"Turn Up the Heat" Deviled Eggs

The term "deviled" when referring to food, was first used in the 18th century. And in the 19th century, it was commonly associated with spicy food; including eggs prepared with mustard, pepper or other ingredients stuffed in the yolk cavity. Deviled Eggs were a highly popular appetizer or party food back in the 1970's when I was a young girl and we couldn't go to any family gathering without seeing them on the table. Now, I only tend to make them during our Easter celebration when I'm cooking my other eggs. 

Wasabi Egg Salad and My Easter Menu

My family and I celebrate Easter and since it is a mere 5 days away, I guess it's not too early to start talking about eggs.  The kids still love to color them, but rarely eat them all.  We ALWAYS tend to have leftover; mainly because they still fight over how many they each get to color and design (yes, they're 16 and 11!). The funny thing is that I don't really like to eat hard boiled eggs and only tend to make them around this time of year.  

So when I find myself with leftover eggs, I like to make egg salad to use them up.  I LOVE the flavor and kick a nice hot mustard or wasabi gives your food and this added just the right amount. Just remember to remove your eggs from refrigeration about 30 minutes prior to boiling. This will prevent your eggs from cracking; which is fine for an egg salad, but not for coloring Easter eggs! You can also use this recipe to make Deviled Eggs. 

Wasabi Egg Salad
5 Eggs
1/2 tsp. Wasabi Paste
3 tbsp. Hellman's Mayonnaise
Kosher Salt, to taste

Directions:
1.  Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. 
2. Bring to a boil then let simmer for approximately 6 minutes. Eggs will be done if you can spin them on their vertical axis. (If they fall to the side, they're not done). 
3. Remove from water and place in an ice bath (water and ice) several times until they have cooled (you can also make ahead and refrigerate). 
4. Peel the eggs, rinse off any residual shells, chop the eggs and place in a bowl. 
5. Add the wasabi paste and mayonnaise and mix well. Serves 3. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving (without bread): Calories 231, Carbs 1.3g, Fat 19.8g, Protein 10.5g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 1.3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

And now for my EasterMenu...

I'm cooking for about ten people this year so it will be quiet. We start the day by having the girls look for eggs (plastic so if they don't find them all AND if I forget where we hid them, they won't stink up the house!) then spend the morning preparing the food for our dinner and setting the table so that I can relax with my guests as much as possible. There's nothing worse than trying to get it all done the same day and not getting to enjoy the holiday or your company.  Here are some things I'm leaning towards this year. Click on the link to be taken to the original recipe post! 

Appetizers

Garlic & Herb Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

(You can stuff and bread these the night before, cover, and keep

 refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator and allow 20-25 minutes for 

baking right before you're ready to serve).

"Chick" Deviled Eggs 

(You can be prepare the egg salad up to two days ahead of time. 

Assemble up to four hours before you're ready to serve)

Cherry Tomato Bites

(You can prepare these the day before and cover tightly 

in an air tight container or with plastic wrap. This year I'm using 
Yellow Sunburst Tomatoes instead)

Antipasto

Main Course

Honey & Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

(Recipe to follow)

Capital Grille Mashed Potatoes

(Cut the potatoes and place them in your pot in the morning. Cover the potatoes with 

cold water; then place the lid on top of the pot. They're ready to boil when you are.)

Herbs de Provence Roasted Carrots & Turnips
(Recipe to follow)

Dessert

Carrot Bunny Cake

(A must have every Easter decorated by the kids)

 (You can make the cake the day before; then keep refrigerated until ready to serve)

Limoncello Cheesecake 

(Recipe in the cookbook!)

Wishing all of you a wonderful Passover and Easter holiday! xo

Enjoy!

Bacon & Havarti Quiche

I know what you're thinking and you're right. I don't usually eat bacon because it gives me a headache, but the rest of my family does. And on Sunday's, we generally make what we call a "big breakfast"; which includes eggs, potatoes, bacon or sausage. We only eat this way once a week and sometimes only 1-2 times per month, and it's usually more of a brunch than a breakfast as we generally don't eat until about 10am. Last Sunday we happened to make bacon, and since I was going to be busy cooking for Thanksgiving the next week, I wanted to make a few things that my family could pick on for lunches and dinner during the week. 

