"Bae" Toast with Crispy Bacon Lardons, Marinated Avocado, + Luscious Cheesy Scrambled Eggs on Garlic-Rubbed, Bacon Fat Fried Multigrain Sourdough Toast

If you could do one thing for me when it comes to cooking, it would be to make this avocado toast... before anything else. Have you ever wondered what "bae" stood for? Some people believe it to be what I already previously stated. But in my crazy foodie world, it obviously stands for bacon, avocado, + egg. Yep, the craze of 2016 had to be avocado toast. I wasn't really on board with it in the beginning because I'm not much of an avid avocado person. Don't get me wrong though, I love me some guacamole. But just toast and avocado? I wasn't quite buying it just yet. However, I started seeing recipes pop over all over the blog-o-sphere and pinterest and they included much more than just a piece of bread + avocado. That inspired to make one of our favorite dishes yet, Smoked Avocado Toast with Herbed Crab Salad, Bacon Fat Fried Sourdough, + Citrus Caviar. It's so good that we make it a few times a month. So, I knew I would've eventually come up with another twist on this new-found classic. What I absolutely love about this recipe is that you can literally eat it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, a snack, or dinner-- it is so versatile! Now, let's break down each component. First let's talk about the "toast"... if you could even call sliced thick cut, multigrain sourdough pan fried in smokey bacon fat toast. It's crunchy on the exterior, but perfectly melts into your mouth like a perfectly cooked piece of bacon. That golden brown piece of bread is then rubbed with garlic, which gives the toast a little bit of bite, especially in such a rich dish. Speaking of rich, let's get to the marinated avocado. I personally think avocado is a little too bland to me. So any time I use it, I like to "marinate" it. I do this by buying an almost ripe avocado, cutting it into slices, and then smashing it ever-so-slightly with some salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, and lime zest. This adds just a wee bit of flavor and intensifies it just enough to bring everything together. Now far and away, the best component of this toast are the luscious cheesy scrambled eggs. A chef can make or break a recipe by the way they cook their eggs. And this is the only way I will scramble an egg. Eggs are beaten together with heavy cream (YES), kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. They are then slow-slow-slow-and-low-low-low cooked in a skillet with butter and oil. This is very, very important. The key to getting fluffy, luscious, and creamy eggs is to continuously stir and fold the egg mixture with a rubber spatula. If I could describe it best, I would say to graze the pan, gently moving the cooked eggs from the outside of the pan towards the center. I will say that this method will take some time, anywhere from 15-30 minutes, but it is so unbelievably worth it. At the very end of cooking, I like to grate some parmesan on top of the curds and gently fold it in. I also love to garnish with fresh chives, but that's completely optional! Really, all that is left are topping the toasts with crispy bacon bits and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes... and that is it! It is such a simple dish, but oh-so-amazing! I mean, anyone can make this. I hope y'all love it as much as we did. Enjoy :)

For the Marinated Avocado:

2-3 Ripe Avocados, Sliced

1 Lime, Zested + Juiced

1T EVOO

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, To Taste

For the Luscious Cheesy Scrambled Eggs:

2T Unsalted Butter + 1T EVOO

6 Extra Large Eggs

¼C Heavy Cream

Pinch of Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

½C Freshly Grated Parmesan

1-2T Fresh Snipped Chives

For the "Bae" Toast:

Prepared Marinated Avocado

Prepared Luscious Cheesy Scrambled Eggs

6 Slices of Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into Lardons + Cooked until Crispy

Reserved Bacon Fat, For Frying

4-6 Slices of Multigrain Sourdough Toast, Fried in Bacon Fat

1 Large Clove of Garlic

Dried Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling

Directions:

1. Fry the bacon lardons in a large skillet over medium heat until they are perfectly crispy (but not burnt). Remove the bacon lardons from the hot pan and place them on a paper towel to drain and cool them. Reserve the rendered bacon fat for frying the toast.

2. For the Bacon Fat Dried Multigrain Sourdough Toast: In the same large skillet, over medium heat, add in about 1-2 inches of the rendered bacon fat. Fry the toast for a couple minutes on each side until they are golden brown and slightly crunchy. Repeat this process until all of the bread has been fried/toasted. Set them aside and let the toast cool for a few minutes, and then rub the clove of garlic all over the warm surface of the bread. Set them aside before assembling.

3. For the Marinated Avocado: In a mixing bowl, add in the sliced avocado, followed by the lime zest, lime juice, EVOO, kosher salt, and fresh cracker pepper. Toss all of the ingredients together, so that the avocados are covered in the lime. Right before assembling, mash the sliced avocado slightly, so that there are still some large chunks amongst the smoother smashed avocado. Set the marinated avocado aside until you are ready to assemble the toast.

