Aren't sliders fun? They are just so darn cute! Plus, I am super into hamburgers right now. As a friend and I were saying yesterday, hamburgers are such a great blank canvas for creative flavors.

For these sliders, I went with a recipe for classic burger flavors. Cheddar cheese, bacon, mayo, lettuce and tomato. For a hearty beef flavor, these use ground sirloin. Sometimes the perfect burger is just a simple classic one and these little guys were pretty darn good.

In other news, the hubby and I are headed for our first camping trip this year on Friday, to Crested Butte, Colorado. I can't believe it is the first camping trip of the year. With all the fires in Colorado, the governor instituted a state wide ban on campfires. Since that is my favorite part of camping, we decided to cut back on the camping trips this year. Regardless, I am excited to get up to the mountains and get some much needed rest. Hopefully I get some good pics to share.

BACON AND CHEDDAR SLIDERS RECIPE
(Cooking Light)

3 tbl. minced shallots
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
12 oz. ground sirloin
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
2 oz. 2% reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
8 whole-wheat slider buns
3 tbl. canola mayonnaise 
4 cornichon or other small dill pickles, each cut lengthwise into 4 slices
4 small lettuce leaves, each torn in half
1 small ripe tomato, cut into 8 slices 
3 slices cooked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Gently combine first 3 ingredients and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, being careful not to over mix. Divide beef mixture into 8 equal portions; gently shape each portion into a 1/4-inch-thick patty, taking care not to pack mixture down.

Arrange patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Top each patty with about 1 tablespoon cheese during last minute of cooking. Lightly coat cut sides of buns with cooking spray. Place buns, cut sides down, on grill rack. Grill for 1 minute or until toasted. Spread about 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on bottom half of each bun; top with 1 patty. Top each slider with 2 pickle slices, 1/2 lettuce leaf, and 1 tomato slice; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange bacon pieces evenly over tomato. Top with bun tops.