Susan

Eggs: The perfect boiled and delicious deviled

Over New Year’s, my mama taught me how to boil the perfect egg.  I had to ask why she’d been holding out on me for 28 years!?  I’m sharing this magical secret for beautiful, easy-to-shell eggs with you:

• Note: My friend Phil tipped me off that if you want boiled eggs with the yolks perfectly in the middle, the night before you boil your eggs, flip them in the carton.  Gravity will pull the yolk down, and by morning it will be center in the egg.
• Place eggs in pot of cool/cold tap water.  Make sure the water covers the eggs.
• Put pot on high heat and watch.
• When the water starts a hard boil, put a lid on the pot and set a timer for five minutes.
• When the timer goes off, remove the pot from heat and keep the lid on.  Keep covered for 15 minutes.
• In a bowl, make an ice bath (ice cubes + water).
• When your timer goes off, immediately take the eggs out of the hot water and place in ice bath.
• After about one minute, start peeling your eggs. (The difference in temp between the hot water and ice bath makes the egg whites start separating from the shell for easy removal.)

I’ve made my own deviled egg recipe, and I think it’s quite good.  This is an estimate because I make them to taste, so do what works for you.  You’ll need:

• Eggs (6)
• Mayo (1/2 c.)
• Grain mustard (1/4 c.)
• Sea salt (1/2 t.)
• Fresh ground pepper (1/4 t.)
• Paprika (dash on top)
• Dill pickles (about 3-4 small pickles chopped in food processor)
• Large ziploc bag

Mix the ingredients, sans paprika. Sample your mix. If you like it, scoop it into the Ziploc and seal the bag. Push filling to a corner. Cut the corner off so you have a ½ to 1 in. opening.  Use the bag to pipe fill the eggs (it’s easier and prettier). Sprinkle with paprika.

Susan’s Spinach Salad

Posted by Amy

This spinach salad is a family favorite and very delicious. I made it for a picnic last weekend, and as always, people really liked it. The dressing makes a ton, so try a half recipe if you don’t want some to keep. Experiment with it to get it the flavor you want.

Susan’s Spinach Salad

1 large bag fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 lb. fresh button mushrooms, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 large can mandarins oranges, drained well and dried in paper towels to absorb moisture
approx 2 cups of bean sprouts
cashews
real bacon bits

DRESSING: Make in blender:

1 c. salad oil
1 t. salt
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
1 small onion, quartered so it will blend into miniscule pieces
1/3 c. ketchup

This salad works well when you dress it for everyone. Put the cashews and bacon bits in at the last minute so they’ll be crunchy. Enjoy!