This is another one of those recipes that I have had in my trusty recipe box that I got from my Mom many years ago, but have never made. The recipe was originally for Quiche Lorraine, which is made with Swiss cheese instead of the Havarti and I must have copied it down wrong, because the first time I tried to make this, it wound up too runny. I guess that would happen if you add heavy cream AND milk...oh well, try and try again!   

The second time was a success and the family loved it! It's a great dish for breakfast as well as lunch or dinner served with a side salad. Or, if you're really ambitious, make individual quiches in a mini muffin pan for appetizers.

Bacon & Havarti Quiche

1 Pie Crust (I used Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts)

½ c. Crumbled Cooked Bacon (approx. 4-6 strips)

½ c. Havarti Cheese, shredded

¼ c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated

4 Eggs

1 ½ c. Heavy Cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Roll out the dough so it thins out and fits in the tart pan; then line the tart pan with the pie crust and par bake for 5-7 minutes.

3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and heavy cream;  then stir in the cheeses and bacon.

4. Add the egg mixture to the pie crust, place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until the top starts to puff up and turn lightly brown. Serves 8.

*You can also make this in a pie dish. If you do, cut the eggs down to three, heavy cream down to 1 cup and then add an additional 10-15 minutes to the cooking time.

Enjoy! 

Shared at Thursday's Treasures 11/29/12

Stracciatella alla Romano Soup (Roman Style Egg Drop)

I have never made this soup before and have seen it on several Italian restaurant menus, so I wanted to give it a try. As you can see, it is very simple, quick to make and was ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish. It was good, but I think I prefer the Chinese version better. I'm not calling this a flop by any means, it is what it is. A broth based egg soup, but for me, I think I prefer a heartier soup. You be the judge! :)

Stracciatella alla Romano 
(Roman Style Egg Drop Soup)
4 c. Low Sodium Chicken Broth
5 Eggs
1 tbsp. Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
1/8 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Add the chicken broth to a pot and bring to a low boil. 
2. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, parsley, cheese and nutmeg. 
3. Gradually add the egg mixture to the heated broth; stirring slowly clockwise. 
4. The soup is done when the eggs are cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 cups. 

*Nutritional Information per Cup: Calories 50, Carbs 5.1g, Fat 1.6g, Protein 7.6g, Fiber 0g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Shared at Amee's Savory Dish 10/5/12

Mother's Day Brunch Ideas

Well, Mother's Day is this Sunday and I can't believe it's already May! I don't know why this holiday is deemed perfect for breakfast/brunch. I hate brunch (and breakfast for the most part). Why do Dad's get to have a nice BBQ huh? If it were up to me, I'd eat lunch/dinner food for breakfast. Oh well! So instead of me cooking for breakfast this year, my family and I will be heading into the city for the day. There is always so much to do and see and I'm sure we'll have a wonderful day just because we'll all be together. That to me is better than any gift they could ever possibly buy me (as long as they do it without any arguing or whining!) 


For those of you who LOVE breakfast, I have some breakfast items to share with you that you might like. Some I've posted before on the blog and others are new. I hope you like them! 

Sweet Potatoes & Chorizo (New)

2 Sweet Potatoes

2 oz. Spanish Chorizo, chopped

2 Scallions, chopped

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

In a pot, add potatoes, completely cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the hot water and add cold water to the pot to bring down the temperature of the cooked potatoes. You may need to do this 2-3 times. Once cooled enough that you can handle them, carefully peel away and discard the skin of the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 2-3” chunks. Heat oil in a large saute pan and add the chorizo and scallions. Saute for approximately 5 minutes, then add your potatoes. Allow to brown on each side, turning several times so that they do not stick; approximately 15 minutes. Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information: Calories 146, Carbs 20g, Fat 7g, Protein 4g

Tomato, Basil & Fresh Mozzarella Frittata
4 Eggs
1/4 c. 2% Milk
1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Roma Tomato, chopped
2 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, chopped
Cooking Spray

In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Heat a stainless steel saute pan over medium and spray generously with cooking spray (I use Olive Oil or Canola), making sure you get the sides. Add the egg mixture to the pan and push the eggs towards the center, allowing them to cook evenly. When most of the liquid has been cooked, place the entire pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until the eggs have set and are firm. CAREFULLY remove the pan from the oven with an oven mitt (YES, the handle will be hot!). Serves 2. 

