♪ Eggs... Around the Salad! ♪

This recipe reminds me of the activity song/game from my youth-- Ring Around the Rosey!   This is an easy something to have on hand for a light meal after having had a busy errand-running kind of day.

If you have a favorite way to fix deviled eggs, do that.  If you don't, I'll list the recipe I used.

For the salad in the middle, it's open to whatever you like to include in a salad.  Some like bacon, cheese, olives, petite green peas, and others like mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, crunchy cubes of seasoned bread, etc.  Be 'colorful', and have fun with this!

Serve with your favorite salad dressing.  For those interested, I'll post recipe for Dill Vinaigrette dressing.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 hard-boiled eggs* (See note about this at bottom.)

....

• 5 tablespoons salad dressing like Miracle Whip, or mayonnaise.
• 2 teaspoons dried dill weed (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 5 dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

....

• 6 cups torn lettuce of your choice
• 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved, if desired (I 'cubed' a medium large tomato)
• 1 medium red sweet pepper, chopped or left in rings for garnishing.
• 4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled/snipped.
• 3 green onions, sliced

...

• 1 recipe Dill Vinaigrette, or salad dressing of your choice.

DIRECTIONS: 

Step 1:  While eggs are cooking, I mix up the mixture that will be added to the mashed yolks.  Combine salad dressing or mayonnaise, dill weed, garlic, hot pepper sauce and the salt.  Mix very well.  Set aside until eggs are ready.

Step 2:  Remove egg shells, and halve hard-cooked eggs lengthwise, remove yolk parts.  Set whites aside.   Mash yolks with fork and add to the mix made in Step 1.  Combine well.  Spoon (or pipe) yolk mixture into egg white halves.  Set aside.

Step 3:  On a large serving platter arrange lettuce, veggies and bacon.  Arrange stuffed eggs on edge of greens.  Salad dressings can be added or served on an individual basis, according to likes.

DILL VINAIGRETTE RECIPE:

In a screw-top jar combine 

• 1/3 cup olive oil; 
• 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar; 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed (or 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of dried dill weed); 
• 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard; 
• 1 clove garlic, minced; 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt; and 
• 1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce.  Cover and shake well.

* Tip for boiling the eggs:  To hard-cook the eggs, I place them in a single layer in a large saucepan.  Add cold water to cover by at least 1 inch.  When the water reaches the hoppin' hot boilin' point, I remove this kettle of eggs from the heat, cover tightly; let stand for 12 minutes (longer if you use extra large eggs!).  Immediately drain hot water off, and run cold water over the eggs to stop cooking process.  When cool enough to handle/peel, do so.  The large end should be the end with the 'hollowed' out area, making them easier to peel. 

   

Just think!, there's no charge for this EXTRA TIP!   LOL!!!   I learned a long time ago (way back when we lived on 'the chicken farm') that if you  want to boil/peel eggs that are super ooper fresh, good luck!-- they can be just nasty to peel.  The white part of the egg wants to come off WITH the shell, and usually does.  For that reason, I always set a dozen or two eggs on a low out-of-the-way shelf in the refrigerator until they are at least a week or so old before I'll want to boil/peel them.

This recipe was adapted from one I saw in our free magazine Living The Country Life, August 2009.  It was posted by Betsy Freese.