Sliding into 2010

As the year draws to a close, I find myself musing about what I learned — or didn't for that matter. One item that continues to go unanswered is why do sliders taste so good? 

I've had a wide variety of sliders, which seemed to be one of the darlings of the gastropub fare this year, and I found them all delightful. Am I enamored with their diminutive size, the food equivalent of dollhouse furniture? Is it the easy to manage physical footprint? Is it the comfort food quality it usually possesses? Whatever the reason, I find myself drawn to them when I see them on a menu, and 9 out of 10 times I'll order them, regardless of time of day. Which got me thinking about a breakfast slider. I made some last year after a holiday party I hosted. It was more of an act of desperation than an earnest culinary creation as I'd been over-served the night before and in dire need of some food. The leftover rolls and honey-baked ham were the base inspiration, which were joined by some cheese, roasted red pepper and a drizzle of basil-infused olive oil. It was a fantastic substitute for a greasy cheeseburger and fries, which is my normal Rx after a night of over-indulgence. 

I woke up famished this morning (no, I was not hungover) and found myself rooting through my refrigerator to see what I might be able to call breakfast. Low and behold, I had a few mini rolls, eggs and bacon — and my breakfast slider took shape. This time I used goat cheese and some spicy marinara sauce I'd made a few days before. It was a delicious start to the last day of the year. So if you're a slider fan like me, give it a try some time. The combination of ingredients is almost endless and I'm pretty sure it's impossible to mess up. You may thank me tomorrow. 

Wishing you a safe and happy New Year's Eve!