Recipe: Classic Devilish Eggs

Welcome back! Sorry for the lack of recipes last week; after returning from vacation very late Saturday night, we didn't have enough time to get the recipes posted for the week, so this week, we're sharing 3 great potluck recipes to make up for last week!

Nothing says "potluck" like that old favorite, deviled eggs. Here is a basic recipe that is sure to please, but feel free to get creative and spice it up a little! Add chopped pickles or relish, or garnish with capers for a zesty crunch. Try sprinkling with different spices or herbs such as chili powder, dill, and other garnishes. Make it your own!

This recipe makes 12 deviled egg halves. Boil 12 eggs and double the ingredients for larger gatherings. To keep the eggs from sliding around a platter or plate for serving, cover a platter (with sides) with a layer of dried lentils or other small beans. This makes a pretty presentation and the eggs stay put. You can also nestle them in a bed of lettuce leaves or salad greens.

Classic Devilish Eggs

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

6 large eggs
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Prepare hard-boiled eggs: Place eggs in large saucepan filled with cold water. Be sure the water is well up over the eggs. Bring to a full boil, then remove pot from heat, cover pot, and set timer for 13 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice and water. When timer goes off, IMMEDIATELY spoon the eggs out into the ice bath and let sit for several minutes until they are cold. Peel eggs by hitting once on the fat end, then rolling around until the shell is entirely cracked. Begin peeling from the fat end down. Rinse and dry the eggs thoroughly.
• Prepare the deviled eggs: Cut the eggs in half lengthwise (from north pole to south pole). Carefully remove the yolks to a bowl, setting the egg whites aside on a platter.
• Into the bowl with the yolks, add the remaining ingredients, mashing together until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Spoon the yolk mixture into the hollows in the whites.
• Garnish with fresh dill or parsley sprigs if desired, or sprinkle with paprika. 
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe: Zucchini Mozzarella Quiche

Instead of a creamy, heavy casserole, why not bring this delicious and much healthier summer quiche to your next pot luck? Quiches are actually really easy, but they have the air of a fancy French restaurant, so your potluck guests are sure to be impressed!

Using crescent rolls makes a quick crust, but if you've got your own crust recipe that you like, of course feel free to make your own. This is also a great way to use up some of that extra zucchini from your summer garden!

Zucchini Mozzarella Quiche
(Serves 8-12 potluck guests.)

Ingredients:

Image courtesy of Apolonia at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
4 cups diced zucchini (wash, do not peel)
1 cup diced onion
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lb spicy sausage, chopped small
2 large eggs
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 package (8 count) crescent rolls

Directions:

• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the next 8 ingredients and cook until zucchini is just starting to get tender and sausage is fully cooked.
• In a separate bowl, add the eggs, beat with a fork, then add the Mozzarella cheese and the zucchini mixture from skillet; stir to combine; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly butter or spray cooking oil into a 9x13 glass baking pan.
• Roll out the crescent rolls, pinching the perforations closed, then lay into the baking pan, pressing to cover the bottom and slightly up the sides.
• Pour the zucchini mixture evenly over the crescent rolls in the baking pan.
• Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbling hot and rolls are browned.
• Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Recipe: Holiday Sprinkled Snickerdoodles

We don't do a lot of desserts here, but once in a while it's okay to indulge, and our philosophy is, it's better to indulge in something home-made, when you know what's in it. Snickerdoodles are always a favorite at holiday parties, and with this simple recipe you can be sure to please even the pickiest co-worker palate at your office Christmas party.

Holiday Sprinkled Snickerdoodles
(Makes about 2 dozen.)

Snickerdoodles ready to bake. (Photo credit: wEnDaLicious)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp red sugar sprinkles
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon, divided
2 Tbsp green sugar sprinkles
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-natural shortening
1/2 cup organic butter, softened (homemade butter is really easy to make, and much cheaper than buying it, especially organic - we'll feature instructions in a future post soon!)
2 eggs from pastured chickens
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prepare the sprinkles:  Get out 2 shallow bowls. In one put the red sugar sprinkles and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, in the other put the green sugar sprinkles and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Mix the sprinkles and cinnamon together; set aside. 
3. Prepare the dough:  In large bowl, put the sugar, shortening, butter, and eggs and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
5. With electric mixer running on low, slowly add the flour mixture until incorporated and a dough forms.
6. Using a melon baller or teaspoon, shape balls out of the dough, about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter.
7. Roll the balls of dough through the sugar sprinkle mixtures, some in each, combinations of colors, or as you like.
8. Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet, keeping about 2 inches between each one.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
10. Remove and let cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then remove to a cooling rack.
11. Let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.

Make Your Holidays Tasty:
   

Recipe: Company-Ready Deviled Eggs

Nothing disappears faster at a potluck than the good old classic - the deviled egg. Perfect for office parties, or holiday gatherings, deviled eggs are fairly cheap and easy to prepare, and you know there won't be many leftovers! This recipe puts a gourmet twist on the old standby, with avocados and capers accented with cumin and lime juice, and is sure to get lots of compliments from your co-workers.

Company-Ready Deviled Eggs
(Makes 24.)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

12 large eggs, hard cooked
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cayenne
1 Tbsp capers, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
finely chopped flat leaf parsley and paprika for garnish

Directions:

1. Peel the eggs, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks to a bowl and set the whites on a nice platter or plate.
2. Add diced avocado, lime zest, and lime juice to the yolks and smash together with a fork or a pastry cutter.
3. When mixture is smooth (you really don't want this to be chunky) add the mayo, mustard, cumin, cayenne, and capers, and mix together until smooth again. Spoon this mixture into the egg white halves on the platter. 
4. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and paprika over each one for garnish and color.