 Copycat Cinnabon® Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes

Rolls

1/4 c. Warm Water

1 Package Dry Yeast

1 tbsp. Granulated Sugar

1/2 Package 3 1/2 oz. Vanilla Pudding Mix

1/4 c. Butter, melted

1 Egg

4 c. All-Purpose Flour

1/2 c. Butter, softened

1 c. Brown Sugar

2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir until dissolved then set aside. In a separate, large bowl, prepare the pudding mix according to package directions (remember you're only using half of the package so cut the milk in half also). Mix in the melted butter and egg. Next, add in the yeast mixture and blend together. Add the flour and knead until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl (I just used cooking spray). Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 1 hour. Punch the dough down, cover again and let it rise for another hour. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is a large rectangle shape about 1/2" thick. Spread the softened butter over the surface. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle over the top of the butter. Roll the dough towards you very tightly, forming a log. Slice the dough with a sharp knife every 2" and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet approximately 2" apart. Take hand and lightly press down on each roll. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until they double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden. Frost warm rolls with Cream Cheese Icing. Makes 12. 

Cream Cheese Icing

8oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 c. Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 c. Confectioner's Sugar

1 tbsp. Milk

Combine all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. 

Homemade Pancakes (Old recipe/New photo)
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Cups Milk

1/3 Cup Canola Oil

1 tsp. Vanilla

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Heat your frying pan or griddle on medium heat. When you sprinkle a few flecks of water on your pan and the water 'dances' or jumps off the pan, then you know the pan is hot enough to cook on.  Spray the pan with cooking spray (or you can use butter) and pour about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes or until the pancake starts to bubble on the top and around the edges. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until it is golden and remove. Serves 8. 

*Tip: Heat your syrup in a pan or in the microwave in a microwave safe carafe or pitcher before pouring over your pancakes!

Mimosas (New) 

(just in case you've always wanted to make one and didn't know how..super easy!)

1 Bottle Champagne, chilled

Orange Juice

Fluted Champagne Glasses

Fill the glass halfway with orange juice then add the champagne to the top slowly right before serving. 

For other Breakfast ideas, click HERE! 

To all of the Moms (pet Moms count too!), Grandmothers, and Aunts, I wish you all a day filled with love. xoxo

Cheers! 

"Chick" Deviled Eggs or Egg Salad

I know, Easter has come and gone but I made these adorable little "chicks" with my deviled eggs and had to share them with you. For many, you've probably seen them before, but if not, aren't they the cutest little things ever?! They're so cute you could probably make them any time of year and would probably elicit the same Oooh's and Aaah's. Here is my recipe for Deviled Eggs. Simple. I don't like a lot of other ingredients in mine and I also make my egg salad the same way (though I add in some celery too). 

"Chick" Deviled Eggs 

8 Hard Boiled Eggs

2 tbsp. Hellman's Mayonnaise

1 tbsp. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

1 Black Olive

1 Baby Carrot

To prevent cracking, remove eggs from refrigeration about 30 minutes prior to boiling. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then let simmer for approximately 6 minutes. Eggs will be done if you can spin them on their vertical axis. (If they fall to the side, they're not done). Remove from water and place in an ice bath (water and ice) several times until they have cooled (you can also make hours ahead and refrigerate). 

Peel the eggs and rinse off any remaining shells. Cut the top 1/4 off of the egg and gently scoop out the yolk using a small knife or spoon. Add the yolk to a bowl, mash with a fork and place egg white on a serving platter. (if using a flat platter, cut a small piece off of the bottom of the egg so that it sits flat). Add mayonnaise and mustard to the egg yolks and mix well. Carefully fill the bottom portion of the egg white with the yolk filling. Next, place the white "cap" on top of the egg yolks. Cut the black olive into 12 pieces and place 2 pieces for the eyes. Cut the carrot into 12 small pieces and put a piece on the yolk for the nose. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8. 

