One of the BIGGEST hits at the Superbowl/Birthday celebration Sunday was the Spicy Jalapeno Sliders that I borrowed from Big Daddy’s House on The Food Network. Chris’ friend, Derek, couldn’t rave enough about how good these things were. And honestly, they’re just as easy as any hamburger. They’re just a smaller, cuter, bite-size version that packs an itty bitty punch. NOTE: “I” don’t notice the heat in the jalapenos because my tastebuds are forever screwed, but everybody said that they were perfect. Not too hot. Not to bland.

Since I only go for easy, but impressive recipes, this one was a must-try. And I highly recommend it for anytime you’re looking for an appetizer recipe that’s different from the ordinary Spinach Dip or Deviled Eggs. Take a slightly broader step and you will WOW your friends and family. Here’s what you need:

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SPICY JALAPENO SLIDERS

1 lb. ground beef
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup graded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbl kosher salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup salsa verde
12 mini dinner rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, add ground beef, jalapenos, shallots, panko bread crumbs, heavy cream, cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form into small patties and cook in oven for 15 minutes.

In a separate bowl, add creme fraiche, salsa verde, pinch of salt and pepper and mix together.

Lightly toast mini buns. Lightly spread creme fraiche on each bun. Place burgers in the middle and secure with a toothpick if necessary.

NOTE: I’m sorry but creme fraiche is too fancy for me. I’m not even sure what it is. I used a mixture of mayonaise and sour cream cuz I had no clue. . . and it was dang tasty. . . and I used regular salsa because I didn’t have any of the green stuff. I was just using what I had.

Also for the burgers themselves, I placed the patties on a wire rack on a cookie sheet so they would have some space for the fat to drain while they cooked. You know, instead of sitting there wallowing in their own grease. It’s my small contribution to cutting back somewhere on the fat content. You can thank me later. . . cuz these little puppies are what you get.

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They are no-joke tasty and guaranteed to impress the crowd. Let’s just call them the Man-size version of the ordinary finger sandwiches.