Easter is almost here, and deviled eggs are on many menus, but some of us put them on there reluctantly.
Do you hate making deviled eggs because you have to make hard boiled eggs first?
Do you cook them by the exact recipe recommended to avoid stuck-on shells and still have to struggle to get a dozen decent looking eggs for a recipe?
I have a battle every time I try to cook and peel eggs! It makes me avoid making deviled eggs which I love.
A few years ago, I discovered a miracle product—hard-cooked and peeled eggs in a bag! They are available in most groceries. It may be a little bit of splurge but so worth it.
Now I am able to make deviled eggs any old time—not just when I have time to cook, peel and cosset some eggs.
It’s a simple thing, but something that may make it easier than ever for people to create a party atmosphere at home even on a weeknight.
The ultimate bible of deviled eggs, Deviled Eggs (Harvard Common Press, copyright 2004) was written by my friend Debbie Moose and contains dozens of wonderful recipes for different styles of deviled eggs.
She’s got some recipes with avocado, some with caviar, some with bacon and chives. She even has a wild recipe for Devil’s Food eggs and one for chicks in a blanket. Seriously, the book is well-written, funny and inventive. But I am thinking that the eggs in a bag give us all a chance to change the egg game.
Now you can try deviled eggs in your own style without feeling as though you have to commit a bunch of time and care to the cooking and peeling. Think of it as your “eggsperiment” opportunity.
This week, I surprised friends with creamy, cheesy deviled eggs made with a load of bacon bits in the filling. Next week, I think we’ll do some with a touch of salmon and capers. And for Easter, why not a deviled ham egg? Yum.
So here’s my thinking and four recipes. I buy the Eggland’s Best brand cooked eggs which are touted to have more flavor.
For just a dozen deviled eggs, all I need is one bag of six eggs. I try to avoid using the big food processor, mixing the fillings by hand in a small bowl. (I hate washing dishes, too!)
If you want your eggs to look fancy or are making a giant batch, do use a food processor or mixer, which will make the filling very smooth. This will make it easier for you to pipe the fillings into the egg whites with a pastry bag.
All of these recipes can be doubled or even tripled if you need more than a dozen deviled eggs.
Basic Deviled Egg Recipe
6 hard cooked, peeled eggs
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/ 4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 -2 dashes of hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks to a small bowl and mash them with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and seasonings to the yolks and mix well. Fill the whites with the yolk mixture, garnish with a sprinkle of Old Bay seasonings and serve cold.
Herb and Blue Eggs
6 hard cooked, peeled eggs
1 tsp. fresh herbs, minced (chives, parsley or dill work well)
2 Tbs. crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/ 4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 -2 dashes of hot sauce
Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks to a small bowl and mash them with a fork. Add the herbs, blue cheese mayonnaise, mustard and seasonings to the yolks and mix well. Fill the whites with the yolk mixture, garnish with a sprinkle of minced fresh herbs and serve cold.
Smoked Salmon Eggs
1/ 2 ounce smoked salmon
1/ 2 tsp. grated onion
1 Tbs. sour cream
1 /4 tsp. dill weed
6 hard cooked, peeled eggs
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared mustard
Dash of Old Bay seasoning
Capers to garnish
In a small food processor, grind the salmon, onion, sour cream and dill together until smooth. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks to the food processor with the salmon mixture. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and seasoning to the yolks and mix well, pulsing until smooth. Fill the whites with the yolk mixture, garnish with a sprinkle of capers and serve cold.
Country Ham Honey Eggs
2 ounces country ham
1 Tbsp. cream cheese
6 hard cooked, peeled eggs
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 tsp. prepared mustard
Dash of honey (To taste—this is just to add a hint of sweet to the salty ham)
In a small food processor, mince the ham. Set half the ham aside for garnishing the finished eggs. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks to the food processor with the ham. Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and honey. Process the mixture in the food processor until the mixture is smooth. Pipe the filling back into the whites and top with a bit of the reserved minced ham.
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