Heidi Swanson's Deviled Eggs

My love for deviled eggs runs deep. So deep, in fact, that several friends and I have a few inside jokes.

The first is my mission to bring the Deviled Egg back as a popular standby for potlucks. I mean why in the world did the deviled egg go out of favor at parties? I will never understand! My guess is that everyone got too busy pinning newfangled appetizers off Pinterest and forgot these three things: deviled eggs are always the first things to go at a party (have you seen the way people run to the deviled egg platter), they are easy, and they are cheap! Why, people? Why? Bring the deviled eggs back. Do yourself, and everyone else, a favor!

So say it with me...what are you gonna bring to the party? 

That's right.  Deviled Eggs!

 Now in regard to the second. Once, at a work potluck, I had some of the worst, and I do mean downright terrible deviled eggs I've ever had in my life. These eggs were so bad, they were quite literally one of the worse things I've ever put in my mouth! Now, it's important for you to know that even though I love to cook, I am by no means a food snob. There have only been like two times in my life where I've spit anything out of my mouth.

So I'm in line at the work potluck and I pick up a deviled egg. It looks status quo, but this person had fooled me, and everyone else, big time. That yolk mixture...well, it was about 95% mustard (and I love mustard), but I just wasn't expecting that and I shoved about half of the egg in my mouth. It tasted like a very bad practical joke and about that time I see other people running for the garbage can. Seems we all felt the same way! So from time to time, when we need a good laugh, we text pictures of deviled eggs to one another.

This experience was all the more reason for me to practice and perfect deviled eggs in my kitchen. I've always been keen to try about every deviled egg recipe I see, so I wanted to tackle Heidi's version for my Christmas dinner.  I was intrigued by her use of Greek yogurt and olive oil in the yolk mixture and found that I did enjoy it, but couldn't help but miss the standard addition of mayo, mustard, and pickle juice. After adding a touch of each I found the mixture to be quite delicious - nearly perfect, and ultimately cream, if I do say so myself! 

Heidi garnishes her eggs with dill, chives, and chervil, but I can never find chervil so I just stuck with the chives and the dill.  Chives and dill are the ultimate complement to eggs and go a long way in making the platter beautiful. I hesitated to put sliced almonds on my deviled eggs, but was pleasantly surprised as I loved the added crunch and texture. Overall I think the sliced almonds would be a fun addition that most people would enjoy, giving that you served them straight away so the texture was preserved. An overall great recipe!

 

Deviled Eggs

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Serves about 12

1 dozen eggs

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 tbsp. mayo, as desired*

1 tbsp. mustard, as desired*

1 tsp. pickle juice, if desired*

1 teaspoon extra virgin oil

salt and pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons chopped chives

2 tablespoons chervil*

1 tablespoon chopped dill

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Notes: I couldn't find fresh chervil so I left it out.

Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by half an inch or so.  Bring to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat and cover.  Let the pot sit for ten minutes.  In the meantime, prepare a large bowl of ice water. When the eggs are done cooking, use a slotted spoon to place them into the ice bath. When the eggs are cool, remove them and crack and peel.

Cut each egg in half and use a spoon to carefully scoop the yolks into a bowl. Set the empty white aside. Mash and fluff the yolks with a fork. Add the Greek yogurt, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Continue to mix and mash until the yolk mixture is as smooth and creamy as possible. This takes a bit of time, but the result is worth it- the yolks become creamy, light and airy. (*My yolk mixture was a little too thick and when I tasted the filling I found it was a bit too tangy from the yogurt, so I opted to add some mayo, mustard, and pickle juice to loosen things up.  I added about a heaping tablespoon of mayo and mustard  and a teaspoon or so of pickle juice, to taste. Be sure to taste your yolk mixture and tweak it if need be).

