Tailgatin' Thursday : Yellow Hammer Hunch Punch (just a few days late)

A Big 'Ole Glass of Yellow Hammer Hunch Punch on Alabama Game Day :)

So, this is a continuation of my postings of tailgatin' recipes every week for football saturday's. Even though I am a few days late, it's still a football saturday, so I think I'm A-OK. And fun fact alert: yesterday was "National Punch Day". No no no, don't go putting your dukes up just yet. It's not that kind of a punch day. And to be honest, let's hope there never is one. We are here to celebrate the kind of punch that has a little kick of booze. By booze, you know I mean a'whole'heck of it. Like many, many bottles to be exact. While at the University of Alabama, I enjoyed this cocktail every game day weekend. Most of the time at the bars on the strip, often on the Quad tailgating, but I had never made it myself without the assistance of others. The drink became famous from the bar, Gallette's. It is always served in a yellow cup with a splash of grenadine and a cherry to top it off. The exact recipe for hunch punch is a complete secret, but I definitely know there is orange juice, pineapple, and banana flavoring. What are alcohols are in this concoction, you may ask. Well, the cast of characters are the following: Bacardi 151, Everclear, Malibu Black Rum, Creme de Banana Liqueur, and Gin. Don't get it twisted y'all, you're gonna get slamdamnhammered off of these. Yes, slamdamnhammered is a technical term. Proven Fact. Now when you make this stuff, you're going to have to tinker it a bit and taste as you go. A little more simple syrup... a touch more banana liqueur... maybe some cold water/cold pineapple juice to dilute it a tad. Just let go and make it until it tastes good. But, I will say that I tend to make it slightly stronger than I would actually like because once you let it marinate + meld overnight, it certainly mellows a bit. Also, when you make it the next day, it will be sweetened with grenadine, crushed ice, sprite, and a cherry. This stuff goes super quickly, but don't you worry, there is a whole BUNCH of it!! Enjoy and Roll Tide :)

Making the Hunch Punch the night before in a big water cooler 

ALWAYS be careful with the punch... baby seat + belt not included in the recipe.

For the Hunch Punch:

1 Gallon of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

2 of the 59oz Dole Pineapple-Orange-Banana Juices

2C Pineapple Juice

1L of Rose’s Sweet & Sour Mix

1-2C Simple Syrup, Depending on How Sweet You Like It (I used homemade vanilla bean)

750mL Bacardi 151 Proof

750mL Everclear Grain Alcohol

1.75L Malibu Black Rum

1-2C Crème de Banana Liqueur, depending on Your Banana Preference (Dekuyper brand)

1C Gin (of your choice)

Cold Water or Cold Pineapple Juice, optional (to dilute the mixture if it is too strong)

For Serving:

Crushed Ice

Generous Gulp of Grenadine Syrup

Splash of Sprite, For Topping

Maraschino Cherries, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. To Make the Hunch Punch: Pour everything into a large jug (we had to use a water cooler because it makes so many gallons). Taste the first batch and determine whether you need to add more simple syrup, banana liqueur, and cold water/cold pineapple juice (if needed). Stir to combine and mix thoroughly. Once you have reached your desired taste, refrigerate overnight. I tent to air on the side of caution and make it stronger than you would typically like because once the flavors meld overnight, it will mellow out a lot. Also, when you make a glass of the hunch punch, it will be diluted with crushed ice, grenadine, and sprite to sweeten it as well.
2.  To Make a Glass: Get a clear plastic cup and pour in a generous glug of grenadine syrup (the more, the sweeter), and then top it with a big ‘ole handful of crushed ice. Gently pour/ladle/drizzle the liquid slowly into the glass almost to the top of the glass. This will make a “sunset effect” in the glass. Finish the drink with a splash of sprite and a cherry! Enjoy all day long :) 

Pulled Pork Sliders with Pulled Pork, BBQ Sauce, Pineapple-Honey Mustard Coleslaw, Pickles, + Red Onion-Poppy Seed Buttered Slider Buns

Pulled Pork Sliders with Pulled Pork, BBQ Sauce, Pineapple-Honey Mustard 

Coleslaw, Pickles, & Red Onion-Poppy Seed Buttered Slider Buns

Last night's Super Bowl party cam and went, and I'm definitely feeling the effects of it. You know you had a blast when you wake up with a semi-broken rib! Ha, probably not the best idea, but I'm unfortunately a little clumsy. We had a shit-ton of tailgatin' food last night... it was certainly unhealthy! Here's some of the food we had: pulled pork sliders, caramelized onion dip, spicy bacon-peanut caramel corn, mexican seven layer dip, hot corn dip, candied bacon wrapped sausages, and homemade beergarita's.

