A traditional Easter side dish, from our family table to yours. Today on Sauced, I am sharing my mom’s simply sweet recipe for deviled eggs.
Pour Some Sugar on Me
These eggs are a family favorite. I request them nearly every time I head to Illinois to visit.
This may be controversial, but I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise. I don’t eat it on bologna sandwiches or burgers; I don’t like macaroni or potato salad. However, I love my mom’s deviled eggs, in which, mayonnaise is a major component. My guess for this nonsensical opinion: Sugar. (Suuugar. More.) In my family, we prefer a sweet deviled egg. In fact, we love most things sweet. I have dared to take a chance on many a deviled egg, displayed on a long, gingham-covered folding table at someone’s barbeque or potluck, and have always been disappointed. I truly only like my mom’s deviled eggs.
As my sisters and I are now grownups (sort of), and have made these deviled eggs ourselves on occasion, I suppose that I can now refer to them as “our” deviled eggs. But in my mind, they will always be “Mom’s Deviled Eggs.” If you are not a Millenial/Gen Y Midwesterner like me, raised on corn syrup, Rice A Roni, and Hostess (before we knew how bad all of that was for you; but let’s be real, I still enjoy all of those things even though I know how bad they are for me), you have the option to reduce the sugar in this recipe to your liking.
Drinking Champagne, Feeling No Pain
Once again, we are discussing a dish that lacks an alcohol component within the recipe itself, here on Sauced. However, these deviled eggs pair beautifully with champagne or any semi-dry white sparkling wine. In fact, all egg dishes, from traditional scrambled eggs and omelettes, to quiche and Eggs Benedict, pair extremely well with champagne, Prosecco, and other sparkling wines. This is one of the many reasons why Mimosas and Bellinis have become a mainstay for any proper brunch menu. Another reason being, they’re incredibly delicious.
With this in mind, we return once again to the science of food and wine pairings, and our taste buds. This subject is discussed in more detail in my Easy Cheesy Zucchini recipe blog, the link for which is included at the end of this post. In this particular pairing, the bubbles and acidity of the champagne cut through the creamy, eggy fat. This brings out the contrasting flavors on the palette, resulting in the enhancement of each. Forgive me for once again nerd-ing out, but, isn’t that cool?! It’s almost like we were all meant to start our day with eggs and a refreshing glass (or two… or three… or heck, might as well finish the bottle) of sparkling wine. I’ll drink to that!
I Hope You Dance
Let’s go back to the beginning of this blog, where I initially discussed my love of music and my family ties to certain tunes. Like a perfect wine and food pairing, the right music can enhance any situation. Since these deviled eggs are my mom’s recipe, it only seems fitting that my kitchen playlist for this week would include songs that make me think of my mom. There are the traditional mother-daughter anthems that bring my mother to mind, often along with a tear in my eye. One of which is: “I Hope You Dance,” by Lee Ann Womack, which reached its popularity the year I graduated high school. My mom bought a book with the same title for me that year, a mother’s hopes and dreams for her daughter. In case you aren’t familiar, the song opens with the following lines:
“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder; you get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.”
Song by lee ann womack & sons of the desert, written by mark d. sanders & tia sillers
Obviously, these words not only apply to a mother and daughter, but to everyone. I mean, one might even conclude that this advice, in a more literal sense, would fit perfectly into a food blog…
In addition to the following lyrics: ”… And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.” In a literal sense, dear reader, I do hope you dance. In the kitchen; in your car; heck, even in the street (as long as you keep your eye out for oncoming traffic).
It is a scientific fact that singing (no matter how off-key) and dancing (no matter how off-beat) can significantly increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain; which are neurotransmitters known to ward off depression, and activate your brain’s pleasure center, respectfully.
In more than just the literal sense, I hope you choose to try, over abstaining. Sure, trying something new; whether it be cooking, starting a blog for the whole world to read, putting yourself out there for all to see, can be scary. Mistakes will be made. Speaking from personal experience: you will burn something; something will not turn out the way it’s supposed to; and you just might cry on your kitchen floor…
No? Just me, and Amy Adams in that delightful movie about Julia Child? Okay, fine.
The Dance We Shared Beneath the Stars Above
These thoughts bring to mind yet another song for this week’s kitchen playlist. (I’m telling you, my brain is composed of 75% song lyrics, movie quotes, and random factoids. The rest is reserved for recipes and to-do lists.) The song that I am referring to is Garth’s Brook’s, ”The Dance.”
Unfamiliar with it? Find it. On your media playlist of choice. Better yet, find the video. The part of the song I am referencing at this moment is this particular set of influential lyrics:
“Our lives are better left to chance. I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance.”
song by garth brooks, lyrics by tony arata
My mom taught me that lesson, albeit implicitly. She did so by always believing in me, encouraging me. By making me feel smarter and better than I am, at times. Even now that I’m grown up (well, sort of), I know that I can count on her to support me. She is my biggest fan. The older I get, the more I know just how lucky I am to have a mom like that.
It Was Your Song That Made Me Sing
In addition to some of the typical mother/daughter songs, there are a long litany of songs that make me think of my mom that are not so traditional.
So, humble brag, but, when we were younger, my mom was the lead singer in a local band. They covered everything from old country to new country to classic rock. I know I started this paragraph with the phrase: ”Humble brag,” but I think we all know that’s just code for a real brag, that we are too polite to actually brag about. Truth be told, I am immensely proud to share that fact with all of you. Granted, I didn’t get to see her perform live as much as I would have wanted to— their gigs were typically past my childhood bedtime.
However, I do remember a particular show at the fairgrounds, at the height of Billy Ray’s fame, where my sisters, cousins, & I annoyingly insisted on chanting our request for: ”Achy Breaky, Achy Breaky, Achy Breaky Heart!”