Add the and chives, chervil*, and dill to the creamed yolks, reserving a bit of each for the garnish.  Mix well to incorporate. Fill the whites with the yolk mixture, using a spoon of piping bag. Garnish each egg with the reserved herbs, almonds, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Simply Entertaining w/ Heidi Swanson @ IHCC

Cinnamon & Sugar Zeppole

We are exactly one week from Christmas and I'm already in a sugar coma.  It's like I can't even fathom eating one more cookie, chocolate, or piece of fudge. On Friday morning at work we had donuts, danishes, sweet breads, cookies, chocolates, peanut butter balls, coconut balls, and fudge and I just couldn't even. I couldn't even take one bite!  Now this is very unlike me because I am known for my sweet tooth. This may very well have been the one and only time I passed on all of it.

Then I looked at this week's theme for I Heart Cooking Clubs and it was you guessed it....Sweet Treats. I contemplated cheating by making a fruit smoothie, a fruit salad, or maybe even a fruity cocktail. I even considered making hot chocolate for the kids. Anything I thought. Anything to keep from eating more sugar. Then I came across Giada's Zeppole recipe, which is something I've always wanted to try. I can handle that, I thought.  Plus as a bonus, I had everything on hand (you probably do too), and didn't have to venture out in the freezing weather.  Zeppole it was!

Zeppole, otherwise known as little round Italian donuts, require very little ingredients. Butter, flour, sugar, eggs, water, salt, cinnamon and oil for frying.  As I mentioned above, you probably have all of the ingredients on hand. They come together easily enough and are relatively easy to fry. Mine, because I forgot to add water to my dough (whoops), were a little unruly when they hit the oil.  They didn't turn into cute little rounds of dough. They were definitely misshapen, but the taste was still on point.

We ate these zeppole while trimming the tree (yes, I'm a little behind on decorating) and they were the perfect treat. Little fluffy rounds of dough with a very light coating of cinnamon and sugar. Much  like a donut, but definitely not as sweet. With very little sugar in the dough, and just a light touch of cinnamon and sugar sprinkled over them, they were a welcome break to all the heavy sugar laden food that December is known for. Definitely worth a try. Just remember to add the water!

Cinnamon & Sugar Zeppole

Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4-6

1 vanilla bean

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 stick butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

 1 cup water

1 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs 

canola oil, for frying

Cut open the vanilla bean lengthwise. Using the back of a knife, scrape along the inside of the vanilla bean to collect the seeds. Scrape vanilla bean seeds into a small bowl.  Add 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine the butter, salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Take pan off the heat and stir in the flour. Return pan to the heat and stir continuously until mixture forms a ball, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Transfer the flour mixture to a medium bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on low speeds, add eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each egg completely before adding the next. Beat until smooth. If not frying immediately, cover with plastic wrap and reserve in the refrigerator. 

Meanwhile, pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches.  Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Using a small ice cream scooper or 2 small spoons, carefully drop about a tablespoon of the dough into the hot olive oil, frying in batches.  Turn the zeppole once or twice, cooking until golden and puffed up, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Toss with cinnamon-sugar. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Posole in Broth For What Ails You

Every year, without fail, I always get sick right before Christmas. Never mind my schedule and the million and one things to be done before Christmas. It always happens. This year, of course, was no exception.  

Now, for me, the worse sickness in the world is the common cold. I say this all the time and those closest to me have heard me utter these words each and every time I come down with a cold. "I would rather deliver a baby than have a stuffy nose." Having had two children of my own, and knowing full well the immense pain one suffers from childbirth, I feel this is the strongest way for me to convey my complete contempt, and total disgust, for the common cold and the stuffy nose it brings. Ever since I can remember I have been this way.  A stuffy nose always reduces me to a complete mess. In fact, the word "mess" is somewhat of an understatement. A stuffy nose has been known to make me somewhat unhinged. The whole "not being able to breathe" thing just wears me completely down.

My list of obligations loomed over me as I sat stewing over my nose. I didn't have time to be sick. I had to help the kids with all their end of the quarter homework and finals. There were book reports and presentations, Christmas concerts, and a million other Christmas related events on my schedule. So I did what I always do. The thing that always gives my stuffy nose some relief.  I locked myself in the bathroom and turned the shower on as hot as it would go. I let the hot steam fill the air and provide some relief to my stuffed nose. I enjoyed breathing like a normal human being for a short time.