4. For the Luscious Cheesy Scrambled Eggs: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over low heat. Add the butter and EVOO and allow it to melt and start to froth a bit. Pour the egg mixture into the warm pan. Using a heat-resistant rubber spatula, continually stir and fold the eggs until super soft curds form. It is important that you neatly and gently scrape (or graze) the sides of the pan, making sure to never stopping the motion. Push the eggs from the outside of the pan towards the center and repeat it until they are creamy, but cooked through. This process should take 15-30 minutes depending on your stovetop. Once the curds form and the eggs are cooked, sprinkle the top with the freshly grated parmesan and snipped chives. Stir to combine and be prepared to serve them while they are still warm.

5. Assembling the "Bae" Toast: Grab your perfectly browned bacon fat fried toast and rub the surface with the clove of garlic. Top each of the slices with some of your marinated mashed avocado and season with a pinch of salt. Spoon a mound of the luscious cheesy scrambled eggs on top of the creamy avocado. Scatter the crumbled, crispy bacon lardons evenly over the avocado. Garnish with some red pepper flakes for some spice and enjoy!

Farmer's Market Finds: The Best Damn Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich with Crispy Prosciutto, Peppery Arugula, Soft Herbs, + Sriracha Powder on Buttered White Bread

As long as I can remember, I have never liked deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches. However, that was all changed when we went to our favorite restaurant, JCT Kitchen, and we ordered some of their famous deviled eggs with country ham. I've made and posted their recipe here (with my own little twist) and they were fab. So I thought, why not turn them into a deviled egg sandwich? Now to make this sandwich even better, I used my favorite items that I found at our local farmer's market. This baby arugula is to die for... if you're in the local Atlanta area, stop by the Peachtree Road Farmer's Market and buy some of this arugula from Abundant Harvest Gardens. We normally have to buy two bags every Saturday, one to cook with and one to snack on during the ride home. I don't think I can adequately describe the flavor of these greens. It is nothing like the arugula you buy at the grocery store that is sorta peppery... this shit is straight up wasabi. I literally can't rave about it enough. I'm also in love with this bread. It's from another vendor at the farmer's market, TGM Bread. But anyway, back to this sandwich... you start by boiling a dozen of eggs until they are just cooked through. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the yellow egg yolks, homemade mayo or aioli, softened goat cheese, minced cornichons + shallots, dijon mustard, white balsamic reduction, and a whole mess of fresh herbs (chives, tarragon, basil, and parsley to be exact). Then all you have to do is fold in the diced up egg whites and season with salt + pepper. The one component left, that really takes this recipe over the top, is the crispy prosciutto. I've had all different kinds of egg salad sandwiches, most of them had bacon them, and it just didn't taste quite right. I love the flavor of the country ham/prosciutto on JCT's deviled eggs, so I thought that would be perfect on a sandwich. But, one thing that had to be changed was the texture. This was easily solved by baking some prosciutto until the fat rendered and began to crisp up. Essentially, because it is so thinly sliced, the meat practically melts on your tongue, so that you have delicious-porky-goodness with each bite. All that you have to do is assemble the sandwiches. Get your gorgeous loaf of white bread and fry it in some butter until golden brown + toasted. Next, you slather on a thick heap of that herbed egg salad, followed by a sprinkling of homemade sriracha powder. Finally, you just lay on some slices of that crispy prosciutto and a mound of those spicy arugula greens. The only thing left to do is to devour it. And trust me, that is the easiest and yummiest part of the recipe! Enjoy :)

For the Crispy Prosciutto:

6oz Thinly Sliced Prosciutto

EVOO, For Brushing

3-4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Cracked Pepper

For the Herbed Egg Salad:

12 Extra Large Eggs

¼C + 1T Homemade Aioli

3 Cornichons, Finely Minced

1 Small Shallot, Minced

2T Goat Cheese, Room Temperature

2t Dijon Mustard

1T White Balsamic Reduction (honey may be substituted if needed)

2T Fresh Chives, Snipped

1T Fresh Tarragon, Minced

2t Fresh Basil, Minced

1t Fresh Parsley, Minced

Kosher + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Deviled Egg Salad Sandwiches:

Prepared Crispy Prosciutto Slices

Prepared Herbed Egg Salad

Fresh Baby Arugula

Homemade Sriracha Powder, For Sprinkling

Buttered, Toasted Slices of White Bread

Directions:

1. For the Crispy Prosciutto: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the prosciutto evenly between both baking sheets, making sure to lay them flat. Brush the tops of the prosciutto with some EVOO and scatter the fresh sprigs of rosemary on top. Bake the prosciutto until the fat turns golden and the meat is darker in color. This will take about 15 minutes (making sure to rotate baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time). Using tongs, carefully transfer the prosciutto to paper towels to drain (it will continue tot crisp as it cools). Set them aside until you are ready to assemble the sandwich. 