Here's the feast. 

Our favorite appetizer of the night were these Pulled Pork Sliders. I kind of based them off those ham & cheese sliders that everyone always raves about. So I put my little twist on it by turning them into scrumptious pulled pork sliders. I layered homemade pulled pork, tangy BBQ sauce, our favorite pineapple coleslaw, and some pickle chips all on some sweet Hawaiian dinner rolls that have been doused with a mustard-butter sauce and garnished with minced red onion and poppy seeds. These sliders were perfectly toasty and had all the essential elements that we all love and cherish from classic BBQ sandwiches. These suckers were gone in 15 minutes, no lie. I will see that they aren't the prettiest and easiest sliders to assemble, you kind of have to work with them a little and just move fast, making sure to compress them in a little to keep all the components inside. We also found it extremely helpful to stick a toothpick in the center the hole them all together. How were your Super Bowl parties? Did y'all make any yummy food like us? I would love to hear about it!! Enjoy :)

For the Dry Rubbed-Pulled Pork:

2T Salt

4T Brown Sugar

4t Garlic Powder

4t Onion Powder

2t Ground Cumin

2t Chili Powder

2t Black Pepper

1 5lb Boston Butt

For the Pineapple-Poppy Seed-Honey Mustard Coleslaw:

1 16oz Bag of Coleslaw Mix

3 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

8oz Crushed Pineapple (squeezed of all excess juice)

3T Mayo

2T Dijon Mustard

1T Grainy Mustard

3T Honey

1t Creamy Horseradish

Salt & Pepper, To Taste 

For the Red Onion-Poppy Seed Butter Sauce:

8T Unsalted Butter, Melted

1T Yellow Mustard

2T Brown Sugar

½t Worcestershire Sauce

2-4T Red Onion, Minced

Poppy Seeds, For Sprinkling

For the Sandwiches:

24 Hawaiian Dinner Rolls, Split in Half

Mayo, For Spreading

Warmed Pulled Pork

Your Favorite BBQ Sauce

Prepared Pineapple-Honey Mustard Coleslaw

Pickles, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. To Make the Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork: Mix together all of the seasonings and rub the spice blend all over the pork and marinate the pork overnight, covered, in the refrigerator. The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and bake for 6 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers to 170 degrees. Remove the pork from the oven and transfer to a large platter and allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While still warm, take 2 forks and pull the meat to form shreds.

2. To Make the Pineapple Coleslaw: In a medium-mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, drained pineapple, Dijon mustard, grainy mustard, honey, and horseradish. Toss this mixture with the coleslaw and green onions until completely coated. Set it aside until ready to assemble the sandwiches.

3. Baking the Sliders: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Split the dinner rolls in half and spread one of the sides with a thin layer of mayo. Place some pulled pork on top of the bun with mayo (making sure to press it in, so it’s compacted). Close the rolls with the top bun. Place them into a large baking dish or a cookie sheet that has been lined with a Silpat (make sure that they are very close together). Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, yellow mustard, maple syrup, minced red onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Season it with a little salt and pepper if needed. Using a spoon, drizzle the sauce over the sliders evenly, using just enough to cover the tops of the buns. Try to spoon the minced red onions on top for pretty presentation. Sprinkle the tops with poppy seeds. Let the butter sauce sit until it sets slightly. Bake the sandwiches for 10-15 minutes or until the tops are slightly brown and beginning to crisp up.

