There are Sundays when you need comfort food.
And then there are Sundays when Ole Miss beat LSU the night before, and regular comfort food simply will not do.
You need victory food.
Oxford had plenty to celebrate Saturday night after the Rebels took down LSU, and considering who was standing on the opposite sideline, this one may have felt just a little sweeter than your average SEC win.
So, naturally, our Sunday recipe needed to match the occasion.
Enter Hotty Toddy Victory Sliders.
Warm, buttery, cheesy and ridiculously easy to make, these are exactly the kind of thing you want after a big football weekend. They work for Sunday lunch, an afternoon on the couch or even another game later in the day — because in the South, football season is basically a weekend-long event with occasional meals worked in.
And unlike certain former coaches, these sliders aren’t going anywhere.
I had to get one in.
Hotty Toddy Victory Sliders
Ingredients
12 Hawaiian rolls
¾ pound thinly sliced ham
8 slices Swiss or provolone cheese
½ cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Without separating the rolls, slice the entire package horizontally so you have one large top and bottom. Place the bottom half in a lightly greased baking dish.
Layer the ham generously over the rolls, followed by the cheese, then place the tops of the rolls back on.
In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and poppy seeds.
Pour or brush the butter mixture over the sliders, making sure to get plenty down into all those little cracks. This is not the time to be stingy with butter. We are celebrating.
Cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the tops are golden and the cheese is melted.
Slice them apart and serve warm.
Add chips, potato salad, fruit or whatever else sounds good. Personally, I think a bowl of Rotel nearby qualifies as a vegetable during football season, but that’s between you and your conscience.
The best thing about these sliders is that they’re easy, because after a full Saturday of SEC football, nobody needs a complicated Sunday recipe. Make something good, gather your people and enjoy a slower afternoon — especially if your team gave you something to smile about the night before.
For Ole Miss fans, this Sunday happens to come with a pretty good reason to smile.
The Rebels got the win. The sliders are hot. And Oxford may still be celebrating.
Some Sundays just taste better than others.
Hotty Toddy.
