Deviled Eggs

We keep a plate of deviled eggs available pretty much all the time. One or two makes a great snack to stave off those hunger pangs we all get just before dinner. With all of the variations you can make it's always a pleasant surprise (at least, if you're not the cook) to find them waiting when you raid the fridge. I'll admit that I can eat one deviled egg in one bite, max two. Happily, deviled eggs can be an everyday indulgence if you like. In the past eggs were blamed for everybody's high cholesterol and we were admonished to only eat one or two a week. But according to Mayo Clinic, you can eat up to two whole eggs a day before getting concerned about adversely affecting your blood cholesterol levels. (Whoopee, my family says!) Here are some tips for boiling the perfect egg for any dish:

1. The older the better. Eggs that are more than a week old seem to peel better for me.
2. If you have a steamer tray, boil water in your pot and lower the eggs, in the steamer, over the boiling water. Boil for 13 minutes. This timing gives you a drier egg yolk while avoiding the green layer that forms when it is over cooked.
3. If you're boiling in a pot, place your eggs in the pot and run hot water from your tap into the pot to cover the eggs. Place the pot over heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 13 minutes.
4. Immediately take the eggs off/out of the hot water and cover in ice cubes and cold water. Let the eggs rest in the cold water until they are easy to handle.

This Deviled Egg recipe isn't really for piping pretty designs because I love what the sweet pickle relish does for them. The pickle relish will clog your piping tips. If you want to be able to pipe the filling to make a pretty finish just omit the relish. Deviled Eggs can be just about any appetizer category that you want. We particularly enjoy green olives on top for the briny contrast with our sweet pickles. But you can make yours spicy, seafood, crunchy, you name it. Other awesome toppings: Bacon bits Avocado Finely chopped onion (red onion is pretty) Crab meat Chopped shrimp Chili Powder (And many more, your imagination is the limit!)