Festive Christmas Cheeseball with Boursin Cheese, Cranberry Cheddar, Aged Gruyere, Caramelized Walnuts, Crispy Sage, Chives, + Rolled in Pomegranate Arils

Festive Christmas Cheeseball with Boursin Cheese, Cranberry Cheddar, Aged Gruyere, Caramelized Walnuts, Crispy Sage, Chives, + Rolled in Pomegranate Arils

Hey y'all, sorry I have been out of commission, we have been traveling non-stop. First we were in Birmingham for about a week, and then Atlanta for a few days, and in just two day, we're heading off to New Orleans for the Alabama vs. Ohio State game at the Sugar Bowl for the first football playoff game... oh yeah, and we get to celebrate New Years Eve there too!! So it will have been a couple crazy weeks. But even though we are heading to the famous Bourbon Street, sadly, we have to admit that Christmas has passed us once again :( I can't believe it has already come + gone and now we have have to wait a'whole'nother year before celebrating it again. This year, since we were so busy, I unfortunately didn't get to make but two new recipes to honor the holiday season. This is the first recipe and it is the perfect party appetizer that all your friends + family are sure to enjoy. And hey, it's festive in color, to boot! The cheeseball begins with softened cream cheese + boursin cheese, shredded cranberry cheddar + aged gruyere, caramelized walnuts, crispy sage, fresh chives, and finally rolled in pomegranate arils. How perfect is that... green, red, + white? It's like Santa's elves made it themselves. Honestly, it is so easy to make as well. All you have to do is beat together the softened cream cheese and boursin until whipped + cohesive. And then toss in the the shredded cheese, walnuts, herbs, and some fresh cracked pepper. Mix it together until a cohesive mixture is formed, and using plastic wrap, roll it into one large ball or two medium-sized balls, before placing them into the fridge to chill. Meanwhile, pour your pomegranate arils onto a thickly, paper towel-lined cutting board and spread them out, so that they can dry as much as possible. The more moisture removed, the better the cheeseball will look and taste (we don't want no soggy cheese, y'all)!! After the cheeseball has chilled out in the fridge and the pomegranate is perfectly dry, you just need roll the ball around in the arils, pressing them in slightly, so that they adhere and stick to the cheese... making the perfect presentation. You can serve the festive christmas cheeseball directly out of the refrigerator or you can let it soften a bit, so it is easier to spread onto various crackers. This appetizer hits every flavor note that you could ever want... salty, sweet, juicy, herby, cheesy, fruity, creamy, + nutty!! I hope y'all get to enjoy this one before New Years Day!! Enjoy :)

 

For the Festive Cheeseball:

4T Unsalted Butter, Melted

16 Fresh Sage Leaves

1 Round of Boursin Cheese, Softened

8oz Cream Cheese, Softened

6oz Cranberry Cheddar, Shredded

6oz Aged Gruyere, Shredded

1C Caramelized Walnuts

¼C Fresh Minced Chives (or more if you please)

Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

1C Fresh Pomegranate Arils (enough to cover the ball; dried cranberries are a good substitute)

Various Styles of Crackers, For Serving

Directions:

1. Frying the Sage: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once it's sizzling, toss in the sage leaves and cook until crispy - flipping once and cooking about 1 minute per side. Remove the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel to crisp up a bit. Set the butter aside.

2. Making the Cheeseball: In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, mascarpone and cheddar cheese. Beat until combined, and then add in the almonds, sage leaves, remaining butter, salt and pepper. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and the bottom if needed. Take the cheese mixture out of the bowl and mold it into a big ball as best you can. Roll it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Prepping the Pomegranate: Meanwhile, place the arils on a paper towel and pat them completely dry. Let them sit out while the cheese is chilling to remove as much liquid from them as possible. This will keep the cheeseball pretty, and not wet or slimy.

