Deviled Eggs

There are so many ways to make deviled eggs – from family recipes passed down thru the generations to the latest food craze you can find online.  My version is always a wild combination of whatever I have in the refrigerator, but it typically includes a little “savory, sweet, tart” combination of ingredients that I learned from watching my grandmothers.  When I made these for Christmas, I wrote down the ingredients and some measurements just in case they were so delicious they were blog-worthy.  Since everyone declared them as such on Christmas, and since they disappeared quickly which I took as proof they were not just being nice to me since it was Christmas , I am posting the recipe here.   This version is a bit time consuming, so if you’re pressed for time, I have a friend who swears by a secret recipe for deviled eggs that includes just one ingredient other than the eggs – she mixes the egg yolk with Marzetti coleslaw dressing.  So there you go – the complicated or the easy of  it.  Your choice!

So beautiful on the Christmas buffet. I used my great-grandmother's egg dish.

Ingredients:

1 Dozen – Eggs, hard boiled, peeled  (see note)

1 tablespoon – Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon – Apple Cider Vinegar

2 teaspoons – Sugar

1 teaspoon – Dried Dill Weed (optional – if you don’t like dill, you may omit)

1/4 teaspoon – Onion Powder

2 each – Bread and Butter Pickle Chips – minced fine

1/2 cup – Lite Mayo

Paprika

Directions:

Note regarding hard boiled eggs:  There are many claims to the best way to hard boil an egg.  I am not making any such claim, but I will tell you how I do it.  I let the eggs come to room temperature (about an hour), then put the eggs in a pan with water.  I cover them, bring them to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and let them sit for 12 minutes.  I pour off the hot water and then run cold water over them in the pan.  I add ice to the pan.  This quick chill method helps make them easier to peel.

Slice the eggs lengthwise and scoop the yolks into a bowl.  Place the egg whites on a plate.  Crumble the egg yolks finely with a fork.

Add the remaining ingredients to the egg yolks in the bowl and blend well.  Now, taste.  You’re tasting to determine if the filling has the right blend of flavors and texture for you – sometimes I have to add a smidge more sugar, a splash more vinegar, a sprinkle of salt,  sometimes I add more mayo or another pickle chip, etc.   When it is perfect for you, fill the egg white halves and place in an egg dish.  You can either “spoon” the filling into the white, which is what my grandmothers always did, or place a large star pastry tip into the bottom corner of  a plastic bag and cut the corner off.   Spoon the filling into the bag and use this disposable, improvised “pastry bag” to pipe the filling into the whites for a more professional look.  Sprinkle with Paprika for color.