What Does Activated Coconut Charcoal Do?

I talked about the Nektar Advanced Juice Cleanse I did last week. When I saw some of the ingredients in their juices, I wondered what the benefits of some of the ingredients, especially activated coconut charcoal, were.

What is Activated Coconut Charcoal?

activatedcharcoal Common charcoal is made from peat, coal, wood, coconut shell, or petroleum. “Activated charcoal” is similar to common charcoal, but is made especially for use as a medicine. Activated Coconut charcoal is made of the shells of coconuts. Coconut charcoal includes a step in processing which removes the heavy metal toxins from them and produces finer grains. This makes it more efficient at binding to toxins in the body, but also makes it more expensive, with the extra processing required.

What is Activated Coconut Charcoal Used For?

WebMD.com says it can be used to treat poisonings, reduce intestinal gas (flatulence), lower cholesterol levels, prevent hangovers, and treat bile flow problems (cholestasis) during pregnancy. It’s becoming a common ingredient in cleanses.

When used as part of a cleansing routine, activated coconut charcoal contributes to these 7 positive things that come when we detoxify our bodies:

Increasing energy levels: People who detox report feeling more energized and alert!
Ridding the body of excess waste: Naturally, a good bowel movement helps to remove the extra waste most people store. A good flush of the colon always helps with removing toxins!
Aids in weight loss: Think of your body working in more efficient ways then ever before. There are no toxins distracting and slowing down body functions. Your body will become more efficient at burning energy and breaking down fat.
Improves immune system: Similar to above, with a clean and clear system, your body is better able to detect and rid the body of bacteria and viruses which slow it down.
Better hair: Toxins can cause hormones and proteins to be thrown off. Expect your hair to grow out cleaner, stronger and healthier than before.
Clarity of the mind and quicker thinking: Think of toxins as plaques on the brain which get in the way. As your body is rid of toxins, people report feeling less foggy; it means neurons are better able to fire. You’ll feel more alert and sharper at thinking!
Promotes Anti-aging: Overall, it is safe to say you’ll experience the benefits of anti-aging. Healthier organs, hair, skin, and brain all contribute to longevity and quality of life.

Activated charcoal capsules together with B1 and Vitamin C during an evening of heavy drinking, are a powerful hangover prevention team. I’ll have to add that to my arsenal for this weekend in Las Vegas!

Are you on Facebook? You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Nektar Advanced Juice Cleanse

nektarcleanse My doctor reminded me this morning that I need to schedule my annual physical. Ug. As an added bonus she drew 8 vials of blood for the battery of tests that give me numbers that usually make me cringe.

I dutifully scheduled the appointment for July 1, which is a mere 2 weeks from now. Of course that will come immediately after a weekend in Las Vegas, so I figured it would be a good idea to schedule a 2 day Nektar Advanced Juice Cleanse for the 2 days immediately preceding that visit. 😉

Since I was already at Nektar to pick up the nifty reusable cold bags full of my two days of ~~punishment~~, of course I meant healthy eating, I went ahead and grabbed a third bag so I could do a 1 day and see just how ~~rotten~~, oops good, I am going to feel.

mintwater I prepped 1/2 gallon of water with sliced cucumber, blood orange and lemon in it for between bottles and dove in with both feet. I should have started at 8 this morning so I had to adjust the amount of time between bottles to be able to get them all in before bedtime.

