Sliders at my Super Bowl Paty

Right behind Christmas and Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday ranks as the third largest occasion for Americans to consume food, according to the National Football League. Some people revere this game-viewing day as a national holiday. It certainly is a great excuse to invite a bunch of friends over for food and fun. The time has come to decide what food would be the most fun and the best match for football. Why not make Sliders for the celebration of the Super Bowl with our friends. In today?s market Sliders are current, hip and cool. Every restaurant worth its weight in catsup has its own version of these Mini Burgers on the menu. At the beginning of the trend (even before I knew it was a ?trend?), I made Mini Cheeseburgers in Paradise for a Jimmy Buffet birthday party theme for a friend. I must say they are delicious if you are a burger fan. Most burger recipes tout the ratio of 80% lean meat to 20% fat. Whoa! Way too fatty for me. Who made this rule? I prefer 90-92% lean ground round or sirloin (tastes like a little steak?yum!) to make these mini burgers, uh, sliders (forgot the trend). The trick to keeping the burger airy and light and not so heavy and dense is not to over-handle the meat or over cook. Pinch off enough (about the size of a lemon). Smash it flat between your palms (squish it flat enough to cover your rolls) and place on a tray; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Don?t worry if the edges are not pretty or even. This just adds to the character of the sandwich. Preheat a grill pan or griddle or heavy-bottom frying pan. Brush lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. When the oil is almost smoking hot, place the burger on the pan. Now just wait. Don?t touch the burger, or move it or check it. Just leave it be! You want a nice dark brown finish on the outside. And especially don't flatten it with the spatula. You want to keep all that juiciness inside. When the burger is really protesting (a loud sizzle) and the juices are starting to run, flip it over to the other side and wait some more, keeping the heat on medium high. When it is almost ready, top it with a slice of cheese. I prefer American (it is an American sport after all!) but choose whatever cheese you like. To help the cheese melt faster without overcooking the burger, cover the pan briefly with a lid. Remove the patties to a serving plate and tent with foil or a plate or the lid. I like my buns toasted, thank you. The tastiest way to toast is to use the same pan where the patties cooked. If the pan has drippings in it, drain and wipe out with a paper towel. Plop the ?buns? (really just dinner rolls that have been cut open) cut-side down. The bread will brown and absorb the meat flavors. Place a patty on each roll and top with whatchalike. Have bacon; tomato slices; pickles; onions; mustard; catsup; sautéed mushrooms; pickled jalepeno slices; etc., etc. on a tray and let each guest make his/her own slider. You should plan to make 2-3 per person. If you buy the right size dinner rolls, these sliders will disappear before the Colts score their first goal! Enjoy!