Monday, August 1, 2011

Sliders: Another Smash Hit From the Gardners!

Mark and Francoise Gardner have now contributed 3 recipes to this blog, and this most recent one, sliders, is a smash hit! I have made them 3 times in the last month for various bbq's. They are super easy, and everyone always loves them!

Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): cheese option, but as always, cheese makes everything better
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 2

Sliders
3 lbs ground chuck (80/20 mix)
1/2 bottle of Teryaki sauce/marinade
2 eggs
10-12 saltine crackers
1/2 cup sweet onion, finely diced
2 packages of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (24 ct.)
Thousand Island Dressing
Sandwich Slice Pickles (optional)
American Cheese slices (option)

In large mixing bowl, combine beef, Teryaki sauce, eggs, and onion. Smash up crackers in crumbs, and add to mix. Gently mix all ingredients together with you hands. If mixture seems too mushy or runny, add more cracker crumbs. If it seems too dry, add a little bit more teryaki until you get the consistency to make patties. Form meat mixture into small patties. Heat grill and cook patties over medium-high heat until desired doneness. Cut cheese slices into 4 small slices, and add to patties to melt (if using cheese). Serve patties on sweet rolls with thousand island dressing and pickles (optional).

These are soooo good. You may not need all or any of the crackers, depending on how thick the Teryaki sauce you use it, but it's a good idea to have them on hand in case you the consistency is a little runny. I used a Lawry's 30-minute Teryaki marinade and sauce, and it was great. I think the Gardners use the Soy-Yaki sauce from Trader Joe's, and it is awesome too. Another great twist is the Island flavor Very-Tery sauce. Any will work great!

Abby Melad: The Next Chapter



I often get annoyed when people talk about how happy they are or how great their life is. But honestly, right now, I am one of those people. Life is awesome right now. All the pieces fit right now, and this self-realization started this weekend, as James and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary.

It was such an awesome weekend! Friday night we went to the fair where we both ate ourselves sick. Literally. James's cake topper was the fried oreos, and mine a churro. But I discovered something new this year, as I usually do at the fair: bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers, made with real jalapenos! They were amazing.

Saturday, our actual anniversary, we woke up and I made a big breakfast for us of eggs, bacon, potatoes, rice, etc. Then we took Guinness down to Salt Creek for some time at the beach and the park. This park is amazing, and I had never been there before. Guinness made a new friend, Lea, a Shih-Tzu and Pekingese mix, all black, and they were immediately playing together. So cute! For my anniversary gift, James got us tickets to see Kid Rock and Cheryl Crow Saturday night at the amphitheater in Irvine! It was so so very fun! I had a few too many cervezas, but it was so fun at the time I couldn't help myself! For part of my gift to James, I have officially changed my name to Abby Baldwin Melad, and I finally got to use my new ID that night! It's the little things, ya know?!

Sunday, we woke up, had a big breakfast again, then went golfing at Willowick in Santa Ana. Came home, got dressed up in my newly cut-off wedding dress (above), and we went out to a fancy dinner at Flemings Steakhouse! It was unreal. Shrimp cocktail, Filet, potatoes, the works! And raspberry sorbet, with fresh whipped cream, to end it.

It was a perfect perfect weekend. Which just made me realize, life is great. Work is going awesome right now. I have amazing friends. I'm obsessed with my husband and my dog. My family is well. No complaints! For what feels like the first time ever.

And to top it all off.....my cousin Kelly is getting married this weekend to an amazing woman, Fabiana, and my great friends Stephanie and Matt are engaged!!!! I have yet to hear details, but received the text as I was typing this. I can't wait!

XOXO