Dorothy Dean presents: Easy sliders for the Fourth of July are big on flavor

The Fourth of July just isn’t complete without burgers. But this year, you can forget about slaving away over a hot grill because we’re taking the all-American classic cheeseburger into the oven with a simple slider recipe that’s big on flavor and perfect for a crowd.

With dinner rolls for buns, these mini burgers are juicy, cheesy and pair well with favorite side dishes. And did I mention there’s no patties to shape?

That’s right. The ground beef is cooked crumbled along with diced onions and mixed with steak sauce and seasoning, and the condiments (ketchup, mustard and mayo) are stirred right in, as well.

The beefy mixture is spread over the bottom half of the rolls and topped with cheese and pickle slices. They’re finished with the top buns, which are brushed with melted butter and a sprinkle of sesame seeds before being covered and baked for about 20 minutes.

Mouthwateringly delicious, these little burgers are moist, meaty and satisfying – and sure to please the pickiest of eaters.

Speaking of picky, not a beef eater? These can be made with ground turkey or ground chicken. Or for meat-free, try it with portobello mushrooms.

If you’re not into onions, skip them. And feel free to add additional fillings like diced mushrooms, peppers or bacon, and any cheese can be used. Fresh toppings like lettuce and tomatoes can be added before serving.

These sliders can be made in advance, and the recipe can easily be double or tripled. They also reheat well.

Easy Sliders

Adapted from cookiesandcups.com.

1 pound lean ground beef

½ medium onion, small diced

1½ teaspoons steak seasoning (such as Montreal)

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon steak sauce

1 tablespoon ketchup

1½ teaspoons yellow mustard

12 dinner rolls

5-6 slices of cheese

12 pickle slices

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1½ teaspoons sesame seeds

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking dish with tin foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook, breaking up the meat and stirring, until browned. Drain the excess oil, if needed. Remove from the heat and stir in the steak seasoning, mayonnaise, steak sauce, ketchup and mustard.

Cut the rolls in half lengthwise and place the bottom half of the rolls on the prepared baking dish. Top the rolls with the ground beef mixture, spreading it evenly over the rolls. Line the ground beef with the cheese slices, followed by the pickle slices.

Place the top of the buns over the burgers. Brush the tops with the melted butter and then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Cover the dish tightly with foil, place it on a large baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Slice into individual sliders, then serve.

Audrey Alfaro can be reached at spoonandswallow@yahoo.com.