Deviled Eggs and Leprechaun Gold

(Deviled Eggs served up as 'Leprechaun pots of gold' for St. Patty's Day - recipe in post)

I meant to write this yesterday, but with the sun shining at a roll-your-window's-down 72 degrees there was no way I was going to spend my day inside, staring at a computer screen.

There are some days when I wish, instead of walking dogs, I could just drive to a cubicle somewhere and sit down. Yesterday was not one of those days. I don't know what I would have done had I been cooped up indoors, but it sure as heck wouldn't have been very productive.

As soon as I got home I made myself a picnic, to inaugurate the first gorgeous Spring day of the year.

(Salad of ribboned zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, and honeycrisp apple, lightly dressed in lemon juice, cilantro, and a pinch of salt and pepper)

I even made a pitcher of iced tea, just to hit it home.

(Mix of green and peppermint tea, with lemon, fresh mint, and honey)

This was great for keeping me hydrated, as I spent the rest of the day doing yard work and gardening.


I'm going to plant things!

...Again. Because the first time - and second time - disasters struck. I'm not going to point fingers and name names, but a clumsy little dog may have had something to do with it.

But all of that was yesterday. Today, there is rain again. And with a mix of rain and sun comes rainbows, and we all know what awaits us at the end of those rainbows...

Leprechaun pots of gold!
These are pretty much my basic deviled eggs, with only a few modifications. Instead of a sprinkling of paprika, I opted for some gold luster dust (available in the specialty baking isle, usually with the gel food colorings and other Wilton's products) to add a more metallic feel to the tops of the eggs. Unfortunately, this didn't come across very well in my photos, so you'll just have to trust me on how shimmery they were.

My deviled eggs are nothing special - just a simple recipe my mom always used - but they're always a hit whenever I make them. There are a few changes in the recipe below, but I've noted them so they're easy to do away with if you want to skip the 'pots of gold' idea.


Deviled Eggs (pots of gold)
(Recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.)

6 eggs, hard boiled (instructions below)
2-3 TBSP mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. dry mustard powder (or you can substitute up to 1 tsp. of the mayo for regular or dijon mustard)
1/8th-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or dash of your favorite hot sauce (optional - I left this out to keep the yolks bright and yellow)
1/8th tsp. turmeric powder (not an ingredient in my regular deviled eggs, but I added it here to help enhance the brightness of the yolks.)
Salt/pepper to taste

Paprika (for regular 'deviled' eggs) or gold luster dust (for pots of gold)

Method:

Place the eggs into the bottom of a pot. Cover them by at least 1 inch with cold water, and set on the stove over high heat.
Bring to a boil. As soon as the water is at a full boil, cover the pot and remove from heat.
Set a timer, and let them go for 13-14 minutes. Don't uncover or fiddle with them during this time, just let them go.
Once the timer goes off, remove the lid, and run the eggs under cold water. Soak them in cold water until they've completely cooled, refreshing the water as needed if it gets warm.

Peel the eggs, and slice them in half (for normal deviled eggs I would suggest slicing them lengthwise, but for the pots of gold I cut them across the equator). Gently pop out the yolks into a bowl, and set the whites on a tray or serving platter.
To the yolks, add the rest of the ingredients (except the paprika or luster dust) and mix with a fork until smooth. Add a little more mayo if necessary to get the right consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning, and then fill the whites with the yolk mixture.
For regular deviled eggs, I recommend spooning the mixture into a piping bag, or zip-top bag with the corner cut off, and piping it into the whites. This is easier, neater, and makes for a nice presentation.
With the pots of gold, however, I chose to spoon the mixture directly into the yolks for a more rustic look.
Sprinkle the tops with a dusting of paprika, or luster dust, and enjoy!

Happy St. Patty's!