Mini Ham and Cheese Rolls

We had a friend of ours, Armin, visit from Germany Sunday and we took him and his coworker, Heike, downtown to see what was left of the cherry blossoms along with a few monuments and a smashing view of D.C. from the Old Post Office Pavillion. Boy was it cold. So we came back to a pot of Starbucks (sie lieben Starbucks!), these tasty sandwiches that I put together in the morning, homemade Easy Mac and Cheese , fresh fruit, and my coleslaw. Then we dined on the German chocolates that they brought. Mmmm.

Mini Ham and Cheese Rolls
2 T. dried minced onions
1 T. prepared mustard (I used Dijon)
1 T. poppy seeds
1 stick melted butter
1 dozen dinner rolls or 2 dozen party rolls- I used 1 doz. Martin’s Famous Dinner Potato Rolls
1/2 pound ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325°. In a small mixing bowl mix onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open so that you have one solid top and bottom. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet or in a 9×13 inch baking pan, the pan size will depend on choice of rolls. Line the bottom half of the rolls with cheese slices and ham. Return the top part of the rolls and drizzle the butter mixture evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Now use a sharp knife and separate the little sandwiches. Place on a pretty platter and serve immediately.

Note- These can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, may require 5 more minutes of baking. Also can be prepared ahead and frozen. Defrost in refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. I love keeping a pan of these in the freezer for emergencies. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.

Another Note- The picture was taken just prior to baking the sandwiches. They will come out golden and melty from the oven.