12:00 – Time to open bottle 1. This is the green one and I was not impressed with the taste. Made of apple, celery, cucumber, lime, kale, parsley, spinach and mint I expected this one to taste pretty good. I immediately tasted the celery and couldn’t identify any of the other flavors except the kale, which I still do not like. I drank the 16.9 oz in 3 large gulps, glad to have that bottle done and hoping the other 5 would be better. This one was very salty.
2:00 – Anxiously anticipating bottle 2. This one looks like Tang© and I sure hope it tastes better than bottle 1. Looking at the ingredients: filtered water, lemon, agave nectar, turmeric, and cayenne pepper, I wasn’t optimistic. I tasted the lemon and the sweetness of the agave nectar and then WOWZA! The burn of the cayenne (not full power, but it’s there) hit the back of my throat. Again, polished this bottle off in 3 great gulps. Thanks to the 33.8 oz of the cleanse juices and the 32 oz of water I’d already had, all I feel is the overpowering need to pee.
3:30 – Time for the beet red bottle. I hate beets and have been dreading the 3rd bottle in the bag. I took a huge swig and reaffirmed my intense dislike for that bold red root vegetable! The label says it has apple, celery, beet, lemon, parsley, spinach and ginger inside. All I taste is beets. Add to my displeasure of having to down this gross concoction that I also had to run to the bathroom mid-drink 3. My intestines are starting their own revolt against the juice cleanse and I am not a happy camper. The only solace I can find is that I didn’t eat a ton of solid food yesterday, so hopefully the internal revolution that’s keeping me in the bathroom will pass quickly.
5:00 – Time for the scary looking dark blackish-purple bottle. The ingredient that catches my eye is “Coconut Charcoal.” WTH is coconut charcoal? This bottle scares me! According to science, the fine particles of coconut charcoal keep toxins and gas from settling in your digestive system and causing problems. I will need to examine coconut charcoal in more depth in another post, it seems to good things. It didn’t taste good, but I choked the bottle down and followed it with a 16 ounce bottle of water with lemon and mint to wash the taste out of my mouth.
7:00 – Bottle 5 beckons. Eerily similar to bottle #2 with the same cayenne effect. Drank this one down in 2 big drinks and waited for something to happen.
9:00 – Last Bottle! This one looked like coconut milk and had a chunky/grainy consistency. My guess is that it’s attempting to fool my system into thinking it’s ingested food at this point. Very sweet and it took about reminded me of the rice cereal in formula mix I used to put in my sons nighttime bottles to get him to sleep longer at night.

Other than needing to pee more often from all of the liquids I had ingested, I really didn’t feel any of the effects that my girlfriends were complaining about. I experienced no increase in needing to poop, no diarrhea, and no added gas. Really I don’t feel like the one-day cleanse did anything at all for me. I didn’t notice any change on the scale, I wasn’t hungry, so I guess that was a good thing, but honestly, I just felt full from all of the liquid.

I was more conscious of what I ate over the weekend, at least as far as trying not to shovel large meals in to make up for my foodless day, but I either had few toxins in my system (I find that hard to believe), or had just had a particularly clean eating day the day prior. I honestly can’t remember what I ate before doing the cleanse, but I doubt it was super healthy. I do know that I had been enjoying a nightly indulgence from the bag of “Chicago Style” Popcornopolis I foolishly bought at Costco. In my defense, I did go hungry (Cardinal Sin) and couldn’t pass by the huge bag of a mixture of cheese corn and caramel corn. It screamed my name and found its way into my cart….

Maybe I’ll notice a bigger difference when I do the two day cleanse next Monday and Tuesday after my weekend eating and drinking like a glutton in Las Vegas. 😉

Some Beef Should Be Cooked Longer

Grilling_Steaks_(with_border) I saw an interesting article on www.epicurious.com, one of my favorite recipe and food information sites, this morning and it raised some points I hadn’t thought of before concerning the degree of wellness that’s best for each cut of meat.

When we go out for a steak dinner my husband is an automatic medium-rare guy and I’m a firm believer that my meat shouldn’t walk itself to the table or be so bloody that it’s still cold inside, so my go-to temperature request is medium.

Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, owners of Ox Restaurant in Portland, OR, give great reasons for venturing beyond medium-rare (130° F) on these specific cuts:

With tougher cuts like hangar, tri-tip, flank, flap steak, and skirt steak, “you need to allow time for the fibers to relax.” Any steak on which you can see the grain of the meat running down its length is at its optimal level of tenderness and juiciness when cooked to medium (140°F).
For short ribs, cook to medium to medium-well (140ºF to 150ºF) because “the connective tissues and marbling need time to render, so they’re best grilled over low heat for a long period of time.” This cut, which is often braised, has a lot of fat, so it can stand up to the higher level of doneness. Plus, Gabrielle says, “the tendons get crispy and satisfyingly chewy,” when cooked this way.

For purposes of safety and less chance of getting any type of food borne illness, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) recommends steaks and roasts be cooked to 145°F (medium) and then rested for at least 3 minutes. The USDA also recommends that ground beef should be cooked to a minimum 160°F (well done) and that temperatures should be checked with a thermometer. Don’t rely solely on color as some meats don’t change a whole lot.

