By June. Turned thirty-two. The birthday dinner is the birthday dinner. Spaghetti and meatballs. The crew. The table. The traditions. At thirty-two, the traditions are not just habits — they're architecture. They're the load-bearing walls of my life. Take away the spaghetti and the meatballs and the sunflowers and the wobbly table and Mama's $20, and the building doesn't collapse, but it shifts. The traditions are what keep it level.
Dustin gave me the same gift as last year: nothing. A day alone. A day without "Mama" being called. A day of sitting on the couch and reading and drinking coffee and doing nothing. The nothing is the best gift. The nothing is the counter space of time — room to breathe, room to be. I sat for three hours this year (up from two last year — the nothing is expanding). Then I cooked. Because the cooking is the choice. The cooking is the always-yes. The cooking is who I am when I'm not being needed, when I'm not being called, when I'm just Kaylee. Kaylee cooks. Even when nobody asks. Even when the kitchen is empty. Kaylee cooks because the cooking is the breath, the heartbeat, the thing that keeps going when everything else is quiet.
The "Counter Space" memoir releases in September. Three months away. Red Dirt Books sent advance copies this week. I held one. Hardcover. My name on the spine. A photo on the cover — not of food, but of me. Standing at the kitchen counter, hands on the laminate, looking out the window. The photo Marcus took. The photo that says: this is where I stand. This is where the food is made. This is the counter space. Welcome.
The birthday dinner is always spaghetti and meatballs — that part never changes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But after I’d had my three hours of quiet, after I’d held that hardcover with my name on the spine, I wanted something I could pull together fast for the crew when they arrived — something that felt festive and Italian-ish and just a little bit celebratory without being fussy. These Pizza Sliders are exactly that: all the flavors of a table full of people who love each other, packed into something warm and pull-apart and easy to share.
Pizza Sliders
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 12 sliders
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 count) Hawaiian or dinner rolls
- 1 cup marinara or pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
- 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper (optional)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Slice the rolls. Without separating the individual rolls, use a serrated knife to slice the entire slab of rolls horizontally in half. Place the bottom half in the prepared baking dish.
- Layer the sauce and cheese. Spread the marinara sauce evenly over the cut side of the bottom rolls. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the mozzarella evenly over the sauce.
- Add the toppings. Distribute the mini pepperoni, olives, and bell pepper evenly over the cheese layer.
- Top with more cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella over the toppings, then place the top half of the rolls over everything.
- Make the butter topping. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan. Brush generously over the tops of the rolls.
- Bake covered. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the rolls are heated through.
- Uncover and finish. Remove the foil and bake an additional 4—5 minutes until the tops are golden and slightly crisp.
- Slice and serve. Use a sharp knife to cut into individual sliders along the roll seams. Serve warm with extra marinara on the side for dipping.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 19g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 480mg