Sandwiches for any occasion

I had a friend ask me about some party sandwiches she could serve at a gathering of friends, and I started sharing a few ideas with her. Before I knew it, I was pulling ideas from books and off the Internet and came up with a recipe column too large to print. It was very difficult deciding which recipes to include or not to include. Small sandwiches and sliders, especially recipes with a sauce or glaze poured or spooned over the tops, are so popular right now. Here are a few ideas and recipes to get your own ideas flowing. Enjoy!

Knock-Your-Socks-Off Sliders

• 1 pound ground beef
• 12 pretzel rolls
• 6 slices pepper jack cheese, cut in half to make 12 pieces
• Mayonnaise to spread over the inside of the rolls

For the mushroom sauce:

• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic or 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons cold water mixed together

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Divide the ground beef into 12 small patties. Cook in a large skillet until browned and cooked through. After they are cooked, set aside.

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and garlic. Saute until tender. Add Worcestershire sauce, cream, beef broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and add cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly. Once thickened, remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice open pretzel buns and spread mayo over the top and bottom. Place patties on the bottom of bun and place the pepper jack cheese on top. Spoon mushroom sauce over the top and replace the top of the bun. Put the sliders in a buttered 9x13 baking dish. Melt the 1/2 cup of butter for the topping, add the poppy seeds and Worcestershire sauce and spoon over the top of the sliders. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Cheesy Party Burgers

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cups diced onion (about 1 whole onion)
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (10 ounces) Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, drained
• 12 slices cheddar cheese
• 12 dinner rolls

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Place a large skillet on the stovetop over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the beef and season with salt, pepper, cumin, mustard powder and paprika. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and onions are golden. Stir in drained tomatoes until well combined. Place bottom half of buns in prepared pan. Top with a cheese slice and beef mixture. Finish off with the top half of the bun. Mix all the ingredients for the glaze in a saucepan over medium heat until melted, smooth and combined. Pour over the buns. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Makes 12 burgers.

Cheesy Chicken Melts

Cheesy, creamy chicken stuffed between two soft buns and smothered in a buttery honey mustard sauce -- it doesn't get much better than this.

If you want to take a shortcut with this recipe, just use 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken in place of cooking the chicken with the seasoning.

For the chicken:

• 3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 2 teaspoons Montreal chicken seasoning

For the filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 package small hamburger buns or potato buns

For the sauce:

• 4 tablespoons honey mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle each side of the chicken breasts with seasoning and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, then shred the meat and allow to cool, or debone a rotisserie chicken and shred, then set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter. Add the chicken, cheese and seasoning and stir until evenly combined.

Open each bun and spoon a hearty amount of filling on the bottom half and top with the lid. Place all of the sandwiches in a baking pan close together. In a small bowl, stir together the honey mustard, honey, butter and poppy seeds. Pour 3/4 of the mixture over the buns and cover with foil, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 2 minutes, then quickly pour over the remaining sauce and serve immediately.

Ham and Cheese Party Sandwiches

These ham and cheese party sandwiches have been a well-used recipe of mine for 25 years. Back then we used Pepperidge Farms party rolls, but they are no longer available. Now we use Hawaiian rolls with the same poppy seed-mustard spread we used back then, which make them perfect for entertaining. The new version calls for pouring the mixture over the tops of the rolls, which is less desirable to me, but you can make your own determination on that.

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard (not Dijon)
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon finely minced onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 package (12-count) King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
• 1 package (9 ounces) thinly sliced brown sugar ham (about 12 to 15 slices)
• 1 package (7 ounces) sliced Swiss cheese (about 10 slices)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mash together the butter, mustard, poppy seeds, onion and Worcestershire sauce until it is well combined and thick. Remove the rolls from the carton in one piece and place in a baking pan or on a cookie sheet. Using a long knife -- and keeping the rolls together -- slice them in half horizontally. On the cut portion of the rolls, spread half of the butter mixture on each. Place the ham slices evenly over the bottom portion of the rolls. Cover the ham with the slices of Swiss cheese, distributed evenly. Place the top portion of the rolls onto the base of the rolls. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until warm and the cheese has nicely melted. Cover with tin foil if the top is browning too quickly.

