Hot Ham & Cheese Sliders

Image courtesy of King's Hawaiian Bakery

First I must start with a confession. Last night at a party, I betrayed a fellow food issue haver. This is something I would never do under normal circumstances as I believe it goes against the code of ethics among the food issue havers.  You see, it was my friend's brother. Apparently, he hates mustard. Okay, if you have been reading my blog at all you would probably get that I totally understand this. Well these little sandwiches do have a bit of mustard blended into the butter sauce on the top. I heard my friend tell him there was no mustard and I wanted to speak up but I froze. Right there in my seat, I sat and said nothing because I wanted to hear him say how they were the best sandwiches EVER. But then I had an awful thought. What if the mustard freaked him out like the mayo freaks me out? What if he started gagging and choking and thinking he might die right there at the Halloween party? It would all be my fault. He took a bite. I waited in my close to hyperventilating state - knowing he was either going to die from eating mustard or (far more likely I am sure)he was going to proclaim it the best sandwich ever and everyone would then stop what they a\were doing, eat my sandwiches and proclaim me the queen of the night because of my amazing ability to throw some ham and cheese on a roll and heat it all up into a savory little delight.

I know. My constant need for validation is nauseating. Perhaps it will make it to the resolution list for 2012. Of course it probably will not as I should probably in all fairness resubmit my lists for 2009, 2010 and 2011 first. What? Didn't you know that resolutions have a three year statute of limitations?  See, you do learn from my blog!

Hot Ham & Cheese Sliders
Modified from King's Hawaiian Bakery

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tbs Creole mustard
1 tsp Worchester sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1 (12 pack) Hawaiian Rolls
1 lb. thin sliced deli ham
1 lb thinly sliced Baby Swiss cheese
Tony Chachere's  Creole seasoning, optional but so good!

1. Melt butter and mix in mustard, sauce and onion and set aside.
2. Cut the entire pack of rolls in half, horizontally (keeping all top and bottom halves separately together, you know?).
3. Cover bottom of rolls with ham and top with cheese.  Sprinkle with creole seasoning and replace the tops of the rolls.
4. Pour butter mixture over top of rolls, spreading to ensure that onions are evenly distributed. Onion haters? Sesame  or poppy seeds would also work and the original recipe called for dehydrated onion but well, you know, I couldn't.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes covered.  Separate and serve!

The easiest way I've found to serve these is to cut them apart with a pizza cutter.  Brilliant, right? I thought of it one night after watching old reruns of John and Kate +8 when apparently tons of people wrote to her and said that she should cut the kids' pancakes with a pizza cutter. I have to say that the writing was on the wall way back then - she was less than super sweet about it. but this isn't about that, is it?

Oh and the mustard hater? He took a bite and ate it and wandered off. There was no gagging and wretching and near death experience, nor was there a grand proclamation making me the Queen. Just ordinary sandwich eating. But don't let that deter you. His much smarter sister calls these little beauties Devil on a Bun and she ALWAYS compliments my food and would probably go along with me wearing a tiara of sandwich supremacy. I love her.