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!

"Mountain Man Pleasing Chicken" with Peach Preserve-Honey Mustard Marinated Chicken, Colby Jack Cheese, Mushrooms, + Bacon

"Mountain Man Pleasing Chicken" with Peach Preserve-Honey Mustard Marinated Chicken,
Colby Jack Cheese, Mushrooms, + Bacon

This is one of those feel good meals... that the men in your life will thank you for. And on top of all of that it's something you marinate a day before or overnight and slop it all into a baking dish until it's cooked through + perfectly browned. After the chicken is done, you top it with some slices of Colby Jack cheese, browned mushrooms, & smoky bacon and bake it again, under the broiler, till the cheese is melty and beginning to crisp around the edges (a.k.a. the best part). If you're smart like us, you'll drizzle a little bit of that peach preserve-honey mustard marinade on the chicken before you start layering on the cheese, mushrooms, and bacon. It adds a little extra sweet + savory taste and boosts up that flavor profile just a tad bit more. First, you start by marinating the chicken in a homemade sauce; it is composed of different mixed mustards (or whatever you have on you), maple syrup, peach preserves, apple cider vinegar, worcestershire, garlic cloves, seasonings, and sprigs of fresh rosemary. I like the balance between the mustard + peach, it's like a fruity honey mustard... and who doesn't like that? Also, don't leave out the fresh rosemary, pretty pretty please? I love the aromatic element it brings to the whole dish. 

marinating the chicken thighs in garlic, rosemary, and peach preserve-honey mustard 

You can start this whenever you want, but the longer it marinates, the better it tastes. Marinate + bake the chicken thighs in the same pan, so you don't waste a bunch of different dishes. Less clean up=happy people, agreed? Agreed. Yes this dish is simple. But it packs a lot of flavor AND it has cheese + bacon on it, which automatically makes it, "man-pleasing chicken". Make it tomorrow, make it next weekend, or make it whenever you can. It's perfect for Autumn/Fall weather too!! Enjoy :)

after baking...

it looks perfectly brown + juicy

garnish it with chives and serve it with potatoes, and you're good to go

For the Marinated Chicken:

6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

2/3C Mixed Mustards (I used Dijon, honey mustard, and yellow mustard)

1/3C Maple Syrup

1 Jar of Peach Preserves

2T Apple Cider Vinegar

Couple Dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

4 Cloves of Garlic, Thinly Sliced

2-4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

Salt, Fresh Cracked Pepper, & Red Pepper Flakes (for sprinkling the chicken)

For the Chicken Topping:

6 Slices of Colby Jack Cheese (one slice per chicken thigh)

Sautéed Mushrooms (I like a good golden brown color)

12 Slices of Cooked Bacon (two slices per chicken thigh)

Leftover Peach Preserve-Honey Mustard Marinade, For Drizzling

Fresh Minced Chives, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. Preparing the Marinated Chicken: Spray a 13x9-baking dish with Pam and lay the chicken thighs into the pan. Season the tops of them with some salt & fresh cracked pepper. Thinly Slice 4 cloves of garlic and scatter them across the chicken.

2. Making the Marinade: Whisk together the mustards (of your choice), maple syrup, peach preserves, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce until thoroughly combined (this should make about 2C of marinade). Pour half of the mixture over the chicken, so that they are completely covered (save the remaining marinade for another batch or use all of it for a double batch). Top the entire dish with the fresh sprigs of rosemary. Cover and marinate for 4-6 hours.

3. Baking the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the tin foil from the baking dish and place the chicken in the hot oven. Cook them for roughly 30-40 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest in the pan for at least 5 minutes.

4. Finishing the Chicken: Increase the heat of the oven to broil and remove the chicken from the baking dish and place onto a silpat-line baking pan. Spoon a little of the extra marinade over each chicken thigh, and then top with two slices of cooked bacon, a slice of Colby jack cheese, and a pile of sautéed mushrooms. Drizzle a little more sauce on top. Broil in the oven (while keeping a close eye, so that nothing burns) for about 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted and everything looks gorgeously brown.

