cowboy rib-eye sliders

After making vegetarian curries all week, I wanted to treat my hubby with some manly food. With the heat of the summer, all I can think about are burgers. With some awesome hormone-free, antibiotic-free rib-eye steaks I had on hand, I whipped up some yummy sliders for dinner last night. For someone who rarely eats beef, I wouldn't mind having these again soon. 

Most people will be surprised by the fact that I have a meat grinder. Yes! I have one! I am an appliance whore, it's pretty bad. Juicer, panini press, slower cooker are just a few. Since the meat cranker was taking up some valuable real estate in my kitchen cabinets, I wanted to use it more than just once. The first and only time I've ever used it was for lasagna verdi al forno, where I had to grind my own combination of meats for the ragu.

I served the sliders onto some toasted dinner rolls with tomatoes, smoked gouda, and caramelized onions. Drool...

cowboy rib-eye sliders
ingredients

• 6 dinner rolls or mini hamburger buns
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 red onions, sliced thinly
• 1 small tomato, sliced
• 1 oz smoked gouda, sliced
• 1 lb rib-eye steak, cubed (or 1 lb. ground beef)
• 1/2 cup carrot, pulp from juicer (you may process in food processor until finely shredded)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper

directions
1. to make the caramelized onions, saute onions on low heat with butter for 30 minutes or until liquid is all sweated out. add salt to taste and set aside.  

2. grind cubed rib-eye and mix with egg, carrots, garlic powder, salt and pepper. combine thoroughly. then form meat mixture into 6 round balls

3. heat some oil in saute pan and place meatballs in and flatten with spatula. cook until preferred doneness.
4. toast buns on grill pan or in oven or not, whatever you like. assemble burgers with tomatoes, gouda, and caramelized onions.