Deviled eggs have earned their niche in the finger-food hall of fame. One of the reasons they're so popular is that they can be varied in so many ways. For your next barbecue, patio party or picnic, why not go beyond the traditional filling flavorings of mayo, mustard and pickle relish? Experiment with a little taco sauce and chili powder or Parmesan cheese and pesto to create your own signature deviled eggs.

For mussless, fussless deviled eggs, simply place the yolks in a 1-quart plastic food-storage bag along with other filling ingredients. Gently squeeze the air out of the bag and seal the bag. Knead until everything is smooth and well blended. When you're ready to fill the egg white halves, push the yolk mixture toward a corner of the bag and snip about 1/2 inch off the corner. Squeezing the bag gently, fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. If you're pressed for time, prepare the deviled egg mixture the day before and refrigerate it right in the bag. In addition to the prepare-ahead convenience, this will allow time for the flavors to blend.

To tote your eggs to a gathering, pack the egg white halves in a separate sealed container from the bagged yolk mixture. Transport both containers in an insulated bag or cooler with ice or commercial coolant to keep the eggs cold (40 degree F or lower). Pack a small set of scissors to cut off the bag corner so you can pipe the yolk mixture into the egg white halves on site.

No inspiration for a new deviled egg creation? Then, add a refreshing pizzazz to your eggs with sour cream, cucumber and dill. Whichever deviled egg recipe you choose, the eggs will be a welcome alternative to deep-fat-fried snack foods.


Dilly Deviled Eggs

6 appetizer servings


1/2 cup shredded cucumber (about 1 medium)

1 teaspoon salt

6 hard-cooked eggs*

1/4 cup dairy sour cream

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

Carrot, radish and celery garnishes,

optional


Thoroughly combine cucumber and salt. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain well, pressing out excess liquid. Set aside. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and set whites aside. Mash yolks with fork. Blend in sour cream and dill weed. Stir in drained cucumber. Refill whites, using one heaping tablespoon yolk mixture for each half. Garnish platter with vegetable garnishes, if desired.


*To hard-cook, place eggs in single layer in saucepan. Add enough tap water to come at least 1 inch above eggs. Cover. Quickly bring just to boiling. Turn off heat. If necessary, remove pan from burner to prevent further boiling. Let eggs stand, covered, in the hot water about 15 minutes for Large eggs (12 minutes for Medium, 18 for Extra Large). Immediately run cold water over eggs or put them in ice water until completely cooled.

To remove shell, crackle it by tapping gently all over. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell. Peel, starting at large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in bowl of water to help ease off shell.

Visit www.aeb.org for recipes for other interesting deviled delights. - NU

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