Ham and Cheese Sliders

I have a perfect football playoff recipe to share since it's getting down to the wire for the Super Bowl.  You could easily serve these for a super bowl party or for any of the playoff games.  I made them for our Seahawks game when they clinched the playoffs on New Year's Day.  We had a little football party at our house on that day and then ten people came over for dinner.  It was a fun way to start our New Year.   

Unfortunately, the Seahawks lost their first playoff game but it was exciting while it lasted.  As I write this, we are vacationing in Hawaii recovering from a busy holiday season.  And it's a great way to recover. 

Every night is a gorgeous sunset so we always plan where we want to be each evening to watch it.  We are on the Big Island of Hawaii on the Kona coast which is where we like to come in Hawaii.  This year we made a family vacation out of it since Lauren, Nick, Sachiyo and the grandkids were all able to come.  I think it was the best family vacation yet, although the Montana dude ranch in June and Seaside were also really fun but this was sensational. They have returned home now but Bruce and I are staying an additonal two weeks to get some R & R...and golf for Bruce, which he is doing today. 

This is one of my favorite photos after we took hula dancing lessions from a local.  It was really fun and I think we all had great talent to be hula dancers. We also loved the outfits she gave us to wear over our clothes.

Then we  took a ukulele lesson from a local couple and ended up playing "Over the Rainbow" at the end of the lesson.  I think the rest of my family is hooked on ukulele now just like I am.  How can you not be when in Hawaii? 

So, I guess you could say we embraced the culture while on vacation.  We all love doing that when we travel so that is definitely a common interest with us.  My ukulele instructor in Seattle is from Hawaii, Jonny Akamu, so I've been embracing it for awhile.  I started lessons from him in September.   Here I am at our Fall Concert where Jonny taught me John Lennon's "Imagine".  He played along with me (so you wouldn't hear all my mistakes) and also did all the singing.  So, it was a pretty easy gig for me.  

Jonny is such a great guy, I look forward to my lessons every week.  He really makes learning ukulele so fun.  We first met totally random at the children's wading pool at Green Lake when Bruce and I had taken the grandkids there.  He was playing his ukulele at the wading pool while his kids played and we were immediately drawn to him.  He is an amazingly gifted musician.  I could listen to him all day.  My granddaughter had previously checked out a ukulele from the library so we had been playing around with it learning YouTube songs.  But meeting Jonny was a major turning point in our ukulele playing.  My granddaughter and I both take ukulele lessons now so we have a lot of fun playing together and then playing in Hawaii was extra special.  With only Bruce and I are here, I play out on our lanai which really fits into the ambience here and I love it.  Jonny would be proud.  

So, back to reality of cold, winter, football season.  I wanted to get this recipe out there so everyone could make these for football parties.  The rolls are those Kings Hawaiian rolls which are in abundance here in Hawaii, I must say.  Those Hawaiians love their sweet breads.    

Where we live, you can usually find the Kings Hawaiian rolls but here in Hawaii they have Kings Hawaiian bread, hot dog buns, hamburger buns, etc...amazing.

They even have other brands besides King's so there is no shortage.  Now, you must go out and find yourself some of those Kings Hawaiian rolls and you'll have the best football sliders at the party, I guarantee it.  Aloha!

From Hip Foodie Mom

Makes 16 sliders

16 Kings Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls, cut in half
24 slices honey-roasted ham
16 slices swiss, gruyere or other favorite cheese (I used provolone and havarti)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. Worestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. On a rimmed baking sheet or casserole dish, place the bottom half of dinner rolls and top with 1-1/2 slices of ham and the cheese,

                  

3. Spread about 1 tsp. of mayonnaise on each TOP-half of the outside TOP roll and place roll half on top of the ham & cheese. (This is helping to create the delicious topping that coats these slides' rolls). Place the rolls snugly together in your casserole dish or baking dish. This helps prevent the top half from sliding off during baking.

                   

4. In a separate small bowl, combine the mustart, melted butter, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and brown sugar. Mix until well combined and evenly pour or spread over the assembled rolls.

                      

5. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.

6. Bake covered with foil for 10 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the tops are browned and the cheese is nice and melted.