I owe all the credit for my current interest in cooking to The Pioneer Woman. Her writing is so engaging and hysterical that for the first time in my life I was actually able to read a recipe without hyperventilating. One of my (and let's be honest...Daniel's) favorite meals is The Pioneer Woman's Mushroom & Swiss Sliders. I pretty much follow everything she says, but one time I didn't have white wine so I subbed in balsamic vinegar and I've never made it with the wine since. I highly, highly recommend you do what the lady says and add heavy cream to your burger meat. It keeps the tiny patties from drying out and adds an extra layer of richness to the meal that I really enjoy. I will not pretend that this meal is healthy in any definition of the word, but sometimes you just need a fatty, super-rich and satisfying meal to balance out your life. I like making these on the weekend just to make the break from work extra fun & relaxing (...and naughty, as the Pioneer Woman would say). She's taught me well! Yes, I even make the spicy fry sauce, because it hearkens back to my youth. We also like to serve these with sweet potato fries (as if you actually need anything on the side of these babies...).
And because this post was super short....here's a light & bubbly little drink I made up which would pair nicely with the heavy sliders.
Rosemary, Lemon, & Gin Spritzer
2 oz Gin
1 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz simple syrup (or if you feel super fancy, you can make rosemary simple syrup)
Sparking water (to taste)
Sprig of fresh rosemary
Combine ice, gin, lemon juice, simple syrup into a glass and stir. Top with sparkling water and sprig of rosemary. Cheers!