It was during this time that I thought of steam, and heat, and how thankful I was for it when an idea came to me.  Longing to continue the steaming of my nose, I vowed to leave the bathroom and make myself a big pot of steaming hot soup. An easy pot of soup. That's when I remembered this easy and quick recipe for Heidi's Posole in Broth.  

Now this is possibly the easiest and quickest soup I've ever made but it did the trick. In no time at all I had myself a big bowl of steaming hot posole filled with chewy little bites of hominy and just the right amount of heat from a serrano pepper. Heidi suggest an array of toppings, and while I'm sure they're all wonderful, I really wasn't concerned with them. I was all about the healing powers of the soup. I'm thankful this recipe made a huge batch. I am going to be spending a lot of time with my head hanging over this wonderful little soup longing for my nose to work again. 'Tis the season!

Posole in Broth

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Serves 4-6

1 pound or 1 (28 oz) can dried posole/hominy

1 medium white or yellow onion

5 cups great tasting broth

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

2 cups cooked mung beans, optional*

1 bunch of scallions, trimmed and shredded

To Serve: Chopped olives, sliced avocado, sprouts or micro greens, toasted sliced almonds, and/or a drizzle of olive or lemon oil

To cook the posole kernels, rinse and pick over the kernels, cover with water and let soak for at least six hours, or overnight. Drain, place in a large pot with the onion, halved and peeled, and cover with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about an hour, or until a good percentage of the kernels blossom. Drain, reserving the broth and onion, and set aside. If you're making this ahead of time, both the broth and onion and the cooked posole kernels (drained) freeze well. If you're using a can of hominy, drain and set aside. 

When you're ready to make the posole, slice the reserved onion (or new onion if making from canned), and add it to a large pot along with the posole kernels, and roughly 5 cups of broth-enough to just cover the kernels. Add the chile and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Gently stir in the mung beans, if using, and scallions.

To serve, ladle into shallow bowls and add as many toppings as you can handle. Don't skimp because they're what make this version of posole really come together. Avocado, almonds, and chopped olives are important. The creamy fattiness from the avocado with the starchy posole, the punch of olive brininess, and crunch from the almonds really work nicely.

To cook mung beans: Rinse and pick over well. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender but not falling apart, roughly 25 to 30 minutes.

Eggs in Pepper Boats

I was wandering around a Barnes & Noble one night with a friend and happened to spy a copy of Jacques Pepin's latest cookbook, Heart & Soul In The Kitchen. I quickly snatched it up, grinning from ear to ear, because it was on sale for $12. I didn't even have to page through it before buying because Pepin is one of my favorites and I just knew it would be a wonderful book.

When I finally had time to go through the book I was in love. Not only is it full of recipes, but it also has lots of stories, great pictures, and is sprinkled with paintings done by Jacques himself. I quickly started making a list of recipes I wanted to try and these Eggs in Pepper Boats were at the top of the list. 

Tis the season for all things crazy and hectic so I love this easy, yet somewhat sophisticated touch, on breakfast. You really only need about three ingredients. Four, if you want to be fussy. Soften the peppers in the skillet with a touch of water and oil, then crack an egg in with a little cheese. In a short time you have an easy and healthy breakfast all wrapped up in one delicious little present.

Eggs in Pepper Boats

Adapted from Heart & Soul In The Kitchen

by Jacques Pepin

Serves 4

2 cubanelles, poblano, or banana peppers (about 4 ounces each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons water

salt and pepper, to taste

6 tablespoons grated Cheddar cheese

4 extra large eggs

cilantro leaves, to garnish

Split the peppers lengthwise in half and remove the seeds and stems if you want. Arrange them cut side down in a large skillet and add the oil, water, and salt, and cook, covered, over medium heat, turning occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until the peppers are softened somewhat but still firm.

