Thursday, May 5, 2011

Welcome! I Come With Deviled Eggs

Greetings lovely people. Before we get down to the nitty gritty, just a few things about me.
I'm not a "chef" by any means. That is, I don't enjoy slaving long hours over a hot stove or oven (well...maybe occasionally :-P). Why am I here then, you ask? Well, you don't have to spend lots of time, or have culinary training and expertise in order to create extravagant gifts of deliciousness. Cooking has become a creative outlet for me when I can't find the motivation to write, but I love to keep it simple. It's fun to explore new - and easy! - recipes, and I hope that by chronicling  my simple creations, experiments, and tips, that I can foster a love of the kitchen in you. Now, my kitchen is very small, I don't have a proper pantry even, so these recipes will be tailored for convenience in small spaces. You can do wonders with the room you have. I cooked a whole course, Turkey Day dinner with a tiny stove and a few feet of counter space.  So sit back, relax, it's not rocket science (well, maybe a little science), and enjoy these offerings from Zaden's Kitchen to yours!

Okay, obligatory introductions out of the way, ON TO THE FOOD! That's what your here for after all, right?
In honor of Easter just past, I bring you an easy stand by Easter time treat that's great for all summer. Deviled Eggs! I know, I know. Not everyone likes these. But I do, and they are surprisingly easy and customizable. Here's a simple, slightly spicy option you can whip up in no time.

NON EDIBLES
You'll need a pot, spoon/fork, knife, bowl, serving tray, and, if you like, a pastry bag/plastic bag with a hole cut in the tip.

EDIBLES
6 Eggs
Water
FF Miracle Whip (or not FF if you prefer. I'm on a diet!)
Course Ground Mustard
Salt and Pepper
Paprika (optional)
Vinegar (also optional)

HOW TO
Okay, hard boiling eggs is super easy, but a bit scary since it's hard to tell when they are ready.  I find about 15 to 20 minutes works best, but you can push it to 30 if you are nervous. Fill your pot with water and set your eggs in gently. Be sure you have the burner just below the highest setting. You want a boil, but not too vigorous as you don't want the eggs to move around and crack.
Once done, you'll naturally peel the eggs. A couple of tablespoons a vinegar in the water supposedly helps makes the shells softer, but isn't necessary. I find peeling the eggs under gently running, cool water makes for easy peeling. Now that you have the soft, hard boiled treasures peeled, cut them long ways and spoon the yolks out into a separate bowl and set the whites aside on your serving tray or plate.
Now the fun part! Add 2 to 2 1/2 TBS of  miracle whip, about a TBS of course or stone ground mustard (if you have a squeeze bottle, just a squeeze or two will do), and salt and pepper to taste. Mash this up with your fork until it's nice and creamy.
When sufficiently mixed, your ready to add the yellow yolk mixture back into the eggs. Now, if you want to get fancy, you can spoon the mix into a pastry bag or just a plastic bag with the tip cut off, and "icing" the eggs. Me? I just spoon the filling into the eggs directly with my spoon. Garnish with paprika for extra pizzazz!
And your done! These are best served cold. You can set them in the fridge (maybe a couple of hours) until they are cold or the freezer if your in a hurry (thirty minutes will be just right). 

Easy right? And other than cooling time, very quick! Now, deviled eggs are extremely customizable depending on what you like. You can use mayo, other herbs, regular mustard or honey mustard, ect. So go forth, and make them your own!

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