Last summer, I hosted a wedding shower for my first daughter-in-law. Being the mom of three boys, this was something that I’ve waited for a long time to do, specifically 29 years! I wanted the event to be girly, cozy and intimate, but special and classy all at the same time. Oh, and did I mention, on a tight budget too.

The shower was attended by all ladies; well, almost…the soon-to-be-bride’s father came to drop off his wife and never left. I think he saw all the wonderful food and didn’t want to pass that up.

wedding-shower-buffet2-1-1random%I have to admit, the food was delicious. I brought out my best china, given to me by my mother-in-law. I love it! It’s feminine and flowery and so delicate. It will make even the most hum-drum dish so special.

I took the teapot matching the set, plus others I had gathered, and added fresh flowers bought from Costco. They have gorgeous flowers for a very reasonable price. At the end of the shower, I gave one of the teapots to the bride-to-be.

On the menu was a nice assortment of goodies to please everyone.

  • Five fruit salad with honey drizzle
  • Sweet and spicy meatballs
  • Ham and cheese sliders
  • Deviled eggs
  • Individual spinach salad cups
  • Trail mix
  • Lemon curd cheesecake cups

One of the hits of the shower buffet was the Ham and Swiss Cheese Hawaiian roll sliders, a popular item with both the ladies and our one man. They are popular with me too because the sandwiches are so simple to make. My recipe varies slightly from others you may see on the internet because I prefer sesame seeds in the sauce over the traditional poppy seeds. There’s nothing worse than mingling at a party and discovering you have poppy seeds stuck in your teeth!ham-swiss-sliders-ingredientsrandom%

I bought the Kings Hawaiian rolls from Costco (Can you tell that I love Costco?) where they have packs of 36 rolls priced less than the local grocery stores. I also bought the sliced ham and Swiss cheese there. ham-swiss-sliders-ingredients2-1random%

You can also make these with gluten-free rolls and/or tofurky for your gluten free and vegetarian friends, and they turn out equally delicious.

Slice the rolls lengthwise; a sharp bread knife does the trick. Place the bottoms of the rolls in a large baking dish or lipped cookie sheet. Place very close together.ham-swiss-sliders-slicingrandom%

Spread the mayonnaise onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. ham-swiss-sliders-prepped-1random%I like to use my kitchen shears to easily cut the ham and cheese into the perfect sizes. Close the rolls.ham-swiss-sliders-ham-1random%

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the sesame seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. I discovered that I was out of Worcestershire sauce, so guess what, I made my own! You can too by following this simple recipe.ham-swiss-sliders-baked-copy-1random%

Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm right out of the oven. The sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

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