Serves 4 (two sliders per person).
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey (I use 93% lean)
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp cilantro paste
1/4 tsp garlic paste
4 slider buns
1/2 cup grated cheese (I use 4-cheese Mexican blend), or a slice of Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 avocado, mashed with a pinch of kosher salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine turkey, bread crumbs, sour cream, egg, cumin, chili powder, seasoned salt, cayenne, black pepper, cilantro and garlic pastes. Use your finger tips to bring everything together in an even mixture.
Test a sample: heat a drop of neutral oil (canola, peanut, grapeseed, etc.) in a small frying pan. Cook a tablespoon of the meat mixture, until it is no longer pink. Taste, and adjust seasoning if needed with more salt.
Divide the meat into 8 even parts, and form each into a large meatball. Place all of the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 22 minutes in the upper third of the oven. If you're going to serve right away, top each meatball with a bit of grated cheese, and return the pan to the oven for 1 minute, until the cheese melts. If you've frozen the meatballs, defrost, then top the defrosted meatballs with cheese and microwave for 30 seconds (don't defrost in the microwave, or the meatballs will overcook).
Cut each bun in half, and spread the bottom half with some of the mashed avocado. Top with a meatball, and serve.