2. For the Herbed Egg Salad: In a large pot, cover the eggs with cold water and bring them to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10-12 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath until chilled, about 5-10 minutes. In the bowl of a standing mixer that is fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the aioli, minced cornichons, goat cheese, Dijon mustard, white balsamic reduction, and minced shallots. Peel the eggs and slice them in half, and then scoop out the yellow egg yolk. On a cutting board, dice up the egg whites into bite size pieces and set them aside. Add the yolks to the bowl of aioli; beat this mixture until it is light and fluffy. Gently fold in the diced egg whites and herbs into the whipped egg yolk-aioli mixture. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the egg salad in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble your sandwich.

3. Assembling the Sandwiches: In a small sauté pan, toast your bread in a little bit of butter until it is golden brown. Remove the bread from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Top one slice of the bread with the herbed egg salad, a sprinkle of Sriracha powder, a few strips of crispy prosciutto, and a pile of fresh baby arugula, followed by the other slice of bread. Enjoy while the arugula is still crisp!

Mexican Bell Pepper Shakshuka with Habanero Cheddar Cheese, Cilantro Whipped Feta, + Garlic Rubbed Grilled Bread

I've been bad again, I promised I would do a better job blogging, but I have miserably failed. This portion on my life has been complete rock bottom, and I just can't seem to wrap my head around all of the issues. Bur what I do know, is that when I'm down in the dumps or sad, cooking and baking is my go-to stress reliever. And now that it is pretty much springtime, that means it's time to celebrate my favorite day (and meal) of the week... BRUNCH!! We were feeling extra adventurous and decided to make the new foodie-media darling, Shakshuka. Essentially, it is a dish with you stew tomatoes, spices, herbs, and peppers to create an extra potent sauce. I decided it would be cool to do it with a Mexican twist to it by using mainly bell peppers + onion with just a bit of my homemade brown butter tomato sauce. Besides the whole pure gold of runny yolk braised in a spicy bell pepper sauce, there are two different types of cheese... shredded habanero cheddar + cilantro whipped feta. The cheese serve as a vessel to hold the eggs in their "craters", so that the egg white doesn't run everywhere. But with my Shakshuka being influence by Mexican flavors, I kicked up the bell pepper sauce with some cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and cilantro. Between the char on the veggies and the smokey spices, you really get that authentic Spanish style flavor. And y'know that lovable characteristic of sopping up the broth at the bottom of a bowl of mussels... well this has that too! You have to get some good, hearty, thick-cut bread, which you then fry or grill and rub-a-dub-dub a garlic clove all over the sides of the slices (just for that little bite on your tastebuds). I mean honestly, there is literally nothing more satisfying than a crunchy piece of bread dipped into a luscious, runny egg yolk, and then scooped up with some melty cheese and charred peppers. And can you believe it... THIS DISH IS VEGETARIAN, that never happens here on H+H. Trust me on this though, you won't miss the meat one bit because it is that satisfying and fulfilling. So, give this recipe a whirl, whether it's for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and/or dinner. You seriously won't regret it!! Enjoy :)

beautiful peppers + onions

bell pepper shakshuka with wells filled with habanero cheddar

next up... cilantro whipped feta

crack dem eggz in the cheesy craters

season with salt + peppa, y'all

bake it + enjoy the heck outta it

oh snap, bread sopping is my favorite pastime

it's like brunch bruschetta. 

drip. drip. drop.

that's one sunny yolk.

what dreams are made of.

