#EasterWeek Win a $200 gift card! - Mini Croque Madames




Welcome to day 1 of #EasterWeek hosted by Bernadette from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
This week we are celebrating Easter and Bernadette’s blogging anniversary with all kinds of delicious recipes and a giveaway! From appetizers to ham recipes, we have everything you need for a great Easter dinner or brunch, and one lucky winner will receive a $200 Amazon gift card. 


So, what are two food items you think of when you think of Easter?

Ham, and eggs, right? Probably chocolate, but we'll get to that later in the week. For our first day of Easter Week, I thought I'd make the queen of breakfast sandwiches: the Croque Madame. It's an upgrade to the Croque Monsieur because it includes a fried egg, which really amps up the flavors of the rest of the sandwich.


Since Easter is a family holiday, I thought these mini croques would be perfect for an Easter Brunch. This way, you get all the flavor of a delicious heavy sandwich, in two little bites, so your plate has room for more items and your belly has room for chocolate later!

Before we get to the recipe, check out the other Easter Week contributors below!

Today's Deliciously Perfect Recipes for Easter:
Main Dishes:
Slow Cooker Honey Ham from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Peppered Parmesan Asparagus Quinoa Quiche Muffins from It's Yummi 
Banana Crumb Waffles from Cindy's Recipes and Writings 
Side Dish:
Wild Violet Butter from Farm Fresh Feasts 
Dessert:
Blueberry Grunt from Making Miracles


Mini Croque Madames

  • 1 loaf French bread, sliced
  • 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
  • 1/2 lb Black Forrest Ham, cut into strips
  • 1 cup caramelized onion (about 2 small onions, cooked over low heat with a tablespoon of butter and a bit of salt, stirred occasionally until caramel in color)
  • Dijon mustard (enough to spread on each sandwich)
  • 6 small eggs (or, enough to top each sandwich)
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
For the bechamel sauce
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups cream
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used a blend of parm, cheddar, and gruyere) 
  • 1 tsp parsley
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

-Prepare the sauce: Melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter, and whisk until a thick paste forms. Slowly pour in the cream, and whisk until thick. Add the cheese and parsley, and set aside.

-Brush one side of each French bread slice with melted butter. Arrange half the slices on a cookie sheet, butter side down. Top each with onions, ham, and cheese.

-With the remaining slices, spread a bit of Dijon mustard on the non-butter side, and place on top of each assembled sandwich, Dijon-side down.

-Bake for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through and topping with a bit more gruyere. The sandwiches are done when the bread is golden brown.

-Generously oil a 6-well muffin tin. Crack an egg into each well. Bake until the whites have set, 8-10 minutes, checking halfway through.

-To assemble the sandwiches: top each with cooked egg, a drizzle of bechamel sauce, and the egg.


ENTER TO WIN! Giveaway open April 3- April 17, 2017 to residents of the continental U. S. age 18 and older. This giveaway is sponsored by Bernadette Martin of Rants From My Crazy Kitchen. No affiliation with the cookbook authors is implied. Winners will be announced on April 18 and will have 48 hours to respond. Prizes will be shipped no later than May 1, 2017. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments

  1. Such a gorgeous sandwich! Definitely a perfect start to Easter. I especially love the top.

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  2. Aaaaaah, to think that less than two weeks ago, I was sitting in a brasserie in Paris, eating a Croque Madame, overlooking Notre Dame. While the atmosphere and the vibe definitely won't be the same, I look forward to making croque madams at home!

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  3. What a great giveaway! And I agree, these sweet little Croque Madames are perfect for Easter brunch. They look absolutely delicious and so cute - real showstoppers!

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  4. Those look simply delicious. How impressive to make for visiting family or guests. I had never heard of it before. I think my husband would love these!!

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  5. After seeing how delicious this sandwich looks, I can't believe I've never had one! This sandwich needs to happen in my life... soon!

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  6. Ashley,
    This sandwich sounds like the perfect way to kick off an Easter brunch. Just the ticket after a rousing egg hunt, plenty of protein to tide me over until dinner. Thanks!

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  7. These look great Ashley! I tried to make a croque madame once and it turned into a disaster. I just have to try it again now! Thanks for joining me for #EasterWeek

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  8. LOVE these little bite sized versions - so many good flavors all together in a few little bites. Yumm!!

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