Story and photos by Karyl Henry, KarylsKulinaryKrusade.com

The holidays is about food—and lots of it. Friends and families get together to spend time together, exchange gifts, and to eat! No matter what you plan when hosting a holiday get-together, regardless of how many you’re feeding, you always end up with way too much food. That, of course, means leftovers for days. But reheating leftovers gets old pretty quickly. Instead, I like to come up with creative ways to use them up.

I always have leftover dry stuffing because I don’t make the whole box when it’s just me, so I use those leftovers for Venison Stuffing Balls. Last year I shared my Roasted Turkey Cranberry Grilled Cheese, which is such a delicious sandwich. My original plan for this year was Monte Cristo bites. But as I made them the first time I realized they were basically just another grilled cheese. So I threw on my creative cap and came up with Baked Monte Cristo Sliders

I am so happy I changed my mind to Baked Monte Cristo Sliders! They are so delicious, from the toasted bun to the cheese melting into the meat. The traditional Monte Cristo is quite dense, because you’re essentially making a French toast grilled cheese. I tried it several times, but wasn’t happy with the results. Besides, Baked Monte Cristo Sliders have all the elements of the traditional, in a lighter sandwich.

INGREDIENTS FOR BAKED MONTE CRISTO SLIDERS

• Slider Buns
• Ham and Turkey
• Cheese
• Spicy Mustard
• Honey
• Brown Sugar
• Powdered Sugar
• Raspberry Preserves

I use 1 oz of each meat and ½ oz of each cheese per slider. Of course, you can use more if you’d like. Honey ham has the best flavor to me, and I like the roasted turkey that still has some of the skin on the edges. When I’m making Baked Monte Cristo Sliders without holiday leftovers, I prefer butcher cut meats over the pre-packaged brands.

KEYS TO THE PERFECT BAKED MONTE CRISTO SLIDERS

• Lay slider buns face up on a baking sheet, and spread mayonnaise on the inside of each side.
• Place ham on bottom half of slider buns.
• Add grated cheese.
• Place turkey on top of cheese.
• Top with slice of Swiss cheese.
• Add top of slider bun.
• Brush mustard glaze on top of each slider.
• Bake in oven for 7-10 minutes.

BEST BREAD TO USE FOR BAKED MONTE CRISTO SLIDERS

I wasn’t sure what would work best, so I bought several different types to try them all out.

• Bakery Classic Slider Buns – I used the wheat buns. They are the perfect size, hold up well, and brown very nicely
• Sourdough bread is traditional for the Monte Cristo. However, I couldn’t find sourdough slider buns.
• Brown and Serve Dinner Rolls – they don’t get golden brown, because of the mustard glaze.
• Hawaiian Rolls – I am not a fan of the sweet roll with the other ingredients, but it’s personal preference.

BEST CHEESE FOR BAKED MONTE CRISTO SLIDERS

The most important thing is to use a cheese that melts well. You want to use grated cheese or thin slices, because the sliders are only in the oven for 7-10 minutes.

• Swiss cheese is the traditional choice, and I use thin-sliced.
• I also use smoked Gouda, because it is a very nice, smooth melting cheese and has fabulous flavor.
• Sharp cheddar and Gruyere are also delicious options that melt well.

ALL THE CONDIMENTS FOR BAKED MONTE CRISTO SLIDERS

• I tried avocado oil mayo, but it changes the flavor of the Baked Monte Cristo Sliders. So I recommend real mayonnaise.
• The mustard glaze couldn’t be easier, as you just whisk together spicy brown mustard, raw honey, and brown sugar. I brush the glaze onto the sliders just before baking; it melts into the bread, but doesn’t make it soggy at all. Quite the contrary, it actually helps the bun toast a little more.
• Dust each Baked Monte Cristo Slider with powdered sugar for a beautiful presentation

Don’t skip out on the Raspberry Preserves! It’s a traditional condiment, and is the perfect finish for your Baked Monte Cristo Sliders.

Baked Monte Cristo Sliders are a great way to use up holiday leftovers. But don’t limit yourself to that. Make them for tailgating and gameday parties, brunch, or party appetizers.

Baked Monte Cristo Sliders from KarylsKulinaryKrusade.com

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 12 sliders

Ingredients

• 12 slider buns (I use wheat buns)
• 12 ounces sliced honey ham, cut off the bone
• 12 ounces roasted turkey, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise (approximate amount)
• 6 ounces smoked gouda cheese, shredded
• 6 slices Swiss cheese, cut in quarters
• 1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 1 Tablespoon raw honey
• 1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar (for garnish)
• 1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, and brown sugar. Set aside.
3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Separate slider buns and lay each piece face up on baking sheet. 
4. Spread a little bit of mayonnaise on each piece. You only need about 1/2 teaspoon per half bun.

BUILD SLIDERS: For each slider, you will use 1 oz each of meat and ½ oz each of cheese. The layers will be HAM, GOUDA, TURKEY, THEN SWISS.

1. Portion ham evenly across bottom half of slider bun.
2. Portion smoked Gouda evenly across bottom half of buns, on top of ham.
3. Portion turkey evenly across bottom half of buns, on top of smoked Gouda.
4. Place 1/2 slice of Swiss cheese on bottom of each bun, on top of turkey.
5. Place top of slider bun on top of built sliders.
6. Using a pastry brush, generously brush mustard glaze on the top of each slider.
7. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately remove sliders from baking sheet.
8. Using a fine mesh strainer, sprinkle sliders with powdered sugar. Serve with raspberry preserves, as a dipping sauce.