For the Bell Pepper Shakshuka:

¼C Canola Oil

4 Bell Peppers (we used one red, orange, yellow, and green), Cut into Strips

2 Jalapenos, Seeded + Cut into Strips

2 Red Onions, Sliced

4T Dark Brown Sugar

4 Large Cloves of Garlic, Sliced

½C Homemade Brown Butter Heirloom Tomato Sauce

4T Unsalted Butter

1t Cumin, Coriander, Paprika, + Red Pepper Flakes

¼t Cayenne

1T Dried Oregano

3 Bay Leaves

3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

Sea Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Cilantro Whipped Feta:

8oz Feta Cheese, Crumbled + Room Temperature

4oz Whipped Cream Cheese

3-4T Fresh Cilantro, Minced

Sea Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Mexican Bell Pepper Shakshuka:

Hot Sautéed Bell Pepper Shakshuka Mixture

1C Habanero Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

Prepared Cilantro Whipped Feta

6 Medium Eggs

1T Fresh Cilantro + 1T Fresh Parsley, Minced

Verde Hot Sauce, For Topping

Grilled Sourdough Bread (that has been rubbed with a clove of garlic while it’s still hot)

Directions:

1. For the Cilantro Whipped Feta: Add crumbled feta to a food processor and pulse until small crumbs remain. Add in whipped cream cheese and puree for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally, until the feta is super creamy. Remove from the food processor and place into a bowl and fold in the minced cilantro and a pinch of salt + pepper. Set aside until you are ready to use.

2. For the Mexican Bell Pepper Shakshuka: Heat a wok over high heat until it is just about to start smoking. Add in the canola oil and throw in the sliced bell peppers, jalapeno, red onions, and brown sugar. Cook the peppers until slightly soft while having a good char on them. This will take about 10 minutes or so. Toss in the garlic and sautéed for 2-3 minutes. Next, get out your cast iron skillet and bring it up to medium-low heat, adding in the butter until it is completely melted. Move the charred peppers and onions to the warmed cast iron. Stir in some of my homemade brown butter heirloom cherry tomato sauce, all of the spices, and herbs. Season with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Simmer this Shakshuka mixture for about 10 minutes, or until everything has started to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning as this dish is meant to be potent and flavorful. Remove the bay leaves after the cooking time has elapsed.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

4. Assembling the Shakshuka: Using a spoon, create 6 wells in the Shakshuka bell pepper mixture. Next, sprinkle in a small handful of the shredded habanero cheddar, followed by a spoonful of the cilantro whipped feta on top of the shredded cheese. These two components will help “cradle” the eggs, so that they will not spread out and cover all of the Shakshuka sauce. Crack one egg into each of one of the holes, and finally sprinkle with kosher and fresh cracked pepper on top of each egg.

5. Baking the Shakshuka: Place the Shakshuka into your preheated oven. Bake the Shakshuka until the egg whites have solidified, but the yolk remains runny. This should take about 10-15 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven and how big the eggs are. But, just keep an eye on them if it has passed the 10 minutes because this is all about the runny yolks, folks.

6. Finishing the Bell Pepper Shakshuka: Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh minced cilantro and parsley. Drizzle on some of the Verde hot sauce.

7. Serve the Bell Pepper Shakshuka with garlic rubbed, grilled bread for mopping!

#instagrub: Springtime Carbonara with Asparagus, Sweet Peas, Brown Buttered Leeks, + Goat Cheese

As far as I can remember, I have never been a "pasta person". I truly realize that anything of that sort is blasphemy, but it's just not my jam. However, I do tend to make a few exceptions and our tried + true favorite pasta dish is by far, Carbonara. I love it's luxurious parmesan-egg creamy sauce that perfectly coats every little individual pasta piece. Every time I eat this for dinner, it's almost like the pasta is giving me a big ole bear hug that warms me deep into my soul. We don't just make one version of Carbonara, but many... breakfast inspired, autumn flavored with sage, sausage, and roasted butternut squash, and this new edition using springtime ingredients. Not only is it packed with bacon, bacon fat, and heavy cream, but it also has gorgeous asparagus, delightful sweet peas, leeks sauteed in brown butter, and fresh herbs. All of these components truly liven up the somewhat-heavyhearted Carbonara, especially with the addition of lemon zest, lemon juice, and a glug of white wine. To make the pasta, I get out two large stockpots... one to begin boiling to pasta and one to start sauteing the leeks in brown butter. We buy the best frozen sweet peas we can find and toss them in at the last few minutes to partially cook them (along with the pasta), so that they can finish completely while we're assembling the dish. After the leeks have caramelized slightly and become translucent, add in the asparagus, some garlic, and that glug of white wine. After you have drained the pasta and peas into a colander to cool, it's now time to start cooking the bacon lardons. Once you have achieved crispy bacon lardon goodness, strain out the lardons onto a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered bacon fat behind. With the heat on medium, return the pasta and peas, brown buttered leeks, asparagus, and minced garlic to the large pot with the bacon fat. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients to make the creamy egg-parmesan-heavy cream sauce until a cohesive mixture has formed. Turn off the heat (but the pasta ingredients are still hot) and slowly drizzle in the seasoned heavy cream-parmesan-egg mixture, stirring continuously, so that the eggs do not cook and curdle. You want to achieve a smooth, creamy sauce, that perfectly coats the pasta, and in order to reach those results… you have to keep stirring. If the sauce is too thick you can add in a small ladle of that starchy pasta-cooking water until your have reached your desired consistency. Finally add in a little freshly grated nutmeg, fresh parsley, and fresh basil. Take a taste test, and if needed, season it with some more salt, pepper, and/or any other spices. Return the pasta to low-medium heat for just about a minute or two to thicken the sauce and bring it all together. At the very last minute, toss in the crispy bacon lardons, so they maintain their texture, even when coated in such a thick sauce! Now all you have to do is spoon the pasta into serving bowls and garnish them with fresh basil, fresh parsley, and crumbled goat cheese, and you're done!! Enjoy :)

