MINI CROQUE MONSIEUR

Makes 12 mini sandwiches

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 4 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Pinch salt
• Dash pepper
• Mini buns or dinner rolls
• ½ pound very thinly sliced ham
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, Gruyère cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Place the bottom of the buns in a baking dish. Spread half the cheese mixture on the buns. Then top with half of the sliced ham, layering the ham on each bun.

Next, spread the rest of the cheese mixture on the flat side of the bun tops and then place the bun tops on the ham and press down a bit to secure.

Brush the melted butter over the tops of the buns and then cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Place them in the oven and let them heat through until the cheese has melted, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and sprinkle the tops of the buns with chopped fresh Italian parsley and serve.

Tip: To keep the sandwiches together, skewer with party picks. This is especially helpful if the sandwiches are being served as an appetizer or starter.

CUBANO SLIDERS

Serves 8 to 10

1 pork tenderloin, about ¾ to 1 pound

• For the Marinade:
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 small onion sliced
• 2 cloves garlic smashed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground all-spice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves

• For the Slider:
• Marinated pork tenderloin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground all-spice
• ½ pound sliced baked ham
• 1 small jar of sliced pickles
• 10 slices Swiss cheese, halved
• Yellow mustard
• 8 to 10 slider buns

To marinate the pork, place the tenderloin in a nonreactive or glass dish. Mix together the orange juice, pineapple juice, sliced onion, garlic, cumin, all-spice, cinnamon stick, salt, and cilantro. Pour this mixture over the tenderloin and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator and let it marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

To prepare the pork, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the marinade. Paper-towel dry the pork and then rub it with one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix together the salt, pepper, and all-spice and rub it onto the pork. Place the pork in a baking dish and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees F. Remove the pork from the oven and let it cool. Once the pork has cooled, thinly slice the pork and set aside.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.

Slice the slider buns in half and place them on a baking sheet. Add a half slice of Swiss cheese to both the top and bottom of each slider bun. Then add a dash mustard on top of the cheese on both the bottom and top of each slider bun.

Place thin sliced pork tenderloin, thin sliced pickles, and thin sliced baked ham on the bottom slider buns. Place the tops of the buns (with just the cheese and mustard) over the pork and pickles and the press down slightly to keep the sliders intact.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and let the sliders warm until the cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes or so.

Remove the sliders from the oven and serve.

GRILLED BLACKBERRY, BASIL, AND HAVARTI MINI SANDWICHES

Makes 24 mini sandwiches

• 12 slices good quality white bread
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 pint fresh blackberries
• 2 tablespoons blackberry or apricot preserves
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 6 slices Havarti cheese

Butter both sides of each slice of bread. In a small bowl, mix together the blackberries and preserves. Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat.

Place 1 slice of cheese on each of 6 slices of bread and then top the cheese with fresh basil leaves. Carefully place 1 or 2 spoonfuls of the blackberry mixture over the fresh basil leaves and then top with the remaining bread slices to make 6 full-size sandwiches.

When the pan is hot, add 2 or 3 of the sandwiches to the pan, or as many sandwiches that will fit in the pan. Brown both sides of each sandwich, being careful to keep them together when flipping. Continue until all the sandwiches have been grilled.

Place the sandwiches on a cutting board, and when they’ve cooled a bit, cut them into quarters to make mini sandwiches. To help make sure the sandwiches don’t fall apart when serving, you can skewer 2 mini sandwiches together with a short skewer or party pick and serve. Recipes and Photographs by Karista Bennett for Boise Homes Realty Keith Vermilyea.