Classic Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs are a good indication that spring is in the air and Easter is around the corner. After the winter months, it is exciting to think of brunch, eating outside, and having friends and family around; and nothing holds it down at a brunch like some deviled eggs... and mimosas of course.

For as much as I love deviled eggs, I sure don't make them enough but every time I have one I always think to myself "Man, I need to make these more often".  I love them so much that just saying deviled eggs would trigger my brother to tell you all the deviled egg story from my childhood in which he makes me out to be this Tasmanian deviled-egg-eater.

Okay, Okay, I'll tell you the story. So I was maybe 5 or 6 years old and my brother was about 11 or 12 and we were at the birthday party of a kid in our neighborhood. We were all sitting on benches and the grown-ups were walking around with platters of finger foods and stopping by each child as we took an item and placed it on our plate. As I reached out and gently took a sandwich and put it on my place I could see the deviled eggs making their way around. I jump up and was about to shout out that the deviled eggs are coming but my brother put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back into my seat and said "calm down!". I followed up by a hard whisper of "the deviled eggs are comingggg!".

Now every time my brother sees deviled eggs he would turn to me and say "Look! The deviled eggs are coming." and laugh a hearty laugh of which I do not find funny at all. So now I avoid deviled eggs at any family gathering and hope to wipe that out of my mind forever.

Classic Deviled Eggs

When it comes to deviled eggs, the classic is my favorite. These perfectly cooked egg whites filled with rich and creamy yolk filling that is seasoned to perfection. I'm drooling! If you like to try some of the fancier flavor combinations such as ranch, bacon and cheese, avocado, or any other that sparks your interest then this is a great base to start with. But I promise that the classic version is exactly what people hope for when they see deviled eggs on the table. But this is about you so start and end with the classic, or start with this and then take it from there. You are the Martha Stewart of your kitchen.

INGREDIENTS and substitutions:

• eggs - do we even need to talk about these? Probably. I like to use the standard large eggs. It doesn't matter if they are white eggs or brown, organic or free-range. They will all work for this recipe. Those are more of personal preferences. What is important is that you get a nice clean peel after you boil your eggs. The fresher your eggs, the more you will find that the shells will stick to the whites after they are boiled and you will have lots of divots in your eggs. These taste perfectly fine but are not the best looking when you are presenting them to others. I recommend buying your eggs a week or so before you need them and let them sit in the fridge. If you use eggs that have been sitting too long in the fridge then you will have those eggs with flat bottoms as the air pocket in the egg gets larger as the egg ages and rises to the top after sitting in the same position for a long time. This takes a while to happen. To ensure you get perfectly round eggs that peel without leaving and dents and divots then using eggs that are 7-14 days old will be ideal.
• mayonnaise - this allows you to whip the yolks into a creamy mixture. I like to use regular mayonnaise but you can use light mayo, sour cream, or plain yogurt if you choose.
• mustard - I don't think you can make this recipe without the mustard. Yellow mustard adds a crisp and tangy feel to liven up the yolk mixture. I have used this interchangeably with dijon mustard which can add a little spiciness to it, so you can use whichever you prefer since some people are not a fan of the bold taste of yellow mustard. Dijon is a bit more complex and flavorful and I often enjoy it using Dijon but since I use cayenne, I usually use yellow mustard.
• paprika  - while most people will top their eggs with paprika, I like to add it to the filling mixture to lend some flavor. I love using smoked paprika here to add a little extra touch.
• ground cayenne - it wouldn't be me unless I added heat to whatever I was making. I promise this is worth it and we are just adding a little to give it some flavor.
• salt - to taste and balance everything out.
• toppings and garnishes - topping your finished eggs is probably the most fun. You can add bacon, chives, parsley, paprika, thyme, cheese, jalapenos..... the possibilities are endless.