I would imagine the people at Certified Angus Beef would be the ultimate experts on the ideal degree of wellness for beef. They recommend:

Inserting your thermometer through the side of your meat, with the tip in the center of the cut, not touching any bone or fat.
Removing steaks and burgers from the heat when the thermometer registers 5°F lower than the desired doneness, and roasts 5-10°F lower, as the temperature will continue to rise while resting.

I see where I am screwing up! I often overcook my husband’s steaks because I do rely on the color and/or wait for the thermometer to reach the exact wellness mark. I’m changing my ways today. 😉

Kitchen Tips I Wish I’d Have Known Sooner

Anyone who has cooked has run into the inevitable missing, not enough or spoiled ingredient. I have also over cooked and under cooked more things than I can count. Had I known these tips before I’d have saved many recipes from disaster!

Kitchen Tips and Tricks

No Heavy Cream – If your recipe calls for heavy cream and you don’t have any don’t panic! You can make your own heavy cream with just two ingredients: Whole Milk and Butter. Simply combine 2/3 Cup whole milk with 1/3 Cup melted (and slightly cooled) unsalted butter and you’ve got 1 Cup of Heavy Cream
Carrots – To keep them fresh the longest, cut the tops off and store them in a closed plastic bag in the refrigerator. If you leave carrots out too long and they look sad and limp, throw them into an ice bath (ice and cold water in a large bowl or bag) and they’ll perk right up.
Eggs (Are they still good?) – Fill a pan or a bowl with water and place the eggs you intend to eat in the water how they rest tells you if they are still fresh enough to eat.On the bottom of the bowl: 100% fresh and at peak flavor; One corner lifted: A week or so old. Entirely edible!; Standing on a point: A couple weeks old. Eat as soon as possible; Floating at the top: Super old! Do not eat!
Run out of eggs in the middle of a recipe? – You can substitute 1/2 of a mashed banana, 1/4 Cup unsweetened applesauce, or 3 TBLS creamy peanut butter for an egg in a pinch. Other substitutions include: I TBLS ground flax combined with 3 TBLS water; 1 TBLS chia seed combined with 1/3 cup water (mix & let stand 15 minutes); or 1 TBLS soy protein powder combined with 3 TBLS water.
Have ingredients but don’t know what to make with them? – Go to http://www.supercook.com, enter your ingredients and it tells you what you can make and how to make it.
Tired of crying when you cut onions? – Rub the blade of your knife with canola or olive oil before you start cutting and reduce the tears.
Are your zucchini noodles too wet/mushy? – Sweat them on a paper towel on a cookie sheet in a 200° F oven for 30 minutes before you cook them.
Limp Celery – Wrap your celery in foil before placing in the crisper and it will stay fresh for weeks.
Hard Ice Cream – Put ice cream container in a sealed zip bag and ice cream will stay soft.
The biggest kitchen error I make is boiling eggs! Inevitably they come out over done (you know, when the yolks are grey- ick). I found a great graphic and list that will make cooking eggs the mindless task it should be!

eggtimingchart Step one: Place the eggs in a pot with cold water. Make sure there’s an inch of water above the eggs and don’t crowd them in. (Tip: Add vinegar to the water so eggshells are easier to peel) Place the pot on the stovetop over high heat.

Step two: When the water starts lightly boiling around the eggs, cover the pot and move it to a burner that’s off or onto a potholder on the countertop. Time to set the timer:

Three minutes: Whites are soft and slightly gloopy. Yolks are completely liquid.

Four minutes: Whites are set but soft and floppy. Yolks are still runny but a little more solid.

Six minutes: Whites are soft but firm. Yolks are smooth and pudding-like.

10 minutes: Whites and yolks are totally firm, but yolks are still creamy.

15 minutes: A completely solid, hard-boiled egg.

Remove from the hot water and place them into an ice-water bath for a minute to stop the cooking. Tap ‘em on the edge of the sink to gently crack and peel them open.

Zucchini Banana Bread

banzucbread

A little different spin on a classic. Honey instead of granulated sugar cuts the sweetness and adds a little moisture to this bread. While the bread is really good the first day, I wrap mine in foil (to maintain the moisture) and put it in the refrigerator so that the zucchini’s moisture can do it’s work. The second and third day, if it lasts that long, the bread gets better and better. I try and double the ingredients to make two loaves, then freeze the wrapped bread (in a Ziplock freezer bag) to enjoy later.

