Mushroom-Spinach Spaghetti

Knowing that tonight will be a long one while we stay up late to watch the results of Election Night 2016, I am prepping dinner for tomorrow night ahead of time. A recipe I love, that has no sauce, is easy to assemble, throw in the refrigerator a day ahead, and, as a bonus, is one that my husband will take to work for lunch afterward without complaint!

Mushroom-Spinach Spaghetti

1 Pound Spaghetti, Spaghettini, or Angel Hair Pasta
24 oz Sliced White and/or Baby Portobello Mushrooms (I used a combination of both)
4 oz Fresh Spinach
1 Stick Butter (8 TBLS)
2 TBLS + 2 TBLS + 2 TBLS (all separate measures) Olive Oil
4 oz Shredded Parmesan Cheese
3 TBLS Garlic and Onion Spice Blend (You can combine equal amounts of onion powder and garlic powder if you don’t have a prepared blend on hand)
Fresh Ground Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

Put your stick of butter (8 TBLS) into a large skillet, I prefer a well seasoned cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat.

When your butter has melted, add your mushrooms and 2 TBLS olive oil poured over the top. Cook, stirring occasionally so that mushrooms don’t stick to pan, for about 2 minutes, then add your garlic and onion spice blend, salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring the mushrooms for about another 3 to 4 minutes until most of the moisture has been absorbed by the mushrooms. Remove the mushrooms to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

spin1 Add 2 TBLS olive oil to the skillet and add your spinach to the pan. Using tongs to toss the spinach with the oil, cook tossing constantly until all of the spinach is wilted but not cooked all the way. Immediately remove from the pan to the same spin2 bowl as the mushrooms and stir the mushrooms and spinach together. Set bowl aside and allow to cool while you prepare the pasta. When your mushroom-spinach mixture has cooled, sprinkle your 4 ounces of shredded parmesan cheese over and stir it in completely.

Prepare your pasta according to package directions with one important change: Make sure that you break the noodles in half lengthwise before you put them in the water. When your pasta has finished cooking drain it and toss it with your remaining 2 TBLS olive oil then add it to your mushroom-spinach mixture. Use your tongs to make sure your mushroom-spinach mixture is well combined and coating your pasta completely then either serve immediately or pour it into a 9 X 13 Pyrex baking pan and cover to keep warm.

mushspinspag

If you plan to make this a day ahead like I am, place covered baking pan in the refrigerator. To prepare for serving the next day, top cold pasta with a couple of TBLS butter (divided into small pats) and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes. You can also just toss individual servings into the microwave. 😉

With this easy (and inexpensive) make ahead dinner, the only decision you’ll need to worry about making tomorrow night is which wine to drink!

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Get Rid Of Garlic Breath!

I LOVE garlic!

If a recipe calls for 1 clove you can guarantee that I’ll be adding at least two, but more than likely three. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who doesn’t just get garlic breath, I sweat garlic for at least a day after I’ve eaten it in any form.

One of my favorite aggressively garlic forward meals is Shrimp Scampi.

Extra Tasty Shrimp Scampi

1 + 1/2 Pounds Large Fresh (or Frozen) Shelled & Deveined Shrimp
1/2 Pound Asparagus Chopped into 1″ Chunks
4 TBLS Olive Oil
6 TBLS Butter
1 Cup Dry White Wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc)
4 TBLS Chopped Fresh Parsley
4 to 6 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Minced
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (or more to taste)
2 TBLS Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Freshly Ground Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Steamed Jasmine Rice
A Freshly Baked French Baguette (for sopping up the extra sauce)

Leaving the tail on or removing it from the shrimp is an individual choice. I prefer to leave it on so the maximum shrimp taste is passed into the sauce, but my husband complains about having to remove them, so I usually do just to avoid listening to him bitch…

Prepare the jasmine rice and set aside (keep warm)
Heat a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat
Add olive oil, butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes
Sauté about 30 seconds then add chopped asparagus
Sauté about 90 seconds then add shrimp
Add the wine and make sure that the shrimp is covered completely with the sauce
Spread the shrimp so they are in a single layer in the pan and cook for about 3 minutes
Turn the shrimp over and cook for another minute
Remove the pan from the heat
Squeeze the lemon over the shrimp, lightly salt & pepper and toss shrimp & asparagus with the chopped parsley

Serve the shrimp & asparagus over a bed of the steamed jasmine rice along side a hunk of the baguette, making sure to pour a generous amount of sauce over it all. Enjoy!

