Feeling Devilish

Now that you’ve got all those beautifully dyed hard-boiled eggs, what are you going to do with them?  This is never a problem at our house as we all like hard-boiled eggs.  I’ll probably make some egg salad next week, and Jack and I both like to eat plain hard boiled eggs for breakfast.  Once I found a recipe for Easter Egg Lasagna…it involves hard-boiled eggs, a white sauce and lasagna noodles, though I never had the nerve to make it.

Our hands-down favorite way to use up those Easter eggs is to make deviled eggs.  We take our deviled eggs fairly seriously here in Pennsylvania Dutch country.  Summer picnics always include either deviled or red beet eggs (I think some of you not from here may call these pickled eggs).  The question most often asked at the start of picnics is “Who’s bringing the eggs?”  because there’s a great variation in how both deviled and red beet eggs are prepared, and some people are known for their eggs, and some are…not.  We all use the same 5-6 ingredients, but in differing amounts, therefore some eggs are runnier or drier or blander than others.


We also don’t fool with our ingredients.  I’ve heard Martha suggest adding horseradish or shallots or cayenne pepper or bacon.  And while I’m all for changing things up, we DO NOT fool with deviled eggs, people.

Classic Deviled Eggs

1 dozen eggs
6 T. mayonnaise
1 t. yellow mustard (don’t even think of using that there fancy dee-jon stuff!)
3 t. vinegar
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
paprika

Put eggs in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover eggs.  Heat on high until water hits a rolling boil, then turn off heat, but keep eggs on burner (with lid on) for 20 minutes.  Remove from burner, and run eggs under cold water.  Remove eggshells.

Cut eggs in half, reserving egg yolks.  Mix together (with electric mixer) egg yolks, mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth. 

Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into waiting egg whites.  Sprinkle with paprika.

Makes 24 deviled eggs.

And just for fun…

Red Beet Eggs

(Must plan ahead!  Eggs should sit in red beet mixture for at least 2 days before serving!)

2 dozen eggs
3 small cans whole beets
3 c. vinegar
1 c. sugar
1- 1/2 t. salt

Hard boil and remove shells from 24 eggs.  Drain red beets, reserve juice.  Mix together red beet juice, vinegar, sugar, and salt, and cook on stovetop on low heat until sugar dissolves. 

Pour red beet mixture over hard-boiled eggs.  Add enough water to cover eggs.  Allow to sit in refrigerator for 2-3 days at least for eggs to pickle!  Refrigerator will stink.  Children will complain.  For 2-3 days.

Carry your eggs in the red beet mixture to the picnic and bring a ladle.  People will just scoop them out, salt them down, and eat them up.

I'm linking this post to Foodie Friday.