5. Spoon a little more marinade over the top if you wish and garnish with chives. Enjoy it while it’s still hot!

Caramelized-In-Bacon-Fat Peaches with Bleu Cheese, Serrano Ham, White Balsamic Reduction Drizzle, + Fresh Herbs

Caramelized-In-Bacon-Fat Peaches with Bleu Cheese, Serrano Ham,
White Balsamic Reduction Drizzle, + Fresh Herbs

It's peach season, y'all! And thank gawd for that. Ripe peaches are practically religion down in the southeast. We use them for just about anything... cobblers, salads, on crostini, flavored lemonade, infused sweet tea, as toppings on pizza, and even in a savory capacity, like these caramelized peaches. It is the perfect side dish during the summer. What makes this recipe so mouth-watering? Well, let's just start from the beginning... they are caramelized in bacon fat (another southern staple), and then finished in the oven where they are caramelized with sugar and scented with fresh rosemary. After they achieve the dark, caramel-y color that you desire, you take them out of the oven and start assembling these sort-of-kinda "peach salads". Drizzle the tops of the caramelized peaches with some of the sweet + sticky + tangy white balsamic reduction. Now onto the matter of the bleu cheese... any kind will really do, but I especially like a soft, silky bleu cheese that will soften some while they sit on top of the warm peaches. Don't like bleu cheese, that's fine too! I'm sure that a creamy goat cheese would be a lovely compliment to the other ingredients! So spoon that sticky, yet delicious cheese into the center of the fruit and pile on a heap of shaved serrano ham. If you can't find serrano, prosciutto or country ham would work just fine as well! I love to finish these bad boys off with a little bit of fresh basil + minced chives because it gives the dish some herby elements that counteract all the sweetness and savoriness that is going on in the dish. We served our peaches with a pepper jelly glazed, BBQ rubbed, grilled pork tenderloin (I will post the recipe for that soon), and it was the perfect compliment to the hearty meat. I think this would absolute perfection for a dinner party with friends or just to whip up on a sunny weekday!! Enjoy :)

For the White Balsamic Reduction:

¼C White Balsamic Vinegar

1T Honey

For the Caramelized Peaches:

2T Rendered Bacon Fat

4 Large, Semi-Ripe Peaches (cut in half + remove the pit)

1T Granulated Sugar + 1T Light Brown Sugar

¼t Smoked Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

For Topping the Peaches:

1t of Bleu Cheese (per peach half… we had about 8 halves)

Shaved Serrano Ham (country ham or prosciutto may be substituted)

Fresh Basil + Chives, Minced

Red Pepper Flakes, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a bowl, mix together the sugars.

2. For the White Balsamic Reduction: Add the white balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook to reduce for 5-10 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Set this aside until ready to use.

3. For the Caramelized Peaches: Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add the rendered bacon fat. Once melted, reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the cut-side up of peaches with half of the sugar mixture, the salt and the pepper. Place them cut-side done in the skillet, tucking the rosemary in between. Cook for 5 minutes, or until cut sides are caramelized and golden. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on the un-cut side of the peaches. Drizzle a bit of bacon grease (1-2 teaspoons) over the peaches, then place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip the peaches so they are cut-side up. Roast for another 5-10 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, discarding the rosemary.

4. Assembling the Peaches: Place the caramelized peach halves onto a plate and put a piece of blue cheese into the center, followed by a drizzle of white balsamic reduction and a mound of shaved serrano. Garnish the top with fresh basil and chives, along with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and some more balsamic reduction. Enjoy with a glass of white wine.

inspired by: sugar roasted peaches

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Whipped Goat Cheese + Freshly Grated Parmesan

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Whipped Goat Cheese + Freshly
Grated Parmesan

