Picnic Foods #3: Those Little Deviled Eggs

Winter War Journal, Day 3 (A food blog's fight against winter)
The quest to conquer this winter weather continues - this blog keeps pushing the front lines by publishing one picnic-ready recipe every day this week, but these shrines to spring seem to have little effect on the rapid-fire, freezing-cold air particles Jack Frost keeps thrusting in my direction.  I'm tired and sore with something that resembles an ice cream headache - and if the web of white crystalline frost on my windshield doesn't wear me down, surely the Seasonal Affective Disorder will.

My scout - commonly known as Weather.com - tells me there's hope up ahead - 55-57 degree weather with sunshine and cloudless skies - but it's not the first time I've heard this.  6 weeks ago, a groundhog told me the same thing, and look where I am now?

However - I'll push onward with our next spring-time friendly picnic post, hoping that if I keep telling myself it's spring, it'll eventually come true...

Oh - and here's the picnic foods I posted earlier this week and on, and what's deck for this week - today's subtitle theme: Classic Literature.

Picnic Foods Part 1: Cast Iron Skillet Cheddar Cornbread (or "The Tempest, and other Daily Occurences")
Picnic Foods Part 2: Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus (or "MidSummer Night's {just a} Dream")
Picnic Foods Part 3: Those Little Deviled Eggs (or "The Sun Also Rises {at some point}" AKA, this post)
Picnic Foods Part 4: Buttermilk-Battered Popcorn Chicken with Honey-Dijon Sauce (or "The Lion, The Witch, and my Spring Wardrobe: a tale of fictional things")

Deviled Eggs Recipe

This is a recipe for a BASE for deviled eggs - flavor them with roasted shallots, bacon, relish, brandy - whatever tickles your fancy!  

6 large eggs

1/8-1/4 cup mayonnaise (depending on your tastes)

1.5 tbs dijon mustard (pardon me - but do you have any grey poupon?)

1/2 tsp sriracha 

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice
1.5 tsp smoked paprika (go smoked, man, you'll never go back)
Salt & pepper to taste

1.  Bring a pot of water to a boil, reduce heat slightly, then add eggs carefully using a spoon - if the water boils too hard, the eggs could crack, so be careful

2.  Remove eggs, rest in a bowl of cool water for about ten minutes, then peel off the shell

3.  Carefully, cut the hard boiled eggs in half, and with a small spoon, even MORE carefully, scoop out the yolks and place them in a bowl

4.  Place the whites on a platter and set aside
5.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in the bowl with the yolks, and whip it.  Whip it good.  If the yolks are too thick for your personal preferences, then add a bit more mayo - just a little at a time, and continue whipping.

6.  As you can see, we just spooned the eggs back into the whites, but if you really want to go for that wow factor, use a pastry bag with the tip of your choice.

7.  Stick them in the fridge for about 20 minutes - cover loosely to help control the coloring a bit.

8.  EAT!  Now wasn't that easy?  Do you have a favorite way to flavor deviled eggs?  Let me know at www.facebook.com/cutseveryday!