Cooking and gardening with Sam: Let’s talk about eggs

Would you like to cook up some delicious eggs for a special occasion? Read on –
Classic Deviled Eggs
6 large eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dill (or pickle relish)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Paprika for garnish (if you do not like this spice, you can slice an olive to give a lot of color on top of eggs)
Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil on stove over medium heat. Cover and let stand eight minutes then immediately drain and place in ice water. Let stand in ice water until cool enough to handle, about five minutes. Peel eggs and cut each in half lengthwise.
Remove yolks from eggs and place in a bowl. Mash with a fork and stir in mayonnaise, relish or dill, salt and pepper. Spoon your mixture into egg whites. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about one hour. Garnish with paprika or olive slices.
Deviled Eggs with Country Ham and Pecans
To make this delicious spin on deviled eggs, prepare Classic Deviled Eggs, then substitute relish with ½ cup cooked chopped country ham and 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans. I always use a half pecan on top for relish – but then, I love pecans.
Deviled Eggs with Pickled Red Onions
1 cup finely-chopped red onion
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Boil and slice your eggs, then create the filling mixture this way:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and let stand for one hour. Make one classic deviled egg, substituting relish with a tablespoon of the pickled red onion. Keep remaining onions in refrigerator for up to one week.
Another Spin
I sometimes will make 12 half eggs with the relish, a little mustard (about 1 teaspoon) and 1 teaspoon of horseradish to kick up the favor. Be careful not to overdo the horseradish – you will open your nose to a burn.
Not a fan of eggs? Try baking this crowd-pleasing favorite, instead, for your next special occasion.
Southern Cheese Straws
(Makes about 36)
This butter-packed cheesy cracker is perfect for snacking or gifting.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese
¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika (if you have smoked, you can use that instead)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons whole milk
Paprika for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, cheese, butter, salt, red pepper, paprika and garlic powder until combined. With processor running, gradually add milk until a dough forms.
Using a cookie press fitted with a star-shaped disk, pipe dough into 6-inch pieces on prepared pans and bake until crisp, about 18-20 minutes.
For coins like silver dollars, roll dough into a log shape, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze about 20 minutes. Unwrap dough and cut into ¼ inch slices. Bake crisp, about 18 minutes.
For sticks, roll pieces of dough thin and bake until crisp, 18-20 minutes. Garnish with paprika, if desired.
This is a wonderful gift idea, and you can make it now and freeze to have ready for the holidays.