4. Finishing the Cheeseball: After 30 minutes, mold the cheese into more of a smooth ball. Add the arils to a plate or baking sheet and roll the ball through them, using your hands to press arils into all the cracks and crevices. You will need to gently press so the arils adhere to the cheese. At this time, you can serve it immediately or keep it in the fridge until ready to use. If you want to make it ahead of time, you can rolls the ball 1 to 2 days beforehand. I'd wait until the night before or morning of to add the pomegranate arils, and you may need to let the cheese come to room temp a bit so it's sticky enough.

5. Serve with various types of crackers and enjoy with friends + family!

Source: Pomegranate Jeweled, White Cheddar, Toasted Almond, and Crispy Sage Cheeseball

Triple Decker Turducken Club Sandwich with a Trio of Roasted Chicken, Smoked Turkey, & Duck Confit, Finished with Cranberry-Jalapeno Relish, + Gravy-Soaked Stuffing Cake

Triple Decker Turducken Club Sandwich with a Trio of Roasted Chicken, Smoked Turkey,
& Duck Confit, Finished with Cranberry-Jalapeno Relish, + Gravy-Soaked Stuffing Cake

I'm back againnnnnnnn. Aren't y'all so proud? I know, I know (pats on the back), I am too. And this recipe, it's gonna be a goodie. I have said time + time again that the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. So true. Can I get an amen to that?! Well, normally we keep it kinda casual and stuff some turkey, arugula, Boursin cheese, cranberry sauce, and a stuffing cake in between two slices of bread. This years, however, makes me never wanna go back. Yep, I said it. PS have y'all ever made a Turducken for Thanksgiving?? We did one year, and we loved it, but never made it again. That makes no sense whatsoever, but a true story nonetheless. Anyway, I wanted so badly to turn a Turducken into a sandwich... a thanksgiving leftover sandwich. a thanksgiving leftover club. A Triple Decker Thanksgiving Leftover Club Sandwich. THAT'S MORE LIKE IT. So what does the sandwich entail, you all are probably asking. Well, it includes proteins like roasted chicken, smoked turkey, duck confit, and thick cut bacon. How amazing is that?? Four meats, one plate. There's also some french toasted-gravy soaked-savory bread pudding cake (a crispy stuffing cake can be substituted as well) and herbed compound butter fried bread slices to build the many layers. Then you have three sauces: homemade roasted garlic aioli, dijon mustard, and some cranberry-jalapeno relish/sauce. A sandwich is never finished without the fillers, like frisee greens, seasoned tomatoes, Havarti cheese, and crumbled Boursin. This is mammoth. So big, there are actual directions to unhinge your jaw and devour the grub like an anaconda. It's really your choice, but pretty important if you're going to have success eating it. Yum, I want it back now. Make it STAT, y'all!! Enjoy :)

For the Turducken Club Sandwich:

Herbed Compound Butter Fried Bread (I used sourdough)

Homemade Roasted Garlic Aioli

Dijon Mustard

Mama Jones’ Famous Cranberry-Jalapeno Relish Mold (or any cranberry sauce)

Slices of Havarti Cheese & Crumbled Boursin Cheese (can substitute goat cheese)

Slices of Roasted Chicken

Applewood Smoked Thick Cut Bacon

Leftover Stuffing Cake, Cooked until Crispy & Drizzled with Turkey Gravy

Slices of Smoked Turkey

Shredded Duck Confit

Baby Arugula or Frisee Greens

Slices of Tomato (sprinkled with a little salt & pepper)

Directions:

1. Fry the two slices of bread (for one sandwich) in homemade herbed compound butter until it achieves a deep golden brown color. Fry one stuffing cake or slice of savory bread pudding dipped in a French toast batter (posted yesterday) until crispy. Set these three pieces of toasted bread aside on a cutting board, so you can begin the layering process.