For the Springtime Carbonara:

1lb Orecchiette Pasta (or any short pasta you like)

1 Bag of Frozen Sweet Peas

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter

4 Leeks, Halved Lengthwise + Thinly sliced (white & green parts only and thoroughly washed)

1lb Asparagus, Trimmed & Cut into 2inch Pieces

6 Cloves of Garlic, Finely Minced (split into two equal groups)

¼C White Wine

1lb Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into Lardons

Generous Sprinkling of Cinnamon

4 Large Eggs

8oz Grated Parmesan (we used one container of finely grated cheese)

½C Heavy Cream

1-2T Lemon Zest, Finely Grated with a Microplane

Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice, To Taste

¼-½t Dried Red Pepper Flakes 

Freshly Grated Nutmeg (just a pinch or to your liking)

¼C Fresh Parsley + ¼C Fresh Basil, Finely Chopped 

Fleur de Sel + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Prepping the Pasta: Fill a large stockpot with water, and then heavily salt it (almost to the point that it is like ocean water) and add a glug of extra virgin olive oil. Bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. With about 2-3 minutes of boiling left to go, add in the frozen peas, so that they can partially cook (they will finish completely throughout the Carbonara pasta process). When the pasta is done, reserve 2-3 ladles of the starchy water to help create a better sauce. Strain the pasta and peas and keep them in the strainer until you are ready to make the Carbonara. Return the large stockpot to the stove to be used again

2. Brown Buttering the Leeks: Start a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the stick of butter and allow it to melt completely until it is just beginning to brown. Throw in the prepared leeks, as well as some fleur de sel and fresh cracked pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, making sure to stir often. Boost the heat up to high and add in the cut asparagus and half of the minced garlic, and sauté for another 3-5 minutes, until they are tender, but not overcooked. Pour in the wine and allow it to reduce down, about 1-2 minutes. After this mixture has cooked, let it sit in the pan while you start cooking the bacon lardons.

3. Preparing the Creamy “Sauce”: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, finely grated Parmesan, heavy cream, fleur de sel, fresh cracked pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes until a smooth custard has formed. Set it aside.

4. For the Carbonara: In the same large stockpot used above, crisp up the bacon lardons over medium-high heat with a sprinkling of cinnamon. Once the bacon is completely cooked+ crispy, using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reduce the heat to low and leave the remaining bacon fat in the pot and throw in the cooked pasta and peas, brown buttered leeks, sautéed asparagus, and remaining minced garlic. Toss all of these components in the bacon fat until a cohesive pasta mixture has formed. Turn off the heat (but the pasta ingredients are still hot) and slowly drizzle in the seasoned heavy cream-parmesan-egg mixture, stirring continuously, so that the eggs do not cook and curdle. You want to achieve a smooth, creamy sauce, that perfectly coats the pasta, and in order to reach those results… you have to keep stirring. If the sauce is too thick you can add in a small ladle of that starchy pasta-cooking water until your have reached your desired consistency. Finally add in a little freshly grated nutmeg, fresh parsley, and fresh basil. Take a taste test, and if needed, season it with some more salt, pepper, and/or any other spices. Return the pasta to low-medium heat for just about a minute or two to thicken the sauce and bring it all together. At the very last minute, toss in the crispy bacon lardons, so they maintain their texture, even when coated in such a thick sauce.

5. Serving the Carbonara: Spoon the Springtime Carbonara into serving bowls and garnish with some fresh parsley, fresh basil, and a handful of crumbled goat cheese. Enjoy it while it’s still hot and oh-so-creamy!