Enjoy! 

Guest Blogger-Lauren Kelly

Good morning everyone!  Today I'm honored to have Lauren Kelly from Lauren Kelly Nutrition here to share one of her recipes with us. 

I "met" Lauren several months ago on Facebook and just love her attitude towards life and all around well-being. I look forward to her updates to see what I will learn each day.  Lauren is married with three children, has been a Certified Nutritionist for 8 years and recently became Staff Nutritionist at The Bar Method (in Montclair, NJ for all of my fellow NJ peeps). She is dedicated to an authentic and realistic method to achieving optimal health. Lauren will provide nutritional consulting for the following but not limited to: weight loss, disease prevention, reduction in cholesterol and blood pressure, controlling blood sugar, vegetarian diet, heart health, weight gain, eating disorders, increase energy, gluten intolerance, food allergies and sensitivities and overall improved lifestyle. 

So please join me in welcoming Lauren Kelly today as our Guest Blogger! 

I love this recipe because it is so versatile and can be used with many different ingredients.  I love it because you can use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge!  

Chicken Sausage & Vegetable Frittata

Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine 

• 1 organic mild Italian chicken sausage package
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes
• Handful mushrooms, chopped
• 8 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp dry mustard
• Garlic powder, sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1-oz slice whole-wheat bread, crust removed and discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, optional
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Remove casings from sausages and crumble filling into a large oven-safe nonstick pan on medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally. After about 5 to 7 minutes, when sausage is golden brown in color and almost cooked through, add bell pepper, tomatoes and mushrooms. Continue to sauté until mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat as low as possible (or remove from stove if using a gas range). In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with mustard, garlic powder, salt and black pepper using a whisk or handheld mixer. (Don't overdo it and make a meringue; simply incorporate flavors with eggs and lighten them up a bit.)
4. Distribute bread evenly over sausage-mushroom mixture, if desired. Then pour egg white mixture evenly over top. Increase heat to medium-low or medium (return pan to heat, if removed). Sprinkle cheese over top. Once egg whites start to set and turn opaque, transfer pan to oven.
5. Bake until cheese browns and bubbles, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate to slice and serve.

This frittata has 2 servings.  One serving only has 232 calories, 6 grams of total fat, 2 grams of fiber and 28 grams of protein.  Healthy AND delicious! ENJOY! 

Tomato, Basil & Fresh Mozzarella Frittata

I'm not a big fan of breakfast, I'd rather wait the few hours after I get up to have an early lunch instead. But every now and then I like to have a frittata, which is nothing more than an omelette you bake in the oven (it just sounds so much better doesn't it...fri-ta-ta!). The eggs are so fluffy and I just love all of the flavor combinations you can make. By baking it in the oven, it also gives you those 10 extra minutes to prepare anything else you may want to serve along with it. I've made this many different ways, but this is my all time favorite. It even makes a great, quick dinner idea since it takes no time at all to make. If you're making it for a larger crowd, I like to cut back on the whole eggs and use mostly egg whites with a few whole eggs thrown in for color. 

Tomato, Basil & Fresh Mozzarella Frittata
4 Eggs
1/4 c. 2% Milk
1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Roma Tomato, chopped
2 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, chopped
Cooking Spray
  
In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Heat a stainless steel saute pan over medium and spray generously with cooking spray (I use Olive Oil or Canola), making sure you get the sides. Add the egg mixture to the pan and push the eggs towards the center, allowing them to cook evenly. When most of the liquid has been cooked, place the entire pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until the eggs have set and are firm. CAREFULLY remove the pan from the oven with an oven mitt (YES, the handle will be hot!). Serves 2. 


Enjoy!