4. Assembling the Sliders: Once they have baked, remove them from the oven. Open the sliders back up, and then drizzle the pulled pork with some of your favorite BBQ sauce. Next, top the sauced pork with a pickle chip and a scoop of slaw. Close them back up with the top bun. For easier serving, stick a long toothpick into the middle of the slider to hold them together. These sliders can be a little messy to assemble, but you just have to keep stacking and pressing! Enjoy them while they are still slightly warm!

source: ham + cheese sliders

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pineapple-Poppy Seed-Honey Mustard Coleslaw

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pineapple-Poppy Seed-Honey Mustard Coleslaw

Pulled pork has to be the ultimate game-day food for us. I mean, it requires very little work and you just pop it in the oven for 6 hours and you have amazingly fatty shreds of porkiness in front of you. Even better, you can stretch it into different meals for days. On Sunday, I'll post a recipe for some of the best Pulled Pork Waffles that you've ever seennnnn. In the meantime, I made a different version of some BBQ sandwiches... and they involve a kinda-crazy coleslaw... made with pineapple. Yes, I realize that might sound odd, but it's strangely delicious. The dressing has a bunch of ingredients, but it mainly involves a homemade honey mustard sauce with prepared horseradish, poppy seeds, and crushed pineapple. It's tangy, sweet, yet has a nice "zang" to it. It's the perfect topping to any sandwich and I think it would go great with a pulled chicken sandwich as well. If there are any Alabama fans out there reading this, it would be a great recipe at your tailgates this weekend since the Crimson Tide plays Arkansas. But, don't worry... this isn't only for us 'Bama fans!! Enjoy :)

For the Dry Rubbed-Pulled Pork:

2T Salt

4T Brown Sugar

4t Garlic Powder

4t Onion Powder

2t Ground Cumin

2t Chili Powder

2t Black Pepper

1 5lb Boston Butt

For the Pineapple-Poppy Seed-Honey Mustard Coleslaw:

1 16oz Bag of Coleslaw Mix

3 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

8oz Crushed Pineapple (squeezed of all excess juice)

3T Mayo

2T Dijon Mustard

1T Grainy Mustard

3T Honey

1t Creamy Horseradish

1T Poppy Seeds

Salt & Pepper, To Taste 

For the Sandwiches:

Toasted Buns

Warmed Pulled Pork

Your Favorite BBQ Sauce

Prepared Coleslaw

Pickled Red Onions, For Garnishing

Pickles, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. To Make the Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork: Mix together all of the seasonings and rub the spice blend all over the pork and marinate the pork overnight, covered, in the refrigerator. The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and bake for 6 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers to 170 degrees. Remove the pork from the oven and transfer to a large platter and allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While still warm, take two forks and pull the meat to form shreds.

2. To Make the Pineapple Coleslaw: In a medium-mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, drained pineapple, Dijon mustard, grainy mustard, honey, horseradish, and poppy seeds. Toss this mixture with the coleslaw and green onions until completely coated. Set it aside until ready to assemble the sandwiches.

3. Assemble the sandwiches by stacking the pulled pork, BBQ sauce, pineapple coleslaw, and other toppings onto toasted buns and enjoy!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Hello everyone, I hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving! I'm still stuffed, but of course I'm managing to do one last round of tailgate food today for the Iron Bowl. I will be posting a few Thanksgiving recipes in the next week so look forward to Salted Caramel Apple Pie with Vanilla Bean Pastry Crust, Zesty Cranberry-Cherry Sauce, and a Thanksgiving leftover sandwich. Anyway, today's recipe is Jalapeno Popper Dip. As I have obviously mentioned before, we love jalapeno poppers, and we will make just about anything inspired by this appetizer. Well this dip does NOT disappoint, I just love it. It's so creamy and has the best kick from the fresh jalapenos, roasted poblanos, and candied jalapenos. But my absolute favorite part is the thin layer of apricot-pineapple preserves on top of the dip. It is a sweet little surprise to balance out the heat. Also, I finish the dip with a crispy layer of buttery panko breadcrumbs that mimics the breading of a deep-fried jalapeno popper. Serve this dip warm with some chips, and just go to town... you won't regret it!! Enjoy :)

Crispy Panko Topping

Jalapeno Popper Dip

For the Dip:

2 8oz Packages of Cream Cheese, Softened

½C Mayo

½C Sour Cream

½t Garlic Salt, Cayenne, & Cajun Seasoning

4 Jalapenos, Diced

3 Poblano Peppers, Roasted & Diced

2T Candied Jalapenos, Diced (optional)

