Sometimes our family wants a nontraditional dinner. Kind of like Super Bowl Sunday or New Years Eve, when you graze on heavy appetizers instead of sitting down for a proper meal.
Our week was crazy, with extra hours at work and building evening commitments. To help us make it though until Saturday (sleep in and rest day!), I planned an out-of-the-norm dinner: kielbasa sliders with strawberry jalapeno jam, an assortment of cheese and crackers, and a refreshing fruit salad.
When my husband sat down to dinner, he was pleasantly surprised! It was a fun meal to linger over, and it helped us step away from the day’s stress.
When you need a break from your dinner routine, this is a fast weeknight meal. First, toast the bread while you brown the kielbasa. Then, it’s an assembly line of garlic, strawberry jalapeno jam, cream cheese or mozzarella cheese, and kielbasa.
The jam has a nice kick to it and a bit of heat, but the spice is significantly paired down when you use cream cheese or mozzarella cheese. If your crew enjoys heat, add a thick layer of jelly! But for lighter pallets, a thin layer combined with a thick layer of cheese will do the trick.
Gobble all of this up at once, because leftovers don’t keep well. If possible, only craft the number of sliders that you will eat. If you store the ingredients separately, then you can reassemble a fresh batch on leftovers day!
Kielbasa Sliders with Strawberry Jalapeno Jam
A refined take on traditional sliders, with browned kielbasa rounds and a sweet-and-spicy kick of strawberry jalapeno jam atop a crispy slice of bread.
Ingredients
- French or Italian bread, sliced and toasted
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 jar strawberry jalapeno jam
- Optional: cream cheese, original
- Optional: mozzarella cheese, sliced
- 1 package kielbasa
Instructions
- Slice the kielbasa into rounds, and brown in a skillet until all sides are golden brown.
- Slice and toast the bread. Immediately after it is toasted, rub a whole garlic clove over the bread. (The clove should “melt” away onto the hot and crusty bread!)
- Top the garlic bread with the strawberry jalapeno jam.
- Optional: Layer cream cheese or a slice of mozzarella over the jam.
- Layer the sliced kielbasa on top. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
Pairs well with cheese and crackers, or veggies with spinach dip.
