Ever hear of a guy named Walter Anderson? Well, he’s the culinary genius who gave us White Castle and the now-world-famous concept of the slider.

Thanks to good ol’ Walt, we can all chow down on lots of teeny tiny burgers and call ourselves gourmets. While my youth was spent gobbling down those 2 1/2 -inch square mouthfuls of ground beef and onions, my adult years have seen me take my fascination with these burger babies to a whole new level.

This mini burgers craze has been sweeping low- and high-end eating establishments for years now, and I’ve taken it upon myself to sample quite a few of the more outlandish ones.

Sliders are smaller than the super-sized fast food staples we’ve grown accustomed to, but being small in size doesn’t mean it has to be small in the flavor department.

Your sliders don’t have to be limited to beef or pork; they can be reinvented by using chicken, seafood or even veggies. Even White Castle, the Mecca of the slider, has chicken and fish sliders on the menu these days.

Mushroom and Beef Sliders

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound sliced mushrooms (your choice, but I like to use at least 2 different kinds)

2 tablespoons white wine

1 red onion diced

3 pounds ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

Dijon mustard and mayonnaise to taste

12 dinner rolls (Pepperidge Farm works nicely)

Melt butter and olive oil in large sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, onion and wine, and sauté just until the mushrooms and onions are soft, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the vegetables aside.

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, salt and pepper; divide the meat into 4-ounce patties. You can cook them on a grill or in a grill pan.

Toast the buns slightly and spread the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard on them. Place a beef patty on each bottom bun and spoon the mushroom and onion mixture over the patty and top with the remaining bun. Makes 12.

Caramelized Onion Turkey Sliders

Onions:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

Pinch salt and pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

Burger:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 pound ground turkey

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

8 rolls

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet. Sauté the celery and green onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set the mixture aside.

In the same skillet, heat 2 more teaspoons olive oil. When oil is hot, sauté the onions with the sugar, season with salt and pepper, and cook. Sauté about 15-20 minutes until the onions are golden, stirring occasionally.

In a bowl, combine the ground turkey, Tabasco sauce, smoked paprika, cheese, and cooked onion and celery mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Gently combine the ingredients. Make 8 small patties.

Either spray a skillet with non-stick spray or heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet. Cook until the bottoms are just turning brown, about 4 minutes.

Flip each burger, baste with barbecue sauce and cook 4 more minutes. Flip again, baste with sauce and cook for 2 or 3 more minutes.

Place the patties in buns and top with caramelized onions. Makes 8.