Sliders in Paradise

So I have been a slacker, I will admit it, BUT…I have so many new recipes to blog for you all! Fasten your seat belt, it’s going to be a bumpy ride! (Crab Tostada's, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates wrapped in Bacon, The "Correct" way to make a salad....just to name a few.)  Keep checking back for Blog updates in the next week.

So here is the latest “dish”…

I created this hamburger out of my desire to be taken back to the shores of Maui, to be exact, a fabulous restaurant on the beach that my family and I visited 5 years ago… "Cheese Burger in Paradise.” Ok, seriously if you’re on the island of Maui, overlooking the water, the breeze in your hair, the four most important people in the world are with you, wouldn’t it too be called “Paradise” if you had a big ‘ol cheese burger in front of you with pineapple & avocado? Does it get any better?

Here’s your shopping list:

• King’s Hawaiian Rolls (buy 2 packs-for you & your “assistants” will eat one package before ever getting home to ensure the quality and that it has not been poisoned.)
• 1 can of sliced (rings) pineapple (save juice for tropical adult cocktail with dinner)

• 1.5 pounds of hamburger (get low fat-almost had 4 alarm fire with mine)
• 1 Avocado
• 2 Red Onions (large)
• Cilantro
• 1 small can of chipotle chile’s (save remainder in plastic container for future use-they're like twinkies and will survive almost forever) Store in fridge or freezer!
• Chipotle seasoning

Side Note: This recipe and most of my others requires a Kitchen Aid mixer, so you have my permission to add that to your shopping list. You’ll be glad you did! And husbands, if your wife doesn’t already own one, GO NOW and get one. She will thank you every day for it (wink-wink)! Gentlemen: PLEASE note the Model number is printed on the picture for your purchasing pleasure....and ease. That's how I roll.

In your brand spanking new mixer add the following:

1.5 pounds hamburger

½ chopped red onion (large)

¼ cup loose chopped cilantro

3 T Chipotle Chile sauce PLUS 2 Chile’s. (if you’re afraid of heat add only one-but with 2, you can barely taste the heat)

2 tsp Chipotle seasoning

1 T Season Salt (I love Lawry’s)
2 tsp. black pepper

Just plop all ingredients in your blender or mix by hand until well mixed. Roll out round “egg-sized” patties, smash with hands to around ¼- ½ inch thickness and place on your BBQ or whatever burger making apparatus you may have. Cook about 4.27 minutes each side on medium/low. Yes, 4.27 minutes. I like my beef rare, like my man! A rare breed he is!

Ok, back on track! While them sliders is a cookin’… toss your pineapple rings on the grill also, don’t be afraid! Be BOLD! You’re looking for the pretty little BBQ marks on the pineapple meat. THEN, get your rolls out and halve them with a knife. Cut your pineapple rings in half also.

Slice up your avocado into length wise strips (the length of the avocado around the seed).

I caramelized 2 whole sliced red onions to top mine. (Just place onions with 2 T olive oil & 1 T butter in sauté pan & sprinkle about 1 tsp. salt over them bad boys.) Move them around from time to time until they are semi transparent.

Obviously by the picture you can see I layered it: burger patty, avocado, pineapple finally onions...easy! Viola!

These little sliders were for dinner, I served them with a "Sweet & Sour" Cole slaw. My husband is not a big fan of cole slaw, and actually grunted and "rolled his eyes" at me while I was making it...I think he had 3 servings when plated...H'mph! I'll show him! **Note the "almost" heart in my overflow of sauce? I have a "thing" about hearts! I see them everywhere: in nature, splenda in my coffee cup bottom, gum on the sidewalk...and NO, I will not take an ink blot test.

In a bowl add:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp salt

Whisk all these ingredients together. Then add...

4 cups cabbage (I used red & green)

2 shredded carrots (I grated mine)

4 chopped green onions.

Place in plastic container or large zip lock bag & refrigerate for atleast 1 hour.

This is my darling daughter Taylor trying to devour my proto-type. Thanks for being the Fire Rescue that came to my aid while my entire grill was ablaze! Oh and sampling the 3rd package of dinner rolls for quality & poison, along with your Uncle Steve & brother Adam...MUAH!

Enjoy friends. Let me know what you think! We doubled the recipe and had 4 left, as of last night at 7pm. At 8pm the slider fairy mysteriously devoured the rest in the remainder of the evening.

Ideas for Burger Modification:

-Chipotle Mayonaise (Thanks Cami)

-Raw red onions (per hubby's request)

-Cheese of any kind

-The kitchen sink

-Your hearts desire

I asked the family to rank the burger from 1-5...here were the scores.

"Hunky-Hubby"....4 "add raw onions next time and you'll have a 6."

Brother-in-law "Single Steve"...6..."perfect!"

"Adorable Adam"...6..."especially when the avocado was off!"

"My twin Taylor"...13..."uh it's delicious Mom." She is the non-conformist in the family.

Disclaimer: Gent's if you do purchase this for your lovely bride, she may be cuddling with it in the middle of the night. Don't be alarmed of it's cold metal frame, it's just a mixer, not a weapon...but it could be.