Zucchini Banana Bread

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup mashed overripe (black skins) banana (about 2 medium sized bananas)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups zucchini, shredded (do not drain the natural moisture)

Preheat oven to 350° F
Beat together the oil and honey in a stand mixer
Add in the mashed banana, eggs, and vanilla
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir on low until just combined
Using a spoon fold in the zucchini
Spray a loaf pan with cooking spay and pour in batter
Sprinkle a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon on top of the batter if you want to
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean – do not undercook

I like to serve this with whipped cream cheese with a touch of nutmeg in it.

Keep the Protein in Cooked Salmon

albumin We’ve all noticed it, the white stuff that oozes out of our salmon no matter how long or short we cook it, whether poached, baked or grilled. It really ruins the presentation. I have always wondered if it’s normal, and what I did wrong to make my salmon not look as pretty as it is when served to me at a restaurant.

What is that white stuff?

It’s called albumin, which is coagulated protein that is escaping the salmon filet because you (ok I) didn’t take 10 minutes to prep the fish properly to minimize this loss of protein.

What’s the 10 minute fix?

America’s Test Kitchen came up with a simple solution for keeping more if the protein inside the fish you are preparing:

10 minutes in a basic brine solution (about 1 tablespoon of salt per cup of water) before cooking. “The salt partially dissolves the muscle fibers near the surface of the flesh, so that when cooked they congeal without contracting and squeezing out albumin.”

It’s that easy to preserve your dinner’s nutrients and keep the salmon looking pretty.

Once you’ve brined your salmon, you can finish prepping your filets for the oven or grill and/or stuff them then poach, grill, or bake as you choose.

I’m making salmon for dinner tonight and am definitely going to let my filets spend a few minutes swimming in a zip bag filled with salt water. Sounds painless to me.

It’s Looking Like a Maker’s Kind of Day

I know that not everyone drinks alcohol. Some for health reasons, some for religious reasons, some don’t like the taste, some are underage, some did drink but stopped, some don’t know when to say “when” and were forced to stop, and some are supporting recovering spouses or friends so they no longer imbibe. The reasons are many and I totally respect all of them.

This post isn’t intended for any of those people, unless they happen to be bartenders, frequent party hosts, or are just people who like to know what to serve guests of theirs who do enjoy a drink.

makersneat Regular readers of my blogs here and at www.extremeblondemoments.com know I love my wine, the Grey Goose L’Orange Cosmopolitan is my longtime favorite, I’m a fan of “umbrella drinks” poolside or on the beach, I love a shot of Maker’s 46 neat, my “usual” is a Maker’s 46 Old Fashioned, and I’m a huge horse racing fan so you know I love my Mint Juleps!

Old-Fashioned When my husband asks if I want my usual, he knows that will involve him putting in a little more effort than just pouring me a neat shot of 46. He’ll have to muddle a dark red Bada Bing cherry, in a few drops of Hella Bitters (citrus) ,then drop a single block of ice into the glass, cover it with a splash or two of simple syrup and top it off with a generous pour of Maker’s 46.

I saw a tweet from Maker’s Mark a few minutes ago that gave me a new spin on drinking my favorite just in time for The Belmont Stakes! Have you figured out yet that I’m a Maker’s girl? 😉

makerspomegranate The Trifecta With a Twist combines Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Lemonade and Pomegranate Juice with ice in a rocks glass and garnishes with either a twist of orange or a twist of lemon and a maraschino cherry – you choose. I have all of those ingredients on hand and can’t wait to give it a try!

summersmashup Another drink I found on the Maker’s Mark Twitter Feed, that I am anxious to try poolside, is the Maker’s Mark Summer Smash Up. This sweet and fruity concoction combines Maker’s Mark with Triple Sec, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, & Grenadine and is garnished with a wedge of pineapple and a maraschino cherry. Bonus! All of the ingredients are in my refrigerator! Looks like it’ll be a great weekend. 🙂

makerspeachtea If you’re an Iced Tea fan, there’s a Maker’s Mark cocktail for you too!

