Back in mid-April, I met with several Philadelphia area bloggers for a Frugal Chef class. I called it “Cinco de Mayo on Little Dinero” and the whole idea was to make fun recipes with fresh meat, produce and store brand items from Bottom Dollar Food. We get the recipes from the amazing Chef Dan D’Angelo. He’s the Executive Chef over at the Art Institute of Philadelphia’s Culinary Arts School.
The event was a lot of fun and the kitchen smelled so good….
Last night, I finally got around to making the Taco Sliders. Just think about taco seasoned meat formed into hamburger patties with a chunk of spicy cheese melting and oozing out. They were really, really good—and what a fun and new way to enjoy Cinco de Mayo! They’re compact and full of flavor—plus, they’re kid friendly. (Dunc loved them!!) And, you get to top them with your traditional favorites like salsa, black olives, tomatoes and dare I say it? Guac!!
**FYI: For my version, I used two pounds of ground beef, two packages of Taco Seasoning Mix and left out the parmesean cheese and cilantro. This gave me a total of 15 taco slider patties.
Taco Sliders by Chef Dan D’Angelo
1 1/12 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 packs of taco mix
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and cilantro
2 small garlic cloves, crushed with a garlic press
6 ounces Cheddar, Pepper Jack, cut into 1/2-inch cubes any kind of cheese
8-10 (2-inch; a.k.a. party size or dinner) soft rolls
Gently combine meat, taco mix, cheese, parsley mix, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper with your hands. (Do not over mix). Form 3 oz. of meat mixture into about 8-10 meatballs. Push a cheese cube into center of each ball and encase meat around cheese, then slightly flatten each ball to a 2-inch diameter.
Broiler directions: Preheat broiler. Put half of sliders on an oiled rack of a broiler pan and broil, turning over once, until just cooked through (no longer pink), 4 to 8 minutes total. Repeat with remaining sliders.
Grill directions: For easy entertaining, go with a gas grill. Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, and then adjust heat to medium-high. Grill sliders for 4 to 8 minutes, turning once.
Stovetop: Cook in a skillet on med-high heat for 4 to 8 minutes, turning once.
Toppers: lettuce, sliced tomatoes, Salsa con queso, sliced raw onion and/or sautéed golden brown onions, salsa, pickled jalapenos, refried beans, avocado or sour cream
Mine were amazing! I even adjusted the spiciness of the cubed cheese and gave the hubby a hotter habanero cheese…hee-hee.
Here’s a picture from last night’s festivities, I made one topped with tomato, onions, black olives and picante while the other had a dollop of guac. Just amazing…you should really give these a try.