Remove the skillet from the heat and, if necessary, turn the peppers over so they are hollow side up. Place the cheese in the peppers. Break an egg into each one and sprinkle the eggs with the remaining salt and pepper.

Return the skillet to the stove, cover, and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Transfer to plates, sprinkle with the cilantro, and serve immediately.

November Potluck @ I Heart Cooking Clubs

Crusty and Creamy White Beans with Greens

We celebrated Thanksgiving with prime rib, baked potatoes, veggies, salad, and of course...pie.  For the first time my prime rib turned out perfectly and it truly was a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots to give thanks for.  The only problem was that there WERE NO LEFTOVERS! 

No prime rib hash for breakfast, or pie for that matter. After cooking for so long, and hitting a few sales, I hardly felt like making anything complicated so I was very thankful to stumble across Heidi Swanson's recipe for Crusty and Creamy White Beans with Greens. 

This is one of those recipes that you put in your back pocket and pull out when you want comforting food that is quick and easy, yet blows your taste buds through the roof. Also, if you're like me and you spent a little too much money holiday shopping, this one is also easy on the wallet. Total score.  All around.

In her book Heidi says, "I get more requests for this recipe than any other. The crisp golden crust on the beans encases a rich and creamy center, creating an irresistibly delicious combination.  The greens provide a nutritionally packed accent as well as beautiful color."  I agree. I found this to be one of the tastiest things I've had in awhile and will definitely be making it again. I think it would be wonderful served over bruschetta, as Heidi suggests in the book. I also think you could spice it up by adding chilies and/or any other spices or seasonings that you favor.  This is a very versatile recipe and one that I will be experimenting with in the future. I highly encourage you to give this a try!

Crusty and Creamy White Beans with Greens

Adapted from Super Natural Cooking

by Heidi Swanson

Serves 6 to 8 as a side

1/2 pound medium or large dried white beans, cooked (or 1 can white beans)

3 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper, to taste

1 onion coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

6 or 7 big leaves Swiss chard, leaves cut into wide ribbons and 1 or 2 stems cut into 1/2 " pieces

olive oil, for drizzling

Parmesan cheese, for topping

Drain the beans, then heat the butter over medium high heat in the widest skillet you've got. (I like a cast iron pan for this).  Add the beans to the hot pan in a single layer. If you don't have a big enough skillet, just do the saute step in two batches or save the extra beans for another use. Stir to coat the beans with butter, then let them sit long enough to brown on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes, before turning to brown the other side, also about 3 or 4 minutes. The beans should be golden and a bit crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. Salt and pepper, to taste, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the onion softens. Stir in the chard and cook until just beginning to wilt. Remove from the heat and season to taste with a generous dose of salt and pepper. Drizzle with a bit of quality extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan. 

Let's Give Thanks @ IHCC

Autumn Inspired Buddha Bowl

This Buddha Bowl was inspired by Heidi Swanson's Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts. The perfectly golden caramelized rounds of brussels sprouts coated in nutty Parmesan cheese spoke to me every time I paged through my copy of Super Natural Cooking, begging to be made.

Since brussels sprouts themselves do not constitute a buddha bowl, and that is our theme this week at IHCC, I looked around my pantry and gathered ingredients I felt would compliment them. I came out with a quinoa and brown rice mix, sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, glazed pecans, and some Dukkah. An autumnal mix of ingredients for sure.

I cooked the quinoa and brown rice mix adding a touch of butter, cut the sweet potato in cubes and roasted it, and prepared the brussels sprouts. Afterwards I layered it all in the bowl, with the dried cranberries, glazed pecans, and a sprinkling of Dukkah (a nut and spice blend) and called it dinner.

Overall, the bowl was delicious but I do have to say the Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts were my favorite part. I loved the caramelized flat sides, and my favorite parts were the sprouts that were covered in a crusty coating of Parmesan cheese. Delicious!

Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts

Adapted from Super Natural Cooking

by Heidi Swanson 

Serves 4

24 small Brussels Sprouts

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing

salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 cup grated cheese of your choice (Parmesan)

Trim the stem ends of the brussels sprouts and remove any raggedy outer leaves.  Cut in half from stem to top and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact. Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don't cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan, flat side down, sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt and pepper, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grins of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. While you might be able to get away with keeping a platter of these warm in the oven for a few minutes, they are exponentially tastier if popped in your mouth immediately.

Buddha Bowls @ IHCC

Winter Rainbow Gratin

It's been a tough and emotional week. At the beginning of the week I found myself very anxious about the presidential election. In fact, on the night the results poured in, I was practically sitting on the edge of my seat. I found myself screaming at the TV, like a devout football fan watching the Superbowl. I knew that no matter the outcome, emotions would be on high. I think I underestimated how high the emotions would be.

The week ended with my baby turning double digits. My little guy, who is definitely not little anymore, turned 10. After the election was over, I poured every spare minute into throwing one last big blowout of a birthday party. We rented a rolling game truck, invited about 15 kids, and went all out.  The kids had a fabulous time and I was happy to throw the party, but I am emotionally, physically, and financially drained.

Desperately in need of easy comfort food, I happened upon this recipe for Winter Rainbow Gratin. Just so happened that I had all the ingredients and the directions didn't have me running for the door. Even still, I had to pry myself off the couch to get started. Within a few minutes I was happily chopping veggies (one of my favorite kitchen tasks) and I felt a certain calm I hadn't felt all week. Kitchen therapy is real.

This gratin is a combination of red potatoes, butternut squash (or you could sub sweet potato), shallots, carrot, green onions, and apple topped with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. It's gorgeous to look at, very savory and satisfying, and ultimately comforting. Just the right thing to end a crazy hectic week.

Winter Rainbow Gratin

Adapted from Super Natural Cooking

by Heidi Swanson

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons butter and a drizzle of olive oil

4 small purple and/or red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into wedges

4 small shallots, sliced thinly

1 quarter of a butternut squash, about 1 cup cubed

4 young yellow and/or orange carrots, cut in half lengthwise if thicker than your thumb

4 green onions, sliced

salt and pepper, to taste

1 apple or pear, unpeeled, cored, and cut into 6 wedges

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Optional: butter or oil for drizzling on top prior to baking*

Preheat the oven to 375F and position a rack in the middle of the oven.

Heat the butter in your largest ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. In a single layer, add the potatoes, shallots, squash, carrots, and green onions and toss to coat. Try not to overcrowd the pan, or the vegetables will steam and not brown. If you don't have a big enough pan, split the ingredients between two skillets. Saute over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan a couple of times along the way. The vegetables should start to brown a bit and be tender but not mushy.

Remove from the heat and sprinkle with a generous dose of salt and pepper. Stir in the apple wedges. If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, transfer the ingredients to an ovenproof baking dish or casserole. Sprinkle with all the bread crumbs and half of the Parmesan cheese. (Note: This method produces a fairly dry gratin, so my suggestion is to mix the breadcrumbs with a couple tablespoons of butter and/or oil to add some moisture back into the gratin - see optional ingredients*). You don't want to stir at this point; rather, let the crumbs and cheese perch right on top of the vegetables so they'll get nice and crunchy.

Place the uncovered skillet in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, tossing the vegetables with a metal spatula about halfway through. The potatoes and carrots should be golden, crispy, and caramelized where they touch the pan and soft and tender inside. When everything is caramelized and fragrant, remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Serve right from the skillet.

Over at I Heart Cooking Clubs we're celebrating squash by sharing both old and new recipes. This Winter Rainbow Gratin is certainly a contender, and much more sophisticated than my old standby, but it's hard to beat Tessa Kiros' Baked Butternut Squash.  Bright orange spears of squash topped with butter, brown sugar, and fragrant bay leaves makes for one of my favorite squash sides. It's a colorful, creamy, and sweet delight that always goes over well.