The food out here

What eggs-actly do I do?

By HUNTER HILL
Posted 3/24/22

Hopefully by the time you are reading this, the last of any leftover corned beef and cabbage has been eaten up, or the last of it is making its way into an impromptu Reuben as we bid farewell to the …

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The food out here

What eggs-actly do I do?

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Hopefully by the time you are reading this, the last of any leftover corned beef and cabbage has been eaten up, or the last of it is making its way into an impromptu Reuben as we bid farewell to the famous March holiday. You may be asking yourself, “What’s next to look forward to?”

Well if you are like my family, it’s already time to think ahead toward Easter. If you’re like Walmart, you’re already planning Thanksgiving dinner, but that’s beside the point.

In the spirit of anticipation though, it never hurts to think of what one can do with the leftovers from each of these annual holidays. Thanksgiving is an easy one, with more than a few options depending on the initial spread, but few give much thought to Easter.

Easter varies quite a bit for different sorts of folk. Some have a big family dinner, and others just look for the clearance chocolate at the store.

One of the most consistent norms of the holiday, however, would be hard-boiled eggs. While some forgo the actual egg-decorating and scavenger hunt, most will at the very least have some eggs to eat. If you just had the eggs around to hide for little kids, then you may be wondering what to do with them after the fun is over.

Since the topic of eggs, in general, tends to raise certain noses, I’ve thought of three quick and easy recipes to help make use of those post-painted eggs that are just taking up space in the fridge.

Recipes courtesy of the lovely Mrs. Chelsea Hill, other family sources and allrecipes.com/recipe/234065/classic-pickled-eggs/. When not specified, ingredient amounts depend on your taste.

Deviled eggs

  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Yellow mustard
  • Mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper
  • Worcestershire sauce

Prepare hard-boiled eggs, cut lengthwise and remove yolks.

Combine yolks with yellow mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Squeeze yolk mixture back into empty egg whites using a zipper-seal bag.

Sprinkle paprika to garnish over each egg.

Deviled eggs

Deviled eggs are almost a standard when it comes to using hard-boiled eggs. They are so quick and easy to make that it shocked me to learn what I had been missing out on for so many years before taking the time to help prepare them. Once you have shelled your hard-boiled eggs, simply cut them lengthwise and remove the yolks from the outer whites. In a small bowl (even just a cereal bowl) combine yellow mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce until you reach the desired flavor. Using a fork, mash the combination together and fluff with the tines when thoroughly combined. Then simply scoop your mixture into a zipper-seal bag, cut the corner off with a pair of scissors and squeeze into the empty whites. For an added touch, I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend a sprinkle of paprika to add both color and a certain flare in taste. If you’re like me, the eggs don’t last long with a winner like this.

Egg salad

Another, even simpler recipe is egg salad. If you can manage the deviled eggs, then this one is all the more straightforward. Instead of removing the yolks, chop up the whole egg and mix with the other ingredients used with deviled eggs. The only addition would be sweet relish. Depending on how much crunch you like, you can add chopped celery as well, but I find that the relish does it for me. When mixing these, however, I would recommend using more mayonnaise and gently folding to combine rather than thoroughly mashing together into a paste. This recipe is useful when preparing lunches for kids and a spouse.

Egg salad

  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Yellow mustard
  • Mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Sweet relish
  • Chopped celery and/or onions, optional

Prepare hard-boiled eggs, then chop and combine with all other ingredients.

Mix gently until well combined and enjoy as desired.

Can be eaten in sandwiches or on crackers.

Pickled eggs

  • 12 small eggs
  • 3 cups white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 bay leaf

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool under cold running water and peel.

Bring vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

Place eggs, garlic and bay leaf in a 1-quart canning jar; top with vinegar mixture. Seal jar and refrigerate for at least 1 week.

Pickled eggs

The third and final hard-boiled egg preparation is perhaps a point of hesitation for those with refined palates, but I promise it’s worth just as much attention, despite its association with, shall we say, cowboy culture.

Pickled eggs are a real treat for anyone who can make them ahead of time. The great thing about these eggs is there are tons of recipes out there. You can pickle eggs with beets, spice them with some jalapeños, or just do a classic pickle like the recipe shown at right, which I found on Allrecipes.com.

However you choose to make use of your Easter eggs, I highly recommend that you make it part of the family experience, which will add so much to the holiday itself. After all, the way out here we make use of every good thing the Lord has blessed us with, whether or not a bow-tie-adorned rabbit bearing pastel-plaid eggs was ever a part of His plan for celebrating His Son’s resurrection. We need not argue about it. When it comes to food, it’s all a blessing.

Easter, corned beef and cabbage, leftovers, hard-boiled eggs, egg-decorating, deviled eggs, egg salad, pickled eggs

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