Isn't it so crazy how fast time flies? I mean, every day it seems like each hour passes so slowly, but then you wake up, and it's next year. Does anybody else feel like that or is it just me? I feel like I have been catapulted with slingshot across time, and in an instant, I can't even remember why I feel like I have whiplash. This week has kind of been like that for me. I slowly started to feel like my old self again, got out of bed, worked out, hung out with a friend, showered, cooked a little, and just did, well, normal shit. After going through periods of being extremely ill for months at a time, over a period of four years, and slowly crawling my way out of it each time, days like today I can never take for granted. I never took pride in the fact of being the person who I am. I always envied those people who lived in the moment, took chances, and didn't care what other people thought of them. I so wanted to stop plowing through the list of things I had to get done for the day, not just because I wanted too, but because that was what I was supposed to do. Up until the age of 21, I almost sold my life to playing soccer, so much so, I missed out on a lot of activities all kids should experience. At the time, it was worth it... going to practices sometimes 2-3 times a day, from 4PM until dark, slaving away, over + over, traveling out of town for tournaments every weekend and during most holidays. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of being with those girls, but it was something that was just always... expected of me. I can barely recall any specific memories of those days, but it consumed my entire being. It got me into college at the University of Alabama and I can't be grateful enough. But suddenly on the first day of pre-season, my soccer career had ended. Immediately, I was catapulted again into an entirely new arena of living. What is my next step? What do I want to be when I grow up? Who I am? Am I going to make it alone? What do I do? Naturally, I threw myself into my schoolwork. Although, I had never cared much about making good grades, if I studied, I was a great student. So, I chose to study Nursing while at 'Bama and, once again, excelled. I had almost a 4.0 GPA, made all the academic achievement lists, and managed to have a pretty damn good social life. Then bam, health problems galore. One after another, whiplash after whiplash, I slowly watched something I had worked so hard for start to slip away... again. Being bed-ridden for so long, you learn a lot about yourself and the people around you. You learn whether you're a fighter or one who cowers in the corner. You inherently become a pessimist or an optimist, either of which, people love or could possibly hate. You learn who loves you, cares for you, and sticks by your side, even in the darkest of times. Besides watching Netflix all day long, I scoured the internet and became enthralled by food blogs. Their creativity, their gorgeous pictures, their amusing stories... it was all-inspiring. It just clicked, and so I began to cook. I had helped out in the kitchen before, but hadn't done much, and knew barely anything when it came to food. Cooking became an outlet for frustration and also for fun. At the time, I wasn't even allowed to eat anything, yet I managed to create meals and dishes for my family and friends that they loved, and seeing that enjoyment was fulfilling enough. Once I was cleared to eat and I could see the color begin to return in my face and my body, I got more + more creative, even developed my own sense of style + point of view. And now here we are today, I'm that girl. The one that host parties, cooks every dinner, makes birthday cakes, develops secret recipes, fucks up some, and succeeds a good bit. It's so soothing, finally. This whole timeline flashed before me on Tuesday, as I sat across from my young niece trying to blow out her birthday candles on the cake I had made her. She has her whole life ahead of her, and just a day before, I thought I was in her shoes. And I'm not, I'm here. I made it. I found what I truly love to do, AND before my mid-life crisis. That's probably my biggest accomplishment so far (besides finding the man of my dreams), and ya know what, I'm proud of it, I'm proud of it all. This blog, these recipes, they are a labor of love. Will y'all help me celebrate it? Even though Summer has said its' goodbyes and gone into hiding, I took one of our favorite dishes that we enjoy during that time, Bruschetta, and gave it a little touch of Autumn. Instead of fresh heirloom tomatoes, sweetened + ripened by the hot sun, I roasted some cherry tomatoes in the oven until they were concentrated with so much flavor. There is just something about roasting vegetables that "screams" fall to me, no? Yep. The tomato topping is finished with all the classic ingredients, but taken over the top with a bunch of roasted garlic. Finally, I fried some bread rounds in olive oil and spread the crusty tops with some homemade whipped goat cheese and a big 'ole spoonful of the good stuff. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan and you have a crowd pleaser. I know this because my two year old niece had about three; it was impressive, nonetheless. So maybe, just maybe, this bruschetta got me out of my funk. I hope it can warm your soul through 'n through, like it did ours. Enjoy y'all :)

For the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:

2 Pint of Rainbow Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced in Half

Olive Oil, For Drizzling

Fresh Thyme or Fresh Rosemary

Fleur de Sel & Fresh Cracked

For the Roasted Tomato Topping:

Prepared Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

½C Shallot, Finely Chopped

8 Roasted Garlic Cloves, Minced

½C Fresh Basil, Chiffonade (plus a little extra for garnishing if you like)

1T Olive Oil  

1T Red Wine Vinegar + 1T Balsamic Vinegar

¼t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes + Dried Oregano

Salt & Pepper, To Taste (and a pinch of sugar for sweetness)

For the Bruschetta:

Prepared Tomato Topping

Homemade Whipped Goat Cheese, For Spreading

Thick Slices of Country Bread

Olive Oil, For Frying

Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. For the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and toss the tomatoes lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them out in one even layer on a baking sheet. Roast the tomatoes for 30-40 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft, caramelized, and starting to char. Set them aside until ready to use.

2. For the Tomato Topping: Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until everything is incorporated. Let the mixture sit at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld.