8 Slices of Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into Cubes & Fried until Crispy

1 8oz Block of Pepperjack Cheese, Shredded

½C Apricot-Pineapple Preserves (or Hot Pepper Jelly)

1C Panko Breadcrumbs

½C Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

3T Butter, Cut into Small Cubes   

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking dish with Pam.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, garlic salt, and cayenne until smooth. Stir in the diced jalapenos, roasted poblano, candied jalapeno, and shredded pepperjack until well incorporated. Spoon this mixture into the prepared baking dish into a smooth layer. Spread a thin, even layer of preserves on top of the creamy dip.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the panko and Parmesan. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the preserves. Top the breadcrumbs with the cubes of butter.
4. Bake the dip for 30 minutes until the dip is hot & bubbly. Broil the dip for a few minutes to toast the breadcrumbs to golden brown.
5. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Hawaiian Moink Balls with Hoisin Glaze

Have you ever heard of moink balls? I heard about them two years ago while tailgating on the Quad at Alabama. They are very similar to the Candied Bacon-Wrapped Smoked Sausages with BBQ Sauce that I made at the beginning of this month. Basically a moink ball is a bacon wrapped meatball, and the glory of it is that you can make your own meatball or just find something store-bought. Also, you can make all different kinds of flavors for these moink balls. I decided to make Hoisin Glazed-Hawaiian Moink Balls with pineapple and red onion. Other flavors I want to make are buffalo chicken, BBQ, and thai. This is a great make-ahead appetizer that you could also easily serve at a party as well. Enjoy :)

Hawaiian Meatballs with Pineapple, Wrapped in Bacon, Glazed in Hoisin Sauce

Hawaiian Moink Balls with Hoisin Glaze

For the Moink Balls:

1 Slice of White Sandwich Bread

1 ½T Milk

1t Soy Sauce

½C Red Onions, Finely Chopped

1 ¼lbs Ground Pork

½C Panko Breadcrumbs 

3 Cloves of Garlic, Finely Grated

1T Ginger, Finely Grated

½C Crushed Pineapple (drained of excess juice)

1 Large Egg, Lightly Beaten

1t Toasted Sesame Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Vegetable Oil, For Frying

20 Pineapple Chunks

10 Slices of Bacon, Cut in Half

Toothpicks, For Securing & Serving

¼C Brown Sugar

Hoisin or Teriyaki Sauce, For Glazing  

Directions:

1. To Make the Hawaiian Meatballs: Tear the sandwich bread into small pieces, and then toss with the milk and soy sauce in a large bowl, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Add the red onions, ground pork, panko breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger, crushed pineapple, egg, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.  Gently form the ground mixture into 16 golf ball-size meatballs. Put the meatballs on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the meatballs until browned and almost cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain until they have cooled completely.

2. To Make the Hawaiian Moink Balls: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with Pam, and then set aside. While the oven is preheating, assemble the moink balls. Grab a cooled, cooked Hawaiian meatball, and top it with 1 pineapple chunk, wrap it with a slice of bacon, and then stick a toothpick through the center to hold all of the components together. Place the finished wrapped moink balls onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle them with a little bit of brown sugar.

3. To Cook the Hawaiian Moink Balls: Bake the moink balls for 20 minutes and then flip them over and cook for another 20 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of baking begin glazing them with hoisin or teriyaki sauce, so that they will caramelize while baking.