2. Spread on the homemade roasted garlic aioli, Dijon mustard, and cranberry-jalapeno relish on the two slices of bread & stuffing cakes (making sure to use the cranberry slathered sourdough for the top of the sandwich). Starting from the bottom, with the mustard slathered sourdough, lay down a slice of havarti cheese, followed by some roasted chicken, thick cut bacon, frisee greens, seasoned tomatoes, crumbled Boursin cheese, and a drizzle of more roasted garlic aioli. Top that layer with the stuffing/bread pudding cake component, along with a drizzle of warm gravy, with slices of smoked turkey, shredded duck confit, frisee greens, seasoned tomatoes, crumbled Boursin cheese, and drizzle on some more roasted garlic aioli (if you like, it keeps the sandwich moist and flavorful). Finish with one last slice of havarti cheese and the layer of cranberry relish slathered bread, making sure it is a super thick schmear of the fruity compote because it gives great sweetness & acidity.

3. Stick a long toothpick into the sandwich, to hold it together (trust me you’re going to need it), and cut it into halves or fourths. Now, unhinge your jaw and devour this masterpiece only like an anaconda could.

And now for some pictures of our Thanksgiving celebration (better late than never)...

Fried Goat Cheese Crusted-Pickled Green Tomato Napoleon with Candied Bacon, Brussel Sprouts Salad, & Boursin Cheese, Drizzled with Homemade Pepper Jelly + Balsamic Reduction

Fried Goat Cheese Crusted-Pickled Green Tomato Napoleon with Candied Bacon, Brussel Sprouts Salad,

& Boursin Cheese, Drizzled with Homemade Pepper Jelly + Balsamic Reduction

Yeah, I know what you're thinking... why does this girl continually post recipes that have titles as long as paragraphs. I'm sorry, I apologize, but I guess it's my thing. I want all of y'all to know, up front, what the dish is. Yes it can be overly descriptive and unnecessary, but whatever, it's necessary (minus the -un). This "salad" is so completely decadent that it is not even allowed to be called a salad. So, in my book, it's now a stack or a napoleon. I got some pickled green tomato slices and coated them with some goat cheese, and then crusted them in panko breadcrumbs... then they went straight into the skillet to get extra crispy. During that time I made some candied bacon and my favorite brussels sprouts slaw to put in between the fried green tomatoes. Because one creamy cheese isn't enough, I sprinkled some boursin cheese on the napoleon layers... we gotta do it up big here, y'all. I had also made some homemade pepper jelly a while back, and I love fried green tomatoes with the spicy, sweet jelly so I drizzled that around the plate, along with a balsamic reduction for acidity. There are so many components, yet they all fit together in such harmony. And I know there are a couple of you na'sayer's out there, not believing that I would have all of these ingredients just laying around... BUT, I did. This was literally a last minute dinner, roughly made at 8:30PM, for my Mountain Man who was starving. I don't know if that means I just have a well-stocked fridge or if I am just good with what I got... well, maybe a little bit of both (deal?). Who knew that you could make a dish that's so gourmet and delicious with stuff just lying around in the kitchen? I think I'm onto something here... maybe I need to do this once a week, just to challenge myself. I definitely think so!! Enjoy :)

Ain't nothin' wrong about that, y'all. 

For the Fried Goat Cheese Crusted-Pickled Green Tomatoes:

4 Slices of Pickled Green Tomatoes, Dried of Excess Moisture (we used a paper towel)

4oz Goat Cheese, Cut into 1oz Slices

1C AP Flour

1 Egg + ½C Buttermilk

1C Panko Breadcrumbs

Vegetable Oil, For Frying

Salt & Pepper, For Sprinkling

For the Napoleon Stacks:

Prepared Fried Goat Cheese Crusted-Pickled Green Tomatoes, Hot & Crispy

Slices of Candied Bacon

Homemade Shaved Brussel Sprout Slaw

Crumbled Boursin Cheese

Homemade Pepper Jelly, For Drizzling

Balsamic Reduction, For Drizzling

Directions:

