Delightful Deviled Eggs at their most basic!

I love appetizers! There have been times where I made an entire "meal" out of my favorite appetizers because I love them so much. And who says appetizers have to come before a meal? Why can't they be the meal? :)

In any event, one of my all time, favorite appetizers are deviled eggs. There are numerous variations on this treat, but I like them plain and simple: eggs, mustard, mayo, and maybe some paprika sprinkled on top. Nothing fancy, but boy are they tasty.



Ingredients (8 deviled eggs)
4 eggs, hard-boiled
2-3 tbsp mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip if that is your preference)*
2-3 tbsp mustard (amount of mustard is entirely dependent on your preferences)

Directions
Put 4 eggs in a pot 3/4 full of water on high heat until the water is at a rolling boil. Reduce to medium-high heat and set the timer for 9 minutes. After the timer buzzes, remove pot from heat, empty out the hot water, and pour cold water into your pot. Note: if you do not have particularly high quality cookware, you may want to start with lukewarm water so as not to damage the pot.
Once the eggs are cool enough to pick up with your bare hands, start peeling the eggs carefully! Remember that with deviled eggs, the outside of the egg will show and should like as nice as possible.
After all the eggs are peeled, cut the eggs in half. Carefully remove all of the egg yolks by pushing the back of the egg white until the yolk pops out; then place in a small bowl. Squish the egg yolks with a fork until most of the lumps are gone. Add the mayo and mustard to the squished egg yolks and stir until creamy.
Either pipe the egg yolks back into the eggs (using a cake decorating bag and tips) or spoon them back in. I usually spoon mine in, but sometimes it's fun to go fancy. When all of the eggs have their filling, sprinkle some paprika lightly across the tops of the eggs. Serve cold!

*I would like to point out that I used Miracle Whip in this batch, but there is a good reason behind that: I was cooking at someone else's house and they did not have mayonnaise. I am an avid advocate of real mayo and prefer its taste to all forms of Miracle Whip. That being said, if you grew up on Miracle Whip and that is your preference, by all means continue to use it!

Other ideas that could be added to this basic deviled eggs recipe:
Chives chopped and used as a garnish
1-2 tablespoons of chopped onion added to the yolk mixture
1-2 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish added to the yolk mixture

However you decide you like yours best, there is no denying that they are as simple, tasty treat!

Blueberry Muffins remind me of childhood... and that's a good thing!

I remember blueberry muffins with such a fondness that every time I make them I get nostalgic. Mom only made blueberry muffins on weekends and only a few times a year... and nothing was better than mom's homemade blueberry muffins, unless of course they were grandma's blueberry muffins!

Growing up, my family used to go visit my grandparents in their small town up north. In the summers, we would go out and pick the blueberries that grew in their "backyard" (if you can call owning acres and acres a "backyard"). I didn't understand growing up why the blueberries we picked at grandma's house were so much smaller than the ones we bought at the store. I know now it has something to do with marketing, genetically altering plants, and appealing to the general public... but I sure wish that the blueberries in the store were smaller! These giant blueberries have so little flavor and take up so much more room than is absolutely necessary in my muffins. Haha! Oh well... maybe someday I'll have a backyard full of blueberries just the right size.

In any event, I found myself having a sudden, inexplicable craving for these muffins. I called up my grandma to find out which recipe she used. She told me that my favorite blueberry muffins are none other than a classic Betty Crocker sweet muffin recipe with blueberries folded in. While I assume that anyone interested in food already owns their own copy of Betty Crocker (and if you don't, you really should!), I will share this family favorite with you!

Ingredients
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh blueberries (the best kind are fresh picked; store-bought tend to be very large)

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 cup muffin pan or use baking cups.
In a large bowl, combine milk, oil, and eggs with a whisk. Then stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until flour is just moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in blueberries.
I like to use a large Pampered Chef scoop (like an ice cream scoop with a device to push the batter out) to make sure the batter is divided evenly amongst the 12 cups. It works great and is easy to use!
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy your muffin warm with a tab of butter!

Spicy Dipping Oil for your Focaccia bread needs!

If you're a fan of dipping focaccia bread in olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar, then have I got a treat for you! My husband and I were out in California for our wedding and whilst hanging out in Napa Valley (gorgeous!) we stopped by a restaurant called Celadon. Before we had our meal, they served their own homemade focaccia bread and Spicy Dipping Oil. It was so incredibly flavorful, that I asked the server what was in it. He promptly brought me a recipe printed out on card stock. Yay for awesomeness!

Check them out at http://www.celadonnapa.com/! Now, the time has come for me to share this recipe with you.

Ingredients
2 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp dried basil
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp herbes de Provence (I didn't use this and it turned out just fine!)
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups olive oil

Directions
Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to mix. Add balsamic vinegar and mix well. Let sit five minutes. Slowly whisk in olive oil.

Enjoy your spicy dipping oil with fresh focaccia bread!

Focaccia Bread versus Focaccia Bread! Who will win: my homemade version or the bakery's?

Lately, I have had a craving for these turkey paninis I used to get at a local cafe called "The Blue Note." I used to go there at least once a month either to enjoy a night of salsa dancing or eat their famous paninis. This past weekend, I was hanging out with the former owners of the cafe and finally got the recipe from them. They insisted that the Focaccia bread was key, so for my first quest I must find delicious focaccia bread for making tasty sandwiches.
Naturally, my first stop was the grocery store. I searched the bakery for some decent sandwich focaccia bread and found something that could work, but wasn't overly impressive. Being a very cautious person and wanting to ensure the success of these tasty paninis, I also bought the necessary ingredients to make my own focaccia bread...and tonight a comparison will ensue!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. In a large stoneware bowl, stir together the flours and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Sprinkle the sugar and yeast into that well. Carefully pour the water into the well. Let stand until the yeast begins to act, about 5 minutes. Pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into the well. With a wooden spoon stir the mixture in the center of the bowl. Gradually widen the circle of stirring to take in all of the flour at the sides of the well.
2. Turn out on a floured surface, and knead just until smooth. Keep the dough soft. Pour 1/2 teaspoon of the oil into a clean bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning once to oil the top. Cover. Let rise until doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Punch the dough down. Use 1 teaspoon of the oil to coat a baking sheet, and place the dough on the baking sheet. Gently press the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over the top of the dough. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon to dimple the dough at 1 1/2 inch intervals. Sprinkle with the rosemary and the cheese. Place in a cold oven on the center shelf. Place a flat pan of hot water on the shelf below the bread. Let rise until doubled, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Turn on the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake the focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned on top. Remove from the pan, and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

(I found this recipe at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/easy-focaccia)

The focaccia bread is somewhat time consuming (which is natural for any bread that has to rise), but relatively easy to make. For extra flavor, I added dried Basil and Thyme in addition to the recommended Rosemary and Parmesan cheeses. The taste test happened and the results are in: the homemade focaccia bread is better for making the paninis. It had a better texture and overall flavor than the bakery / grocery store kind. Plus, you have the benefit of adding whatever flavor you like. I can't wait to use my new bread with the spicy dipping oil!

Look for upcoming blogs about Turkey Paninis and a Spicy Dipping Oil, both of which will require this tasty focaccia bread. :)