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Sweet Potato Pancakes (latkes)

You can't have Beef Brisket without potato pancakes right? Well, that's how we like them. But this time, I wanted to try to make them with some sweet potatoes I had before they went bad. So I mixed them together with some russet potatoes and these tasted even better than the original potato pancakes I made several months ago. You do have to let them sit in the egg whites for about 5 minutes before frying so that it helps loosen up the potato. With the regular potatoes, it has more moisture so you have to squeeze out the extra liquid prior to adding the eggs, unlike the sweet potatoes. These were absolutely delicious and were even a little sweet. Some people like to eat these with sour cream or applesauce, but we just like them 'as is' with maybe a little au jus from the brisket. I'd definitely make these again. 

Sweet Potato Pancakes (latkes)

2 Sweet Potatoes, peeled
3 Small Russet Potatoes, peeled
4 Scallions, chopped
1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
3/4 c. Egg Whites (I used the liquid kind)
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Canola Oil, for frying

Using a food processor or hand grater, grate the potatoes and put in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the scallions, rosemary, egg whites, salt and pepper until they are all well incorporated. Heat approximately 1" of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and slowly drop 1 heaping kitchen soup spoon of the potato mixture and flatten slightly. Fry 2-3 minutes per side until they are lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags to absorb any excess oil. Makes 12 pancakes. 

Points+=2 pts (without frying)

Enjoy!

Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry with Egg Drop Soup

I don't eat it often, but every once in a while I crave Chinese food. However, I don't like to eat it out (though some of the best Chinese restaurants can be found 45 minutes from where I live on Mott St. in NYC). So every once in a while, I throw together a basic stir fry. It's not hard, but you have to be good at multitasking because you don't want your vegetables to get too soft. You should have seen what my kitchen looked like after making this one! It's recipes like this that make me miss a big industrial sized kitchen (and the dishwashers that used to do all the cleaning up too! :) I actually use the same soy sauce mixture as when I make the Asian Chicken Wings and Fried Rice (which I made to go w/ this also). I like the flavor and it's so simple to make, so why mess with a good thing ? There are certain ingredients that I MUST use when making this. According to my youngest, it's not a stir fry without the "crunchies" a.k.a. water chestnuts and little baby corn. I actually like them myself so not a big deal but to her it's the difference whether or not she will eat it. You can also add any vegetables you like to this and if you have some fresh broccoli, just blanche it first so that it softens a bit before adding it in with the rest of the vegetables. 

Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry
10 Chicken Tenderloins, uncooked, cut into 1" pieces
1-10oz. Box Frozen Broccoli Florets, defrosted and drained
2 Scallions, sliced
6 White Mushrooms, sliced
2 Stalks Celery, washed and sliced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1-8oz. Can Sliced Water Chestnuts
1-14oz. Can Baby Corn
2 Tbsp. Stir Fry Oil or Canola Oil (whichever you have will work fine)


Soy Sauce Mixture:
3/4 c. Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
3 tbsp. Honey

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tbsp. Heinz Ketchup

1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Whisk all ingredients together. 

Cornstarch and Water Mixture:

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

1 tbsp. Cold Water

Mix together until cornstarch dissolves. 

In a large, non-stick saute pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil and cook chicken until it has cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. oil and add the broccoli, scallions, mushrooms, celery, garlic, water chestnuts and baby corn. Saute for 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to soften then add the soy sauce mixture. Let simmer for 5 minutes then thicken with cornstarch and water mixture. Serves 4-6. 


Next, what's Chinese food without Egg Drop Soup? Well at least it's not in this house. Though when we do eat it out, we all like to mix the Egg Drop and Wonton Soup together but I was a little too busy this day to figure out how to make the wontons. It's a really quick soup to put together and can be ready in about 15 minutes.

Egg Drop Soup

4 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

2 c. Water

3 Eggs, lightly beaten

2 Scallions, sliced

¼ tsp. Ground Ginger

¼ tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tbsp. Soy Sauce

¼ c. Cornstarch

¼ c. Cold Water

Kosher Salt, to taste

Ground White Pepper, to taste

Bring broth and water to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add scallions, ginger, garlic powder, and soy sauce. In a separate cup, mix cornstarch with cold water. Pour gradually into broth mixture until it is slightly thickened. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs and stir in a figure eight until the egg is cooked. Makes 6 cups. 


Enjoy!