"Southern Classics" White Chocolate Cheesecake Layer Cake

What kind of cakes do y'all think of when you think of the South? Obviously for me it is Red Velvet Cake, Carrot Cake, Hummingbird Cake, Coconut Cake, and maybe a few others that I'm just not thinking of. Well, I already make a different kind of Red Velvet Cake every other week, I know it's getting ridiculous. But, it's my absolute favorite. So, when one of my best friends from high school asked for me to bake her a cake for her birthday this weekend, I decided to let her choose, since ya know... it's her birthday & all. She had tasted Mountain Man's Carrot Cake with Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting when I made it for his birthday, so she wanted that cake again. I didn't want to make the same cake because that just wouldn't be special. I asked her if I could put my little twist on it, and she said that was fine. Well, my twist was going to include Carrot Cake (since she requested it), but it was also going to include Hummingbird Cake + White Chocolate Cheesecake. YES, you heard me right... I didn't stutter. Three different cakes in one glorious birthday cake. If y'all aren't from the South and you haven't heard of Hummingbird Cake. It is like the sister of Carrot Cake. Instead of shredded carrots, the cake has mashed bananas, crushed pineapples, and chopped pecans. It also has cream cheese frosting, just like Carrot Cake, which was kind of the common denominator that I knew would drive these two together. Since they are sort of similar, I thought they would be great together in one cake, and boy was I right. These cakes were born to be layered together. But I couldn't just do any ole' cream cheese frosting... I had to kick it up a notch. Instead of frosting in between each cake, I layered in White Chocolate Cheesecake. YESSSSSS. Cheesecake in a layer cake? Amazing. It tasted exactly like a cake with frosting, but with a little more body and well, deliciousness. To tie it all together, I made a white chocolate cream cheese frosting. This cake was by far my favorite cake that I have baked so far, in all its' Southern glory. Please make this cake for your next party, birthday, holiday, or today... whatever. It doesn't matter. It's worth it. And sorry for the kind of bad pictures, it was hard to get a good lookin' picture when you're celebrating & chowing down at the same time! Enjoy :)

The Whole "Southern Classics" White Chocolate Cheesecake Layer Cake

The Cake Gettin' Sliced Into

Layers of Hummingbird Cake, White Chocolate Cheesecake, Carrot Cake,  & White Chocolate Cream Frosting

"Southern Classics" White Chocolate Cheesecake Layer Cake

For the Hummingbird Cake Layers:

1 ½C AP Flour

½t Baking Soda

½t Salt

1C Sugar

½t Cinnamon

2 Large Eggs, Beaten

½C Vegetable Oil   

1t Vanilla

4oz Crushed Pineapple, Undrained

½C Chopped Pecans

1C Chopped Bananas

For the Carrot Cake Layers:

2 Eggs

½C + 2T Vegetable Oil

1C Sugar

1C AP Flour

1t Baking Soda

1t Baking Powder

¼t Salt

1t Cinnamon

Pinch of Ground Ginger

1 ½C Grated Carrot

½C Golden Raisins

½C Chopped Pecans

For the White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling:

¼C White Chocolate Chips, Melted & Cooled

4 8oz Packages of Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1C + 4T Sugar

2T AP Flour

4 Eggs, Room Temperature

2t Vanilla

2T Heavy Cream

For the White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 8oz Blocks of Cream Cheese, Softened

1 Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Softened

½C White Chocolate Chips, Melted

1t Vanilla

2C Confectioners’ Sugar

Toasted Coconut, For Decoration      

Pineapple Slices, For Decoration

Pecans, For Decoration

White Chocolate Chips, For Decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray 7 cake tins (2 Carrot Cake, 2 Hummingbird, & 3 Cheesecake) with Pam and line with parchment, and then set them aside.

2. To Make the Hummingbird Cake Layers: Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and add the eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened (do not beat). Stir in the vanilla, pineapple, pecans, and bananas. Pour the batter into two prepared cake tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes and then remove from the pans and cool completely on the wire racks. *Wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to help with stacking*

3. To Make the Carrot Cake Layers: In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, white sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the carrots, and the fold in the pecans, and golden raisins. Pour the cake batter into the other 2 prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. *Wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to help with stacking*

4. To Make the White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 3 cake pans with parchment paper and spray with Pam. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed until creamy, and then slowly add in the sugar, mixing slowly until smooth. On low speed, mix in the flour. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Add one egg at a time; making sure each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the vanilla and cream until the mixture is smooth. Using a large spoon, fold in the melted white chocolate until just incorporated. Pour the batter equally into the prepared pans and bake for about 30-45 minutes or until the center is set when you slightly shake the pan. Allowing to cool completely before removing from the pan. Place into the refrigerator and chill the cheesecakes overnight before assembling the cake.

5. To Make the White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the melted white chocolate and vanilla. Next, beat in the sifted confectioners’ sugar until blended and smooth. Chill the frosting in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes in order to set up a little.

