Monday, February 13, 2012

Green Eggs & No Ham

This sounds ridiculous, but I've been in search of an egg plate for close to 10 years and finally found one, so I got obsessed with making deviled eggs this weekend.  I ran into a snag that turned into genius (if I do say so myself)....  I don't have mayo.  I also don't like store-bought mayo (because of the crap oils they use).  I ALSO don't have any eggs that I can trust to use raw to make my own right now.  So what to do?!  I experimented and came up with this:


Green Deviled Eggs


Ingredients:
  • 12 eggs (preferably organic & pastured)
  • 1 ripe avocado

Also start with:
  • ~1/8-1/4 c. Extra Virgin Kalamata Olive Oil
  • ~2-3 Tbsp. Yellow Mustard
  • ~1.5-2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
  • ~2-3 Tbsp. White Vinegar (be conservative on this one)
  • ~1/4 tsp. Salt
  • ~1/4 tsp Garlic Powder (optional)
  • ~Tumeric (optional)
  • ~Cayenne Pepper (optional & to taste)
  • ~ dash of Paprika per egg (optional)

Directions:
Prepare, peel and halve the dozen hard boiled eggs and reserve the cooked yolks in a mixing bowl.  Remove the avocado from the shell and the pit and add it to the eggs in the mixing bowl.  Add in the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and a little bit of white vinegar and salt.  Blend until smooth with a hand mixer or blender.   Now here's the kicker:  every person has a different idea of how deviled eggs should taste.  Luckily, you always have leftovers of the filling.  I'd look at the spices in a recipe you already like, start there and adjust accordingly.  So if you like it more mustardy, add mustard, blend and taste until you get the flavor you want.  The same goes for the rest of the ingredients.  Be very cautious with the vinegar.  They don't seem to taste right without some, but it would be hard to bring it back to flavor if you put in too much.  Once you have the filling right, put it in a piping bag or a plastic baggie with the corner cut out & squirt into the empty egg halves.  Top with Paprika if desired...  Et Voila!

I hope you enjoy these too!  (they'd be sooo great for a Seuss Themed party....  hehe)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Faux Beef Burgundy

So, I've been on a rampage to use up food before I go visit my parents for the weekend.  This is especially difficult since we have about a 2 week back-up on our crop share produce.  In order to use up some mushrooms & onions, I thought of a Beef with mushrooms & onions in a red wine base.  Here goes:


Faux Beef Burgundy

  • ~1.5 lb. Stew Beef
  • 1 medium to large red onion
  • 1 pkg white mushrooms
  • 1/2-1 large sweet potato, peeled & cubed
  • 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 Bottle Cocobon Red Wine
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
  • 1-1.5 Tbsp Herb de Province, dried
  • 1 tsp. Oregano, dried
  • 1.5 tsp. French Thyme, dried
  • dash or two Paprika
In a 4 qt. slow cooker, make a nest (don't know if this is entirely necessary) of sliced onion and nestle cubed beef in it.  Place cubed Sweet potato and mushrooms on top.  Add spices and pour vinegar and wine all over.  Pour yourself a glass of wine too?  Cover crockpot & either cook on low for ~7 hours or cook on high for an hour and a half, then switch to low for 2.5 hours.  Mine wasn't "pretty" because I took no care or artistry in how I cut the bits, but the taste was to die for!  Serves 4.