The Maker’s Peach Tea combines Freshly Brewed Iced Tea with Dekuyper Peachtree Liqueur and Maker’s Mark with a garnish of a fresh (or frozen) peach slice. I would muddle the peach at the bottom of the glass with the bourbon before adding the ice, and mixing in the freshly brewed tea and peach liqueur.

makersmintjulep A post about my favorite bourbon drinks wouldn’t be complete without the Mint Julep being properly represented! I like to make my simple syrup a few days before I plan to enjoy my juleps.

My Simple Syrup recipe is simple: Combine equal parts extra fine baker’s sugar (I use C&H) with water in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved then immediately remove from the heat. My usual measurement is 2 ups sugar to 2 cups water. Cool the syrup then pour into a Rubbermaid type sealable drink container where about 5 stems of bruised (put leaves into a bowl and press a spoon firmly on the leaves to open them and release the oils) mint leaves have been placed. Put the syrup into the refrigerator to chill 😉 for at least 24 hours to infuse the mint. If your simple syrup is for anything other than a julep, don’t use the mint.

Maker’s Mint Julep

1-1/2 parts Maker’s Mark^® Bourbon
Fresh mint
Mint Simple Syrup
Powdered sugar
Mint sprig for garnish
Club Soda

Instructions

Place a few mint leaves in the bottom of your glass and muddle with a splash of my Mint Simple Syrup.
Fill glass with crushed ice
Pour Maker’s Mark, another splash of simple syrup, and a splash of club soda over the ice
Sprinkle top of ice with powdered sugar.
Garnish with a mint sprig.

As I always do, I remind you that if you are going to drink, please:

Know your limit / drink in moderation
Never Drink and Drive
Designate a sober driver, know the local taxi company’s phone number and USE IT, ask the bartender or your server to call you a cab, use UBER or LYFT, or have a friend or family member on standby for you to call if you need a ride home

Baked Chicken in Creamy Poblano Sauce

I’ve fallen in love with Amazon Fresh. Not just because I can be lazy and not go into the grocery store, although that keeps me from making impulse buys which is a definite plus, but also because the quality of the produce allows me to be creative when I cook on the weeknights. Not only is the produce generally larger than what I am seeing in my local grocery store, but it stays fresh longer, and I’m paying less money per pound. Win, Win, Win!

I hadn’t decided what to do with the chicken breasts I thawed this morning then remembered that two large Poblano chilies have been in the crisper for just over a week – in my eyes they are begging to be made a couple! Throw some rice into the pressure cooker and we have a trio!

Baked Chicken in Creamy Poblano Sauce with Mexican Rice

2 Poblano Chilis
1/2 Yellow Onion
2 TBLS Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 – 8oz Package Cream Cheese
2 TBLS Dried Cilantro
1 Can Evaporated Milk
Juice of 1/2 a Lime
2 TBLS Flour
4 TBLS Butter
1/4 Cup Milk
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F)
Cut the poblano peppers in half, stem & seed, then slice thinly with a Mandoline
Cut the cleaned and skinned half white onion into thin slices on the Mandoline
Peel the garlic
Place these above items in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil, turn to coat completely
Place in the oven and roast for approx 20 minutes
In the meantime cut your chicken breast halves with the breast flat on the cutting board use your knife to cut parallel to the board to divide it into two equal pieces
Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides
Remove the roasted veggies from the oven & lower the temperature to 350 degrees
Place the roasted veggies, cilantro, salt and evaporated milk in a blender
Puree the mixture
Saute’ the chicken breast pieces in the 2 TBLS oil for about 2 minutes per side until they have a little color on them
Remove the chicken to the baking dish you used to roast the veggies
In the same pan you used for the chicken, over medium heat, melt the butter
When the butter is melted add the flour and stir for a minute until fully incorporated and brown bits are scraped up
Add the poblano puree to the sauce pan and stir
Add the 1/4 up Milk to the pan and stir
Add the Cream Cheese to the sauce pan and stir constantly for a couple of minutes until fully incorporated – it will be thick
Remove from the heat an add the juice of the half lime, stir to incorporate
Pour the Poblano Cream Sauce over the chicken
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through

Serve with your favorite version of Mexican or Spanish rice and a salad or sliced and roasted zucchini squash.

A New Take On Banana Bread

I need to go buy 8 bananas and wait for them to get ripe ASAP so I can try this new take on banana bread. Really it’s more like a cake, but I can’t wait to try it either way! Thanks Buzzfeed!