6. To Assemble the Cake: Place one layer of humming bird cake and layer on some of the cream cheese, followed by one layer of the cooled cheesecake, another layer of cream cheese frosting, a layer of carrot cake and some more cream cheese frosting. Repeat this process until all the cake has been used. Finish by spread the cream cheese frosting up the sides and on the top in a smooth, even layer (swirling decoratively). Press the toasted coconut onto the sides of the cake and top with the different garnishes on top of the cake. Put the cake in the refrigerator to set up the frosting, about 30 minutes. But then let the cake come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before eating.

*Check out Sweets for a Saturday for this recipe, as well as many others!!*

Jalapeno Popper Sandwich with Sassy Jezebel Sauce

I've made a lot of recipes based on Jalapeno Poppers. They are one of my favorite appetizers, but that's because I have a soft spot in my heart for any pepper or anything spicy really. I've made Baked Jalapeno Poppers (wrapped in bacon), Jalapeno Popper Bombs, & Jalapeno Popper Mac n' Cheese. Yep, I like Jalapeno Poppers. So, we just had to turn it into a sandwich... duh, but of course! This sandwich is layered with fire-roasted jalapenos, creamy boursin cheese, cheddar cheese, thick-sliced crispy bacon, and my Sassy Jezebel Sauce. But what puts this sandwich on top you ask? It is breaded & fried in panko breadcrumbs (like a real jalapeno popper should be)! Yes my friends, I bring you a fried sandwich. Don't kill me... I know you're probably gaining weight by just reading about this recipe. I apologize. But it was just soooo good. Enjoy :)

This Baby is Ready to be Cut

See that... That's the Crispy Panko Crust

Look at all those yummy jalapeno popper layers 

Jalapeno Popper Sandwich with Sassy Jezebel Sauce 

Sassy Jezebel Sauce:

18oz Apple Jelly

12oz Pineapple Preserves

18oz Peach Preserves

12oz Orange Marmalade

5oz Horseradish, Well Drained

1 0.8oz Jar of Ground Dry Mustard, Sifted

1T Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

For the Jalapeno Popper Panini:

4 Slices of French Bread (or Sourdough)

4T Prepared Sassy Jezebel Sauce

2 Slices of Sharp Cheddar Cheese

4oz Creamy Boursin Cheese

8 Slices of Thick Sliced Bacon, Fried to Crispy

8 Large Jalapenos, Fire-Roasted & Skins Peeled

2C AP Flour

1T Paprika, Chili Powder, Cajun Seasoning, Salt

3 Eggs

½C Buttermilk

1T Hot Sauce

1 Box of Panko Breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. To Make the Sassy Jezebel Sauce: In a mixing bowl, beat apple jelly with an electric mixer; add in the pineapple preserves, peach preserves, and orange marmalade. Mix thoroughly. Whisk in the drained horseradish and dry mustard. Add in the pepper. Place in glass jars and cover; keep in cold in the refrigerator until ready to use (makes about 4 pints of sauce and keeps for about 2-3 weeks).
2. To Assemble the Sandwich: On all of the slices, slather on 1T of Sassy Jezebel Sauce. On the designated bottom slices start layering with the creamy Boursin cheese, fire-roasted jalapenos, crispy thick bacon, and then sharp cheddar cheese. Top with the other slice of bread and compact the sandwich together slightly.
3. To Bread the Sandwich: Set up a battering station by using 3 pie tins. For the first station, mix together the flour and seasonings. For the second station, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce. For the third station, pour the contents of the panko breadcrumbs. Now, dredge the sandwiches completely in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess. Next, dunk the sandwiches into the egg wash, and then finally cover the sandwiches in the panko breadcrumbs.
4. To Cook the Sandwich: Fry the sandwiches in a sauté pan with oil on high heat until crispy and golden brown. Finish the sandwiches in the oven (about 400 degrees) to make sure the sandwich is heated through completely.
5. Remove from the oven and then slice the sandwich in half. Serve and enjoy!


*Also, if you have not heard about Jezebel Sauce, it is a sauce made of preserves and horseradish that is very popular in the South. It is most popularly served over a block of cream cheese as an appetizer. I know it may sound bizarre, but it is actually really good. This recipe, which I found my mother's recipe box, makes a HUGE batch, but it is great to make and put into mason jars, and then you can have something on hand if a visitor decides to show up unannounced. You can always make a small batch of the sauce, using the same ingredients to your liking of course!!

source: jalapeno popper sandwich.