Grilled Bacon and Onion Ribeye Steak Sliders with Beer Cheese

• 1 pound ribeye steak, seasoned with Montreal steak seasoning
• 1/2 pound bacon
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 cup beer cheese dip
• 12 slider or dinner rolls
• Melted butter

You will use both your grill and your oven for this recipe. On your grill, prepare the ribeye steak as desired. Remove, let rest and slice into thin strips.

Using a piece of foil, lay it out flat on the barbecue grill. Lay the bacon and the onion on the foil and grill until cooked to your liking. Allow to cool to touch, and then slice the onions and the bacon up to fit the rolls. In a 13x9 pan, lay out the bottom of each slider roll. Layer the strips of ribeye steak on the rolls. Top with the bacon and onions, layering on top of the steak. Drizzle the beer cheese dip across the top of each. Then top with the top buns. Brush some butter on the top of each roll. Put in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes to heat thoroughly. Remove and serve.

Tailgater Slider with Baked Beans

This is the ultimate sandwich for your party piled high with barbecue pork, baked beans, coleslaw and corn biscuits. If you don't want to cook the pork yourself, purchase an already smoked pork butt at any location that smokes meat.

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder/butt
• 2 cups barbecue sauce
• 1 can corn biscuits
• Coleslaw with dressing, prepared
• Baked beans, recipe below
• Extra barbecue sauce for drizzling

Place the pork in a slow cooker and cover in barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred and set aside. Bake the beans according to the recipe below and bake the biscuits according to package directions.

To assemble the sandwich, place the pork, beans, a little barbecue sauce, coleslaw and biscuit lid on top and enjoy.

Note: This is a great recipe for using up leftover pork or making it fresh just for this sandwich.

The Best Baked Beans

Even if you aren't a big baked beans fan, you'll love these.

• 2 pounds bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 large green peppers, diced
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup mustard
• Few drops Tabasco sauce
• 3 large cans baked beans

Fry bacon and set aside. In some of the bacon grease, saute onions and peppers. Mix all except bacon. Put everything in a large pot and bake uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 300 degrees. When done, sprinkle bacon over top. Eat as is or serve on your favorite sandwich.

Honey Ham Biscuit Sliders

These little biscuit sandwiches are good for a brunch, bridal or baby shower brunch, during an exciting game or just about any time.

• 1 can (10 count) Grands! Jr. Butter Tasting Biscuits
• 1/2 pound deli ham, shaved
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup honey mustard dressing
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside. Separate each biscuit into two layers. Spread each layer with honey mustard and top with Swiss cheese. Place half of the biscuits, cheese side up, in the bottom of prepared pan. Top with ham. Top ham with remaining biscuits, cheese side down. Brush biscuit tops with melted butter. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Heat honey in microwave for 20 seconds. Brush biscuit tops with warm honey. Serve immediately.

Fancy Ham and Cheese Sliders

For the honey mustard:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/8 cup mustard

For the poppy seed dressing:

• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 3 tablespoons honey mustard sauce from above
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

For assembly:

• 24 white rolls
• 24 slices of ham
• 24 slices of white cheddar cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Honey mustard sauce from above

For the honey mustard sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, honey and mustard. Set aside.

For the poppy seed dressing: In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, poppy seeds, honey mustard and Worcestershire. Set aside.

To assemble: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice open the rolls and spread honey mustard sauce on the bottoms and jarred mayonnaise on the tops. Place a slice of ham and cheese on each roll and place the tops back on each sandwich. Place all of the sandwiches on a cookie sheet or cake pan close together. Drizzle each sandwich with the poppy seed dressing until you've used a little more than half of the dressing and each sandwich is covered. Tightly wrap the pan with tin foil and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and take off the foil. Drizzle with a little more sauce (you may need to melt it again if the butter solidified) and serve immediately.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chopped Cheeseburger Sliders

Ground beef is mixed with chopped pickles, onion, garlic and shredded cheddar cheese, spread between two Hawaiian rolls and baked until hot and melty.

• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped dill pickles
• 2 tablespoons pickle juice
• 1 1/2 cups shredded 2 percent mild cheddar cheese, divided
• 12 pack of Hawaiian rolls
• 2 teaspoons butter, melted
• Chopped lettuce and tomato for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a small baking sheet. Split Hawaiian buns down the middle lengthwise; try to keep all of the buns intact.

In a large nonstick skillet, add ground sirloin, onion and garlic. Turn the heat on medium-high and cook until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. If there is any grease, drain. Reduce heat to low and add salt, pickles, pickle juice and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

Spread the filling on the bottom half of the slider buns. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with top half of buns. Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake until the filling is hot and the tops are golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with finely chopped lettuce and tomato.

Mini Patty Melt Sliders

• 1 medium Vidalia or sweet yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 24 slices cocktail-size party rye bread
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
• 3 ounces Swiss cheese, sliced

Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until softened and caramelized, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.

As onions are cooking, place the ground beef in a small mixing bowl and add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Take 2 tablespoons of meat and form into a ball. Flatten out to form a small patty. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add patties and cook for 2 1/2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and place 1/4 ounce of sharp cheddar cheese on top of each patty.

To assemble patty melts:

Melt butter over low heat in a large nonstick frying pan. Place bread slices in pan to coat one side with butter and then move to cutting board, butter side up. Place bread in pan, butter side down, and top with 1/4 ounce Swiss cheese, 2 tablespoons fried onions, beef patty and then top with another slice of bread, buttered side up. Press down with a spatula to press sandwich together. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until browned, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pastrami Patty Melt Sliders

These bite-size sandwiches take the patty melt to a whole new level of adorable deliciousness.

Patty melt ingredients:

• 1 pound lean (at least 80 percent) ground beef or ground turkey
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Onion ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced, separated into rings
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper

Other ingredients:

• 1/2 pound thinly sliced pastrami
• 1 small loaf mini rye bread
• 4 slices (3/4 ounce each) Swiss cheese

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In medium bowl, mix all patty melt ingredients. Shape mixture into 16 small patties, about 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate while cooking onions.

In an 8-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onions in oil, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in salt and pepper; keep warm.

Place patties on grill rack over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160 degrees. Add bread slices to side of grill for last 5 minutes of grilling, turning once, until lightly toasted. Top patties with a mound of pastrami and cheese. Cover grill; cook about 1 minute longer or until cheese is melted. Place patties on bread; top with onions.

Cuban Sliders

Ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles on slider buns topped with a Dijon mustard spread makes this little sandwich a tasty burst of flavor.

• 24 pack of Hawaiian rolls
• 1 package of sliced ham lunch meat
• 1 package (8 slices) Swiss cheese
• Dill pickles

For the Dijon spread:

• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 stick of melted butter
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9x13-inch baking pan. Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half, removing the tops and placing the bottom of the rolls in the baking pan. Layer the meat, cheese and pickles. Place the top of the rolls on top.

For the Dijon spread: Whisk together the butter and the Dijon mustard. Add in the minced onion and stir. With a spoon, pour the Dijon spread over the top of the rolls. Cover the sliders with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the rolls are a toasted brown. Cut the sliders apart and remove from the baking pan.

Saucy Roast Beef and Swiss Sliders

For the sandwiches:

• 24 Hawaiian rolls
• 24 slices of good quality roast beef
• 24 slices Swiss cheese

For the sauce:

• 4 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons of melted butter
• 2 teaspoons of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half. Fold a slice of roast beef in half to fit on each Hawaiian roll and the top with a slice of Swiss. Return the top bun to the sandwich. Repeat with all the remaining sliders. Place the sandwiches in a baking pan, 12 in each. Combine the mustard, butter, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Drizzle the sauce over the tops of the slider buns. Sprinkle generously with poppy seeds. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the foil after about 8 minutes.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking.