JUNIOR CHEF REID’S SOUTHERN STATE SLIDERS WITH BACON-INFUSED BURGER PATTIES AND SOUTHERN SAUCE

2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish 1 teaspoon ketchup

1/2 teaspoon yellow or spicy mustard

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

6 ounces raw bacon (or more, if desired) Half a medium-sized sweet onion, finely

chopped

1 1/4 pounds raw 85 percent lean ground

beef

1 tablespoon powdered ranch dressing 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

to taste

8 slices of your favorite cheese (I like Colby Jack and cut my cheese slices with a small round cup or cookie cutter to make them round in shape)

8 leaves green leaf lettuce

2 small Campari tomatoes, sliced

8 slider buns

Olive oil spray or butter, for toasting buns

Prepare Southern Sauce: In a bowl, mix together mayonnaise, pickle relish, ketchup, mustard and smoked paprika. Set aside.

In a frying pan, cook the bacon halfway, leaving bacon chewy but not crisp. Set aside to cool.

Pour bacon grease into a safe container, leaving only enough to glaze the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook until caramelized. (If you did not leave enough bacon grease, you can add a little butter.) Let cool.

Tear the cooled bacon into small pieces, about half the size of a penny.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the bacon, onion, raw ground beef, powdered ranch dressing, Worcestershire and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Form 8 small slider patties with your hands to match the size of the buns.

Grill patties or heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook until they are browned and slightly pink in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. Flip and cook 3 minutes more. Remove sliders to a plate to rest for about 2 minutes. (If you want melted cheese, place cheese slices on burgers right before you remove from pan.)

In another nonstick skillet, spray pan with olive oil or melt a pat of butter over medium heat. Place slider bun halves cut-side down on the pan and toast until slightly golden.

To assemble: Place a slider on the bottom bun, top with a slice of cheese (unless already added), a dollop of Southern Sauce, a tomato slice and lettuce. Add top bun. Repeat with remaining sliders. Serves 8.

Per slider: 408 calories (percent of calories from fat, 65), 21 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 29 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 708 milligrams sodium.