Believe it or not, Memorial Day is one of the biggest holidays in my family. I grew up going to the beach, and this day has always been the unofficial first day of summer. Of course, let’s not forget the true meaning of this day – remembering fallen U.S soldiers and the sacrifices each of them made for our country. Remembering those who are no longer with us makes me cherish time with my family that much more. For this year’s family gathering, I wanted to spice up the menu a bit.

I’ve never been a fan of ground beef. Whether it is a juicy burger or a tangy taco, I almost always pass it up (usually for a hot dog). The only time I indulge in a burger is when it’s piled high with toppings. That’s why I decided to take the burgers into my own hands this year. I knew from the start I was going to make sliders rather than regular burgers. This way, I wouldn’t have to worry about taking a whole burger and only eating half of it.

The next thing that came to mind is, “If I don’t like burgers, then what do I like? Reubens. The answer is Reubens. So I decided to fuse the two together and see what happened. Three-ingredient homemade Russian dressing, fresh Swiss cheese and creamy cole slaw on a slider. I gave the Reuben-inspired cheeseburger sliders a chance, and they didn’t disappoint. You’ll have to try it for yourself to know what I mean.

Ingredients:

12 slider buns

12 slider patties

Deli-style cole slaw (I purchased this from a local deli in advance)

1 red onion, sliced

¼ lb. Swiss cheese

½ c softened butter

1/3 c ketchup

1/3 c mild salsa

½ c mayonnaise

Cook beef patties on medium- low heat until they are slightly pink in the middle (this depends on your preference; well-done patties will be about six minutes on each side). Meanwhile, open slider rolls and coat with a thin layer of softened butter. In a separate pan, toast the insides of the rolls on medium heat for about one minute; set rolls aside. While patties are still cooking, combine ketchup, salsa and mayo in a bowl and mix until it creates a smooth dressing. Place about 1 tbsp. of dressing on each bun. When patties are cooked, place on buns and top with red onion, Swiss cheese and cole slaw.