bottled lemon juice
*something you may not know: hard cheeses such as swiss, cheddar and Gouda can last three to four weeks in the refrigerator when tightly wrapped. Parmesan cheese can last much longer. Remove cheese from original wrapping and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a plastic bag. Each time you use it, wrap it in a new piece of plastic wrap. If you notice a small, moldy spot, cut a 1 inch square around it and it’s still safe to eat. The softer the cheese, the shorter the shelf life.
Keep your refrigerator temperature at 40° or below to keep food safe and maximize their shelf-life.
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A favorite for one of my holiday meals, for sure! 😃
Our’s too!
Looks yummy!!!
Thanks! They are pretty easy too!