Easy Peasy Party Pleaser:  Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

These sliders are a guaranteed crowd pleaser, whether for a party or a weeknight dinner. What’s even better is how easy it is to make (with lots of different substitution options) – you would have to try hard to sabotage this recipe!

Ingredients 

• One 12-pack King’s Hawaiian Rolls
• 1/2 lb black forest ham, thinly sliced
  • Substitution = any type of ham or deli meat
• 1/2 lb baby Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
  • I like to use baby Swiss because it melts faster than regular Swiss cheese.
  • Substitution = regular Swiss, cheddar, or Havarti also pair well with ham; if using a different deli meat, choose a cheese of your liking
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp dried minced onion
• 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
  • Substitution = garlic powder (just use a little less than 1/4 tsp)
  • Tip = granulated garlic is coarser than garlic powder; garlic powder is a little more intense in flavor.

Ideal Tools

• 9×13” baking dish
• Parchment paper
• Foil
• Large, serrated knife
• Butter knife
• Tsp measurement
• Small mixing bowl, cup, or glass Pyrex measuring cup
• Whisk
• Basting brush

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350℉ degrees.
2. Line the baking dish with parchment paper. Let the parchment paper overhang the sides by 2-3”.
   • I like to use parchment paper, so I don’t have to grease the baking dish. Plus, I’m able to use it to help lift the sliders onto a cutting board.
3. Remove the King’s Hawaiian rolls from the plastic and cardboard – be sure to keep them together (i.e, do not separate or taste test any of the rolls).
   • Did you know? The white tray that the King’s Hawaiian rolls come in can be placed in the oven for 2-3 minutes to warm up the rolls if eating them separately.
4. Keeping the rolls together, use a large, serrated knife to cut the rolls horizontally to separate the tops from the bottoms (like cutting a bagel in half for the toaster). Set aside the large, serrated knife for later.
5. Place the bottom half of the rolls on the parchment paper in the baking dish.
6. Spread Dijon mustard (about 2 tbsp) on the bottom inside half of the rolls using a butter knife.
7. Layer half of the ham on the bottom half of the rolls, followed by the cheese, then the remaining half of the ham.
8. Place the top half of the rolls on the sliders.
9. Mix the melted butter, remaining mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, minced onion, and granulated garlic in a small mixing bowl, cup, or Pyrex measuring cup using a whisk.
   • I like using a glass Pyrex measuring cup to melt the butter in the microwave. It also has a spout to pour, which is helpful for the next step.
10. Pour the butter mixture evenly on top of the sliders.
11. Use a basting brush to brush the butter mixture along the tops of the sliders and along the sides.
12. Cover the top of the baking dish with foil to prevent the tops from burning.
13. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
14. Remove the foil and bake in the preheated oven for another 10 minutes.
15. When finished baking, carefully use the overhang of the parchment paper to transfer the sliders on to a cutting board.
16. Using a large, serrated knife, cut the rolls into individual sliders and serve immediately (hot!).
    • Note: Don’t forget this step! Having the sliders pre-cut makes them easier for people to grab.

If you are taking these sliders to-go, like to a potluck or Mardi Gras party, you can place them into a Crock-pot or slow cooker to keep warm – just layer each layer with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. 

Enjoy!