Recipe: Rachael Ray's Sliders

Nov. 7, 2008— -- Rachael Ray's new "Big Orange Book" is the biggest collection of new 30-minute meals and includes kosher meals, meals for one, veggie dinners, holiday favorites and more.

Check out two of the quick and easy meals from the book below.

Also, click here to find a food bank in your area.

Click here to get Rachael Ray's Caesar stuffed eggs recipe.

Check out her recipe below and for more food ideas visit "GMA's" recipe index.

South by Southwest 7-Layer Sliders

2 pounds ground sirloin

1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder or chili powder, a palmful

1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika, a palmful

3 to 4 tablespoons grated onion

3 garlic cloves, minced or grated

1½ tablespoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning, 1½ palmfuls

1 cup beer—whatever the cook is drinkin'

EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), for drizzling

6 slices of pepper Jack cheese from the deli counter, quartered to make 24 little squares

1 large ripe Hass avocado

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

Juice of 2 limes

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

½ small or medium red onion, finely chopped

2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped

Salt

2 medium yellow tomatoes, seeded and chopped

¼ cup yellow mustard (eyeball it)

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon hot sauce (eyeball it)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

12 mini buns, split

Shredded lettuce

½ cup green olives with pimientos, chopped

Based on the classic 7-layer Tex-Mex party dip, these spicy beef sliders are only 2½ inches wide but when stacked up with 6 other layers they stand tall!

Inside the bun are refried beans, a spicy burger, cheese, lime guacamole, yellow mustard and yellow tomato salsa, olives and tangy sour cream. Look for mini brioche or potato rolls if your market's bakery does not make mini burger buns. Split packaged dinner rolls work in a pinch as well.

Each recipe yields 12 mini sliders, or six supper-size burgers.

Heat the beans in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Thin them out with a splash of water so they can heat through without becoming pastelike. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Use your hands to combine the meat and chili powder, smoked paprika, grated onion, two cloves of garlic, grill seasoning and beer. Score the meat into four portions with the side of your hand and form three 3-inch patties from each section, yielding 12 mini sliders. Drizzle EVOO over the burgers and place them in the hot skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for 6 minutes, turning once, for medium doneness. (To make a double batch, roast the burgers on a rimmed baking sheet at 375°F for 7 to 8 minutes.)

In the last minute of cooking time place 2 mini slices of cheese on each burger and tent the pan with foil to melt the cheese.

While the burgers cook, mash the avocado with the lime zest and juice, half the cilantro, half the red onion, the remaining clove of garlic, half of the chopped jalapeño, and salt to taste.

Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with the remaining cilantro, red onion, and jalapeño, salt to taste, and the mustard to make a salsa.

In a separate bowl combine the sour cream with the hot sauce and cumin. To assemble the sliders, layer as follows: bun bottom, a spoonful of beans spread around, a beef patty with cheese, lettuce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, olives and bun top.

MAKES 12