Easy Ham Sliders Recipe

easy ham sliders

This Easy Ham Sliders Recipe is so simple, but it tastes like a million bucks!   It’s perfect for parties or tailgating.  Your guests will think you spent much longer in the kitchen that you actually did. Plus, it’s a great make-ahead meal since all the prep work can be done the night before.

Easy Ham Sliders Recipe

  • One dozen Hawaiian sweet rolls
  • Swiss Cheese
  • Sliced ham
  • 1/2 C. (one stick) butter
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 C. brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
  • Poppy seeds (optional)

In a saucepan, bring the butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Cool. Meanwhile, add sliced ham and cheese to your buns. Place in a glass Pyrex baking dish. Pour the cooled sauce over buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator. Let soak a few hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Makes 12.

Frugal Tips: The main ingredients for this recipe (the Ham, Swiss cheese, and Hawaiian sweet rolls) can all be found at ALDI. Shopping there will save you tons of money!

ham sliders recipe

easy ham sliders recipe easy ham sliders recipe easy ham sliders recipe easy ham sliders recipe

easy ham sliders easy ham sliders easy ham sliders

I originally posted a variation of this recipe (Ham and Swiss Sliders) on Mommysavers.com.

Chocolate Buckeye Balls

buckeye recipe - Chocolate Buckeye Balls

Chocolate Buckeye Balls Recipe

1/2 C. (one stick) butter, softened
1 2/3 C. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
4 C. powdered sugar
Chocolate almond bark

In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, peanut butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. It’s ready when it forms a sticky dough.  Roll into 3/4″ balls and refrigerate one hour, or longer.  Remove refrigerated balls and heat chocolate almond bark according to package instructions.  Roll Buckeye Balls in chocolate and place on waxed paper to cool.

I originally posted this Buckeye Recipe on Mommysavers.com

Scandinavian Almond Cake Recipe

best almond cake recipe

Despite my half-breed Scandinavian heritage, I had never heard of Scandinavian Almond Cake until recently.  My favorite neighbor, and full-blooded Norwegian Paul Knutson, told me about it. His family made us corn bread in this odd-shaped pan, and said it was their pan for Norwegian Almond Bread. I had never heard of such a thing. I did a little research online and then asked to borrow the pan so I could add this to my culinary repertoire. (you can purchase a pan on Amazon – they’re not too expensive)

Let me confess that my first attempt was not a total success.  While it tasted great, the thing stuck to the pan and came out in clumps.  It was a huge blow to my self-esteem as a cook.  Sure, we still ate it, and everyone agreed it was delicious – but it wasn’t what I imagined when I set out to perfect this recipe.  The second attempt didn’t go much better.  Then, it became a battle.  Me vs. the Cake Pan.  I re-read instructions, tweaked the recipe, and tried to figure out what I was doing wrong.   Turns out the FOURTH time was the charm.  If you’ve struggled with this recipe yourself, read my tips below.  After “extensive” research, I think I have this sucker finally figured out.

The best part: its ingredients are found in your pantry. It’s SUPER frugal, but tastes rich. Top with powdered sugar, fruit preserves, a glaze, or whipped cream.

Scandinavian Almond Cake
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 10-12
 
This traditional scandinavian almond cake is easy to make, and a treat for all!
Ingredients
  • 1¼ C. sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1¼ C. flour
  • 1 stick melted margarine
  • 1½ tsp. almond extract
  • ⅔ C. milk
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, egg, flour, margarine, almond extract, milk and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Spray baking pan with PAM and sprinkle with WONDRA or a light flour. If desired, sprinkle the bottom of the pan with sliced or slivered almonds. Pour in batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in the pan before inverting and removing from pan. Sprinkle slices with powdered sugar before serving.

 

I struggled with getting the cake out of the pan the first few times I made it.  The secrets to getting it out of the pan are:

  • Use margarine instead of butter
  • Spray the pan liberally with Baker’s Joy, or PAM then sprinkle with Wondra flour
  • Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with almonds before pouring in the batter
  • Don’t underbake.  The cake will turn golden brown before it’s done.  Use the toothpick test if necessary.
  • Cool cake completely in the pan before inverting

scandinavian-almond-cake-recipe/

swedish almond cake

swedish almond cake

 

Tav on the Ave: Great Bar Fare in Mankato

Tav on the Ave Mankato Minnesota

We have been visiting “The Tav” (Tavern on the Avenue) regularly for over 20 years.   It was one of our favorite places to go in college at MSU and as a young married couple.  When our daughter was born 13 years ago, our favorite server Tasha (now a Mankato Independent Originals business partner), used to carry her around for us so we could enjoy a little “alone” time as a couple.   She was fantastic.  :)

If I’m being truthful, I’d have to say it’s lost a little bit of its charm over the years.  The days of that personalized service are gone.  I miss the menu classic “Blackjack Melt” and “Blue Whale” cocktail (the souvenir whales doubled as tub toys for our kids!).  I wonder if the Tav is resting on its laurels just a bit.

That said, it is still one of our favorite local spots.  They still offer free popcorn and board games to keep kids busy while we wait.  The menu has a little bit more diversity than the typical Mankato bar/grill, which we appreciate.  Our new favorites are the Cubano, the Thai Lettuce Wraps, and the Sashimi Ahi Tuna.  The wings are arguably the best in town.

A Mankato favorite, you really can’t go wrong.

Frugal Tip:  Go before 6 p.m. on weeknights to hit Happy Hour.  You’ll enjoy beer specials and half-price appetizers.

Tav on the Ave

1120 Madison Ave Mankato, MN 56001
(507) 345-3308
Web: http://www.thetavontheave.com/

View more of my reviews on Yelp.

Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread with Self Rising Flour

bacon cheddar beer bread with self-rising flour | frugalbites.com

 One of the reasons I like beer bread is that it is SO easy.  It surprises me how costly the prepackaged mixes are!  The basic beer bread with self-rising flour recipe is super-frugal and only uses a few ingredients.  Plus, it’s easy to tweak the basic recipe to come up with fun creations like this Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread.  It’s great to serve at a party with dips and spreads.

Frugal Tip:  If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread with Self Rising Flour
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
This variation of beer bread uses self-rising flour to make it easy.
Ingredients
  • 12-oz. beer
  • 3 C. self-rising flour
  • ¾ C. Cheddar cheese
  • 8 slices bacon, chopped into crumbles
  • ¼ C. butter
Instructions
  1. Mix the beer, self-rising flour, Cheddar cheese and bacon together in a bowl. Spread batter in a greased bread pan.
  2. Melt the butter and pour over the top.
  3. Bake 40-45 minutes at 375. At the end, I sprinkled a little cheese on the top of the loaf for color.