Whiskey, If You Were a Woman
Now, whenever a song comes on that was part of her set list, I am always sure to let everyone in the vicinity know: My mom sang this in the band! It’s a thing we say, half-joking, but also true, in my family. She and her band covered so many greats: from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Patsy Cline; Buddy Holly to Wynona; Highway 101 to Tanya Tucker; Patty Loveless to Lacy J. Dalton.
Grandma Nancy (my mom’s mom) used to go see her whenever my mother’s band would play in our hometown. When it came time for my mom to sing Lacy J.’s, ”Black Coffee,” the bandleader, Gary, would announce to the crowd that this is: ”April’s momma’s favorite song.” There’s another Lacy J. Dalton song that holds a very special meaning in my heart, and as such, is also included on my kitchen playlist for any dishes inspired by my mom and/or grandma, but that’s a story and a song for another post, another time.
Even though we ain’t got money…
My mom often regales us with the tale of a time when we were little and she and her friend, Barb, didn’t have much money. Regardless of that fact, they were determined to make Easter special for their children that year. They painstakingly picked out special items to fill our little Easter baskets, including the quintessential hollow chocolate bunnies. They delicately placed their bags of hard-earned Easter treasures in the trunk of my mom’s car, and went on to search for other deals. In the interim, they met up with other friends at the mall. (Hey, remember when malls were a thing?)
Excited to show off their purchases, they urged their girlfriends to the trunk of the car, where their prided plunders awaited. It was only then that they discovered that, to their horror, the early April sun had melted the once-cheery faces of cocoa confections into horrific masks of warped and mollified candy hares.
… I’m so in love with you, honey.
They didn’t have the money to buy new chocolate rabbits for us, however, I can personally attest to the fact that I was not scarred by the receipt of a mildly-disfigured Easter bunny in my basket that year. As an adult, I now know that we were short on money for a lot of my childhood. However, to my mom’s credit, I never felt it. I never felt poor. We always had food on the table; music and laughter in our home; and so much love.
My mother (and her mother, and her mother before that) taught me that good food can make any occasion special. Even if you don’t have a lot of money, you can put in the time and effort to make someone’s favorite meal to let them know how much you care. Admittedly, perhaps this attributes to my unhealthy relationship with food. However, I know that it also heavily lends credit to my healthy relationship with the people I love in my life. How lucky am I? To inherit this incredible legacy of writing, cooking, and caring for those I love the most from the women who have raised me and inspired me.
Mom’s Deviled Egg Recipe
Have you ever wondered why they’re called “deviled” eggs? Well, I have. So, in true sleuthing fashion, I went down that rabbit hole (pun intended) and did some research. There are somewhat differing opinions as to the history of this term. So I am going to go with the theory proposed by the most reputable source: The Oxford English dictionary. In the 18th century, the term “deviled” was often used to describe a dish that was boiled or fried over high heat. Later, it also became synonymous with spicy foods (but is it spicy?) and/or foods that were filled with condiments such as mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. This is the most accepted origin for the term: “deviled eggs.”
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1 tsp. white vinegar (if desired)
- 2-3 Tbsp. white sugar (or less, according to taste)
- Real mayonnaise (added 1 Tbsp. at a time)
- Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
Instructions
- Place eggs in a saucepan and fill with cold water, ensuring that eggs are covered by at least one inch of water. If desired, add 1 tsp. white vinegar to the pot of water and eggs. (This addition may aid in peeling the shells from the boiled eggs later.)
- Bring eggs to a rolling boil and continue to boil eggs on high for 2-4 minutes. Cover; and remove from heat. Let the eggs continue to cook in the covered pot for 9-10 minutes.
- Remove eggs from hot water and immediately place in a large bowl of ice cold water.
- Begin peeling the outer shell from the boiled eggs while they are still warm, but cool enough to handle (after approximately 5-7 minutes).
- Once eggs are peeled, slice lengthwise and remove the yellow yolk from each side with a teaspoon; placing the yolks in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Once all yolks are removed, sprinkle them with the sugar, salt, and pepper. Mash with a fork until the yolks are broken down and begin to become smooth and fluffy.
- Add 1 Tbsp. of mayonnaise to egg mixture. Mix with fork, spoon or whisk until smooth. If needed, you may add more mayonnaise, in order to achieve the correct consistency.
- At this point, I always taste the yolk mixture to see if it’s sweet enough. Again, I like my deviled eggs sweet! If needed, I add more sugar at this point. Depending on your taste, you can choose to add more sugar or not. I will also taste the mixture to see if more mayo is needed. If so, I carefully add a little bit at a time, to avoid creating a runny mix.
- Fill the half of each egg with the yolk mixture and sprinkle with paprika before serving.
- Easter Tip: If desired, you may also add two black peppercorns for eyes and small carrot bits for beaks in order to create a baby chick display for your deviled eggs (see image below). If choosing this method of presentation, I suggest going easier on the paprika than I did.
Pro Tip:
I typically wait to fill the deviled eggs until right before consumption. I keep the yellow yolk mixture in a covered bowl and the whites in a tray in the fridge until we are ready to eat them. That way they don’t get mashed in the fridge, or in the car on the way to Easter dinner. Once you are ready, you can fill the eggs with a spoon. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, you can use a piping bag/plastic bag to fill each egg.
If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think! Do you like your deviled eggs sweet, too? Comment below and let me know!
As always, stay tuned for more Sauced recipes– I’ve got another Easter recipe in the hopper (again, pun intended).
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As always, thank you for reading and sharing with your favorite Peeps! Or, you know, even with people you don’t particularly care for. That’s fine too. Have an egg-cellent day!