1. To Make the Fried Goat Cheese Crusted-Pickled Green Tomatoes: Remove the pickled green tomato slices from their jar and place the slices on a paper towel. Let the tomatoes drain for 15-30 minutes. After they have drained, dry the tomatoes a little more with some paper towels, removing any excess moisture. Pinch off or cut off about 1oz of softened goat cheese, and then using your hands, pat the cheese to form a disc roughly the same size as the tomatoes (just work with the cheese until it is pliable enough to make the compact shape). Then, press the cheese into one side of the green tomato... you want to make sure that it is completely adhered to the tomato, so the two will remain together throughout the breading process (there is no right or wrong way to do this, just kind of play around with it in your hands until the cheese has filled in the gaps in the green tomato).  Next, you have to set up a battering station. I use 3 pie tins. For the first station, I used plain flour. For the second station, I whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. For the third station, I used Panko breadcrumbs. Now, place the slices of dried green tomato pickles into the flour mixture, then into the egg wash, and finally the panko (making sure they are completely covered). Put the breaded slices onto a plate and then put it into the refrigerator and let the slices rest & chill for about 15-30 minutes (this helps the cheese to get firm again, ensuring that the cheese won't leak out of the breading during frying).
2. Frying the Tomatoes:Heat your deep sauté pan to medium heat with vegetable oil. Once the oil has heated, pull the chilled slices out of the refrigerator. Fry the slices for 2-3 minutes each (depending on the size of your fryer, mine is pretty small, so I do 2 at a time). The green tomatoes should be golden brown on the outside, but cooked, yet still firm on the inside (with no goat cheese seeping out of the crust, so don’t overcook them). Once they are done frying, place them onto a paper towel to drain, and sprinkle them with salt & pepper immediately. Once all of the tomatoes are fried, you can begin stacking your napoleon.

3. Assembling the Napoleon: Place a slice of a fried green tomato pickle onto the plate, and then begin stacking with the candied bacon, brussel sprout slaw, and crumbled Boursin cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until the napoleon stack has been finished. Garnish the stack with a drizzle of homemade pepper jelly and balsamic drizzle.

Fried Chicken Strawberry Shortcakes with Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits, Fried Chicken, Boursin Cheese Whipped Cream, & Strawberry-Balsamic-Pink Peppercorn Preserves

Fried Chicken Strawberry Shortcakes with Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits, Fried Chicken,
Boursin Cheese Whipped Cream, & Strawberry-Balsamic-Pink Peppercorn Preserves

I have totally lost track of time lately. So much so, that I even forgot this little blog's anniversary. I'm officially on my third year of sharing my recipes, and I didn't even realize it. What a sad day. How do you celebrate a "blog-a-verisary"... do you bake a cake for it? I should probably find out if that's the case. Instead I baked a shortcake for it, a savory shortcake in fact. Have y'all ever seen or had a savory shortcake? I haven't seen many or tasted any, so I though it would be something I would want to make. Why not put some fried chicken on a shortcake, that's the normal thought process, isn't it? Well, for all y'all skeptics out there, it's wonderful!! It's like a play off of chicken & biscuits, but slightly sweet... and you can eat it for dinner. I made light-as-air, fluffy buttermilk biscuits and topped them with crispy, fried chicken, a whipped cream made with boursin cheese, and an eat-it-with-a-spoon strawberry jam. By the way, I'm so into pickling, preserving, and processing right now. I just got the hang of it, but I've already made Candied Jalapenos, Spicy Pepper Jelly, Triple Citrus-Champagne Marmalade, Blood Orange-Vanilla Bean Marmalade, Pickled Mean Beans, and the Strawberry-Balsamic-Pink Peppercorn Preserves that I'm posting today. Here is a picture of everything I've canned...