3. Heat about 1 inch of olive oil in a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Fry the slices of bread in the oil until golden brown & crispy, about 2 minutes on each side.

4. Assembling the Bruschetta: Spread the fried bread with a layer of whipped goat cheese, roasted tomato topping, basil Chiffonade and freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy immediately.

An Ode to Bacon + Bacon Jam...

Oh bacon, how do I love thee... let me count the ways. 

Okay, I'm not going to write a poem, but if I did, it would most certainly be about bacon

Bacon is my go-to ingredient

And if you follow my blog, you would've definitely noticed that pattern

Some of my favorite bacon recipes...

1. Retro Chocolate-Bacon-Peanut Butter Pie

2. "Porker Jack" 

3. Bacon-Peanut Brittle with a Kick

4. Bacon Crusted Burgers

5. Revamped: Homemade Bacon-Bourbon-Maple Glazed Doughnuts

6. Candied Bacon-Wrapped Smoked Sausages

7. Candied Bacon Caramel Ice Cream

8. Bacon Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookies

9. Slow Roasted BLT Sandwiches

and...

10. My Soon-To-Be-Posted "Bacon Jam" 

Yes, you read that right. 

Bacon Jam. 

Jam made from bacon. 

Bacon that has been all jammed-up. 

Bacon bacon bacon.

Ya hear?

This Bacon Jam is the bomb. It would definitely not win homecoming queen, but it is without-a-doubt "most likely to succeed". Why you ask? Because it's deeply sweet, smoky, sticky, and utterly delicious. I mean, it's thick-cut smoked bacon that is reduced with caramelized onions, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, coffee, coca-cola, and finally, some bourbon. Oh man. After it's cooked low n' slow for an hour, you have the most amazing jam on yo'handz. You might want to invest in a muzzle, just so you won't eat the entire helpin' with a spoon (seriously). This is where my ode to bacon comes into play... I'm going to feature only bacon jam-inspired recipes this week. Yup, that's right. Wanna know what recipes to check back later for? Here they are, folks...

-Bacon Jam Cinnamon Rolls with a Bourbon-Maple Glaze

-Bacon Jam BLT's with Slow Roasted Tomatoes (with my favorite homemade bread)

-Bacon Jam + Pimento Cheese on Toasted Cornbread Crostini

And something just slightly different... 

-Chorizo Jam + Charred Corn Stuffed Empanadas (with a homemade cornmeal pastry crust)

Yes, I even made a Chorizo Jam (I plan on making Pancetta Jam too). That's just how much this Bacon Jam inspired me. Don't they all sound outta-this-world y'all? I know. And don't think these will be the only recipes because my mind is just a'racin' with so many more ideas. Think bacon jam pizza, bacon jam grits, bacon jam cookies, bacon jam this... bacon jam that. If y'all have any other suggestions for me, please leave me a comment! And I urge you not to judge this book by its' cover because it might not look all that great, but it is. It really is!! Enjoy :)

Homemade Bacon Jam 

For the Bacon Jam:

1lb Thick-Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into 1inch Cubes

1 Medium Vidalia Onion, Sliced

3 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1t Dried Rosemary

½t-1t Red Pepper Flakes (depending on how spicy you like it, we used 1t)

¼C Dark Brown Sugar, Packed

¼C Freshly Brewed Strong Coffee

2T Coca Cola

¼C Balsamic Vinegar

¼C Maple Syrup

2T Bourbon

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Bring a deep sauté pan or large pot to medium-high heat. Cook the bacon pieces until the fat begins to render and the edges start to brown, but the bacon is still soft. Drain the rendered bacon fat by setting a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and spooning the meat and rendered fat into the sieve. Let it sit in the sieve while you caramelize the onions.

2. Add the slices onions to the pot, then add in 1T of the rendered fat and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and starting to brown, about 10-15 minutes. 

3. Add the garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, coffee, Coke, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup, stir, and bring a light boil. Add the drained bacon and bring back to a light boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low. You want to keep a low, steady simmer to reduce the liquid and thicken it without burning the jam. The process of the reduction can take as long as 1 hour.

4. If the jam becomes too dry, add 1-2T of water. Remove the bacon jam from the heat; add in the bourbon, and let cool for 20-30 minutes. 

5. Depending on your preference, you can use it as is or process the jam in a food processor to a less chunky consistency (we like our jam chunky). Once it has cooled, you can put the jam in an airtight container and store it for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. 

source: savannah's back in the day bakery.