Hot Ham Dips on Homemade Slider Buns

I hope everyone has fared well from Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy. It looks like she did quite a bit of damage in some areas.  We had lots of wind and rain. And rain....and rain.  I thought we were about out of the woods, when I noticed how much standing water we had in our yard.  And then one of the toilets wouldn't flush. Then we discovered standing water in our detached garage.  To make a long story short, our septic system was starting to back up.  So, I packed up the kids and dog, and headed inland  to the parentals.  No way was I going to stay in a house with non-functioning toilets and 3 kids. So anyway, I'm posting from my parents. Who just got internet service back...what did we do prior to the internet?!  So, now that everyone's mind is in the sewer....let's re-direct shall we?!

Seriously, go to your happy place, b/c these sandwiches deserve your full not-influenced-by-sewage-talk attention!  They were delicous!

This is yet another recipe by Plain Chicken. I love her recipes b/c they are so easy, and kid-friendly.  French dip sandwiches are a favorite of mine, so I was intrigued by the use of ham instead.  Let me tell ya, it is a great variation!

Hot Ham Dips 

slightly adapted from Plain Chicken

1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 tsp garlic powder
6 pretzel slider buns or 4 ciabatta rolls, split *I used homemade buns, recipe below

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound thinly sliced ham
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef consommé or beef broth *I used a packet of Charlie's Pride Au Jus mix
1/2 tsp garlic powder *I omitted

In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Add 1 tsp garlic powder.

Place rolls on a baking sheet; brush cut sides with garlic butter. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

In a large saucepan, combine broth consommé and 1/2 tsp garlic powder mix Au Jus according to package directions (you just add water!); bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.  Place ham into beef consommé and garlic Au Jus. Heat ham for 30-60 seconds, until slightly warm.  Using tongs, place ham on rolls. Serve sandwiches with remaining broth for dipping.

And check out my cute little buns! (In my dreams. haha) 

These also come together pretty quickly, and are SO good.

Speedy Slider Buns 

*adapted from here

2 Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast

1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Warm Water

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Sugar

1 Egg *or egg replacer; I used Ener-G

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3 1/2 to 3 3/4 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the oil and sugar, and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.
• Add the egg replacer, salt, and 3 1/2 cups of flour.  Combine until it forms a soft dough. Add the additional 1/4 cup of flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands (if you need a little more, that is okay too). Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes or so.
• Divide the dough into 16 pieces, shape each into a small, thick disc (about the size of a biscuit - a regular not a Grands!) and place them on silicone mat lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  
• Preheat oven to 425ºF. Lightly cover the balls of dough and let them rest for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish).
• Pop them in the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Verdict? As I said, these are DELISH! Everyone loved them. Mr. Three, of course, had his without ham, and garlic butter.  So, yes, he had a plain roll, with plain rolled up ham on the side. Don't ask. These are definitely a keeper, and will be made again soon.  They made a great dinner, but would also be great for parties!

Speaking of parties, I'm linking up with these!  Naptime Creations, Mandy's Recipe Box, It's a Blog Party, Weiner Tales, 33 Shades of Green, Blessed with Grace, Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, Our Delightful Home, Adorned from Above, Lady Behind the Curtain, Tessa the Domestic Diva, Ginger Snap Crafts, The Newlyweds