Deviled eggs the easy way

Eggs make the perfect snack. They have lots of protein and vitamins, with no added sugar. They are low in calories when compared with cookies and junk food, and the cholesterol in the yolks has recently been shown not to contribute to high cholesterol in the blood. Deviled eggs have always been a favorite and are even considered a great party food. So let’s get started!

First, hard boil the eggs

I am going to tell you the best way ever to hard boil an egg. The result is easy to peel, with tender whites and creamy yolks.

Lower 2 eggs gently into a large pan of rapidly boiling water (for every 2 eggs  use 1 quart  of water). Allow them to cook for 30 seconds, then cover the pan and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer the eggs in the hot water for 11 minutes. Pour out the hot water and fill the pot with cold water. Empty and refill the pot a couple of times. Then fill and add lots of ice cubes, because the colder the eggs, the easier they peel. Let the eggs cool in the water for 15 minutes. If you are doing a lot of eggs, plan so you can put them in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight. The colder they are, the better.

This method takes time, but it’s fail-safe. The eggs are perfectly cooked and the shells come off easily. Crack the shell all over on the counter and roll the egg between your palms under cool water until the shell comes off.

Or try the method in this video.

Cut the eggs neatly in half, lengthwise.

Make the filling: Tip of the day – use a baggy

Scoop the egg yolks into a zip lock bag. Seal. Mash till the yolks are all broken up.

Add a few flavorings:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons light mayonnaise or zero-fat Greek yogurt
• a shake of salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard (or more if you like).

Reseal. Keep mashing it all up, squeezing to mix thoroughly. Cut a tiny bit off the tip of the baggy and squeeze the mixture into the egg white cups, in a pretty pattern. Cleaning up is  a  snap… just throw the bag away and you’re done.

For fun, decorate one of the eggs. Use two cloves for horns, peppercorns for eyes and a chive for the tail. What a devil! Be careful, though.  Don’t eat the decorations. They can be a little nasty!

An even healthier idea

Mix the yolks in your baggy with an equal amount of hummus. Nutritious and easy! The egg whites make sweet little dishes the kids will love.

Related

• Pickled pink – Treating your hard-boiled eggs to a little pickled beet juice makes a pretty ( and pretty-good-tasting) snack!
• Hummus: Pretty in Pink – Keep home-made hummus on hand. Even better, make it pink!