Homemade Pickles, Jams, Preserves, & Jellies

Borderline obsessive, right? Oh well, they are all delicious and it is my new favorite hobby. Now I just have to think of recipes to use all of them. My Fried Chicken Shortcake was inspired by these strawberry preserves, that's how much I liked it. I thought to myself, "Dang, this jam would be damn good on some fried chicken." And it was. Strawberry + Balsamic are a match made in heaven. The vinegar really brings out the sweetness of the berries and the crushed pink peppercorn adds a depth of flavor that cannot be matched! Just a note, while I was making the huge batch of strawberry preserves, I reserved some that I didn't thicken as much, so it would be more of a sauce. The rest of them I reduced down to a thick jam that would be spreadable on toast... it's honestly up to you, but it does make an awesome strawberry sauce. I think it would be heavenly on some homemade goat cheese ice cream (odd, i know). Anyway, make these preserves... put them on everything. Especially this shortcake. All of the elements go together, I promise. I can guarantee it will be weird eating a salty whipped cream though. You definitely need the creamy, herbed element though. It creates such balance. We loved everything about this meal, and heck, why not make a dessert into dinner? It totally works!! Enjoy :)

Marinating the Chicken:

1Q Buttermilk

¼C Hot Sauce

1T Cajun Seasoning

4-6 Chicken Cutlets (pounded thinly)

For the Strawberry-Balsamic-Pink Peppercorn Preserves:

1Q Strawberries, Cut into Halves or Quarters

2 ½C Sugar

1 Lemon, Zested & Juiced

2T Balsamic Vinegar + ¼C Balsamic Reduction

½-1t Crushed Pink Peppercorn (start off with a little and add until your liking)

For the Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits:

2 ¼C Cake Flour, Sifted

1T Baking Powder

1T + 1t Sugar

1t Salt

6T Unsalted Butter, Cut into Cubes & Frozen

1T Bacon Fat, Frozen

¾C Cold Buttermilk, Well-Shaken

Melted Butter, For Brushing 

For the Boursin Cheese Whipped Cream:

6T Heavy Whipping Cream, Cold

4oz Herbed Boursin Cheese, Softened

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Fried Chicken Cutlets:

1C AP Flour

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

2 Eggs

1C + 2T Buttermilk

2T Hot Sauce

1C AP Flour

2T Cornstarch

1T Salt & Pepper

1t Cayenne, Paprika, Cajun Seasoning

Vegetable Oil, For Frying

For the Fried Chicken Strawberry Shortcakes:

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits, Baked until Golden Brown

Fried Chicken Cutlets

Boursin Cheese Whipped Cream, Chilled

Strawberry-Balsamic-Pink Peppercorn Preserves, Warmed

Chives, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. Marinating the Chicken: Place the chicken cutlets in a large plastic bag and add in the buttermilk, hot sauce, and seasoning. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

2. For the Strawberry-Balsamic-Pink Peppercorn Preserves: Rinse the berries and slice them into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Combine the berries, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat the berries. Cover and let them macerate in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, put the berry mixture into a large saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves then remove from heat. Using a sieve, separate the berries from the juice. Return the liquid to the pan, along with the balsamic reduction, and bring it to a boil. Cook on high until concentrated or the mixture reaches a temperature of 221 degrees. Add the reserved strawberries and pink peppercorn back into the syrup and allow the mixture to boil for about 10-15 minutes. (Start off with a small amount of crushed pink peppercorns and keep adding until you have reached your desired strength). Process the jam immediately or refrigerate until it is thick.

3. For the Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add in the frozen butter and bacon fat, and cut the fat in using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, but pea-sized pieces of butter still remain. Pour in the buttermilk and use a fork to mix it until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead with floured hands, and pat into a thick square. Using a large, floured biscuit cutter, cut the biscuits from the dough and place them about 1-2inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet (I made about 5-6 very large biscuits). Brush the tops of the biscuits with some melted butter and bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on their side, or until the tops are golden brown. Just before serving, brush the tops of the biscuits with more melted butter.