Upside Down Banana Bread

4-5 ripe bananas
3 eggs
½ cup oil
½ cup sugar
1 TBLS ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2-3 bananas, sliced
Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350°F/175 C.
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas.
Add the eggs, oil, sugar, and cinnamon, mixing until evenly incorporated.
Add the flour and mix until the batter has no large pockets of flour. Set aside.
In a pot over low heat, melt the butter, then mix in the brown sugar until dissolved.
Bring up the heat to medium, cooking until the mixture starts bubbling.
Remove the caramel from heat and pour into a greased 9×9 baking pan.
Lay the banana slices evenly on top of the caramel.
Spread the banana bread batter on top
Bake 40-50 minutes.
Cool until the bottom is barely warm & use a knife to loosen the edges from the pan.
Place a plate upside-down on top of the pan, then invert the pan, flipping the banana bread onto the plate.

Slice, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

No fail Deviled Eggs

FullSizeRender_1 According to Wikipedia, “Deviled eggs (US) or devilled eggs (UK), also known as stuffed eggs, angel eggs, eggs mimosa, Russian eggs, dressed eggs, picnic eggs are hard boiled eggs shelled, cut in half, and filled with the hard-boiled egg’s yolk mixed with other ingredients such as mustard and mayonnaise, but many other variants exist internationally. Deviled eggs are usually served cold. They are served as a side dish, appetizer, or a main course, and are a common holiday or party food.”

I couldn’t come up with a better description than theirs, but I’d add that every chef, chef wannabe and home cook adds their own touches that make their deviled eggs anything but ordinary.

Some of the exotic ingredients I’ve seen included in other recipes for deviled eggs:

Greek Yogurt
Sour Cream
Cream Cheese
Sweet Pickle Relish
Horseradish
Wasabi Powder
Dill Pickle
Sugar
Cayenne Pepper
Jalapeno/Habanero Chilies
Chipotle Chilies
Turmeric
Green Olives
Black Olives
Shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese
Pimentos
Poppy Seed
Thyme
Cilantro
Parsley
Salsa
Minced Onion
Caviar
Cream
Capers

The ingredients that people top their deviled eggs with are as diverse as the ones they put inside, but those most commonly found include:

Old Bay Seasoning
Paprika
Curry Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Chopped Chives
Dill
Caviar
Anchovy
Bacon Bits
Shrimp
Herring

I prefer mine as simple as can be:

Lisa’s Basic Deviled Eggs

In a medium saucepan, in about 1 quart of cold water, place fresh eggs (I do 6-12 large or extra large)
Over medium-high heat, bring pan of eggs & water to a boil
When you reach a boil, set timer for 20 minutes and reduce heat to medium
When timer goes off, immediately remove eggs and place into a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process
Peel the eggs, cut each in half lengthwise and place the yolks in a bowl
Mash the yolks with a fork then add approximately 1 TBLS Spicy Creole Mustard (I like Zatarain’s)
Add approximately (to your taste) 2 TBLS (1 TBLS per 6 eggs give or take) Mayonnaise (I like the taste and consistency of Best Foods) and stir with a fork until well blended and you have enough volume to fill all of the halves
I use a pair of spoons to mound the egg yolk mixture into the empty egg white halves, but you can also put the mixture into a plastic bag (to pipe out with the end snipped off) or a pastry bag with a star tip attached for a neater presentation

I add a turn or two of freshly ground pepper and nothing else, but will occasionally sprinkle a little bit of paprika on the egg white halves BEFORE I fill them with the yolk mixture if I’m feeling fancy.

The temperature deviled eggs are served at is as varied as the ingredients people use to make them. I prefer to loosely cover the eggs and quick chill them in the freezer, if I am short for time, or in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Chilling Tip: If you don’t have a covered, locking storage/ transportation dish made specifically for deviled eggs, here is a simple way to protect your refrigerator (or freezer) and the food inside from absorbing the overpowering smell of egg: Put a plate inside a gallon sized zip bag then place the eggs on the plate in the bag and close securely before chilling.

Picnic or tailgate tip: Prepare filling and transfer to a plastic zip bag. Carry whites and yolk mixture separately in cooler. Fill eggs on the spot, pressing filling out of snipped corner of bag.

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Maker’s Mint Julep

Instructions

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