4. For the Boursin Cheese Whipped Cream: In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks. Slowly add in the softened Boursin cheese and beat until a whipped cream is formed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

5. For the Fried Chicken Cutlets: Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a deep sauté pan. Next, you have to set up a battering station. I use 3 pie tins. For the first station, I mix the flour with salt and pepper. For the second station, I whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce. For the third station, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and seasonings. Drizzle the 2T of buttermilk into this last pie tin, and using a fork, mix until little shaggy pieces form (these will help build a nice crunch to the chicken). Now, place the marinated chicken cutlets into the flour mixture, then into the egg wash, and finally the shaggy flour mixture. Fry the breaded chicken cutlets for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. Once cooked, remove from the oil to drain and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

6. Assembling the Fried Chicken Strawberry Shortcakes: Cut a warm biscuit in half and top the bottom half of the biscuit with a fried chicken cutlet, a spoonful of strawberry-balsamic-pink peppercorn preserve sauce, a dollop of Boursin cheese whipped cream, and top with the other half of the biscuit. Garnish the top with more strawberry sauce, whipped cream, and minced chives. Enjoy immediately.

The Moist Maker (Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich)

All of my friends & family know that I am obsessed with the T.V. show, Friends. I mean honestly, it's friggin' brilliant. My favorite characters are Monica and Ross Gellar (they are just hilarious). Anyway, one of the best episodes is called "The One with Ross's Sandwich", and it involves Monica's infamous Thanksgiving leftover sandwich. Her recipe is a turkey sandwich with a secret layer of gravy soaked bread that Ross nicknames "the moist maker". Unfortunately for Ross, a co-worker steals his sandwich and he gets so mad that he must take a leave of absence from his job. But that is besides the point, I knew that I just had to recreate the sandwich for myself. And boy was it delicious. I changed it up a bit to make it even more amazing. First, my moist maker is a gravy-soaked dressing-mashed potato cake (umm ya, you heard me right). Then, I layered on fried turkey, my zesty cranberry-cherry sauce, arugula, and boursin cheese all onto crispy Italian bread. I wish we could make this sandwich year-round... maybe I will. Heck, who needs holidays to make delicious food? I sure don't. And, I totally get why Ross flipped out over this treat, his reaction was completely warranted!! Enjoy :)

The Moist Maker (a.k.a. The Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich)

Clayton Diggin' Into His Mega-Man-Wich

For the Gravy-Soaked Dressing-Mashed Potato Cake:

Leftover Cornbread Dressing or Stuffing

Leftover Mashed Potatoes

AP Flour, For Dusting

Leftover Gravy

For the Sandwich:

Slices of Crusty Italian Bread, Fried in Vegetable Oil until Golden Brown

Fried or Roasted Turkey, Sliced

Fresh Baby Arugula

Creamy Boursin Cheese, Room Temperature

Prepared Zesty Cranberry-Cherry Sauce

Prepared Dressing-Mashed Potato Cake

Directions:

1. To Make the Gravy-Soaked Dressing-Mashed Potato Cake: Take a handful of leftover cornbread stuffing and a handful of leftover mashed potatoes, and mix the two together with some flour until the cake holds together and resembles the texture of a crab cake. However, make the dressing-potato cake into the shape of your bread, so that you get a piece of it in every bite. Dust the cake with more flour and fry the cake in a sauté pan until the outsides are crispy and golden brown and the center is hot and cooked through. Set aside while you assemble the sandwich.

2. To Assemble the Sandwich: On one of the slices, spread a heavy bit of cranberry-cherry sauce, while on the other slice; spread some of the Boursin cheese. On top of the cranberry sauce, begin layering with the dressing-mashed potato cake. With a toothpick, poke holes into the top of the cake, and then gently drizzle some of the warm gravy on top to make the moist maker layer. Then, continue layering with the sliced turkey and arugula. Top with the other slice of bread with Boursin cheese and serve the sandwich immediately.

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.