Once dinner is over and you’re ready to start getting kisses from your grateful family, you might want to start thinking about the garlic breath you’ve unleashed on an unsuspecting audience…

Apparently the Italians, who serve a salad and/or a fruit course after a pasta course, have known what they were doing all along. The September 2016 issue of the Journal of Food Science reported the findings of a study that concluded that chewing on lettuce, raw apples, or fresh mint after consuming a meal high in garlic reduced the concentration of the garlic smell on the subjects’ breath by 50%.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms & Wine

New-turkeys We all know that the turkey and sides are the stars of Thanksgiving, but there needs to be a little something to nibble on before the feast so people don’t knock each other over like ravenous fiends when the buffet is ready.

Inevitably I end up making too many snacks, but my excuse is that I never know if I’ll have a few people “helping out in the kitchen” for the hours leading up to dinner, or if the entire crowd will be at the house hanging out for drinks and watching football.

I like to assign Thanksgiving appetizers to someone else when I can and ask them to keep turkey-cheese-ball-8 them fairly simple: some type of tray with fruit, veggies, crackers and sliced cheese or a cheese ball. This year I am not hosting, we get to be the guests, but I’ll be taking a few dishes to add to the spread.

My main goal was to find something that wouldn’t appeal to the kids so they’d be less likely to eat so much that they ruin their dinner. I’d rather they eat fruit, if that’s there to snack on. An added bonus: just by saying the word mushroom the kids will come nowhere near them, so their grubby little hands won’t be picking them up and down!

Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 – 8oz package softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of salt
24 – 30 fresh whole white mushrooms
1/8 cup finely chopped celery
1 can lump crab meat
fresh arugula (if desired)
fresh rosemary (if desired)

Preheat oven to 375°F

Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper
Using a fine mesh colander or a regular colander lined with cheesecloth, break up the crab to make sure no shell remains and leave it to drain
Clean and dry mushrooms
Remove stems, trim rough edges, then chop stems and set aside
Place caps (empty cavity up) on the baking sheet
Heat oil in a small pan. Stir in chopped stems, celery, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook until moisture disappears. Remove from heat
Stir in crab, cayenne pepper, onion powder, black pepper, parmesan cheese, and cream cheese.
Use a spoon to fill each of the mushroom caps and return them to baking sheet
Bake in pre-heated oven 20 minutes

crabstuffedmushrooms Serve immediately on a platter lined with fresh arugula and sprigs of rosemary if desired.

Another great thing about this crab stuffed mushroom recipe is that it is easily matched with the wines you are already likely to be serving with your Thanksgiving feast:

Pinot Grigio
Champagne
Sauvignon Blanc
Soave
Pinot Noir

Sunday Family Dinner

When I was a kid, we saw my mom’s parents all the time. They lived just a few miles away so we often saw them during the week when they came to our various games. On those nights, because Grandma always seemed to be on some new diet, Grandpa was excited to eat whatever junk food was being served at the snack bar, but at least twice a month, my grandparents would come to our house for a proper Sunday dinner.

My Mom didn’t have a big cooking repertoire, so dinner would be one of a four things:

Roast on her counter top Farberware rotisserie;
Flank or Top Sirloin Steak marinated with an envelope of Lawry’s tenderizing marinade for beef then grilled on the BBQ;
Spaghetti. Her Bolognese was one of the few things she made from scratch and my Grandpa Bob loved it; or
Meatloaf. Another basic meal that, inexplicably, my grandparents loved coming over for.

Unless we were having spaghetti, we always had some version of the same side dishes:

Green salad tossed in Bob’s Bleu Cheese or Thousand Island Dressing
Some type of boxed potato she could throw in the oven
Rice-A-Roni
Peas, Broccoli with cheese sauce, or corn

I wasn’t kidding, cooking was not her thing.

If she was making dessert it was one of a very few things:

Basking Robbins Ice Cream
Frosted Cake
Cookies
Cherry Surprise

You may be asking yourself, what in the world is Cherry Surprise? It was Mom’s go-to, minimal effort, no-bake, bring to any occasion dessert:

2 Angel Food Loaf Cakes or 1 Angel Food Round Cake
1 Large Box Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 Cup of Milk
16 oz Sour Cream
2 Cans Comstock Cherry Pie Filling
Reddy-Whip Canned Whipped Cream or a Tub of Cool Whip Thawed

Assembly Directions

Tear the angel food cake into small chunks and put the pieces into a 9″ x 12″ Pyrex baking dish
In a medium bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) combine the milk, sour cream, and pudding. Mix on low until combined then switch to high and mix another 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until pudding is thick and fluffy.
Using a rubber spatula, spread all of the pudding mixture over the cake layer. Tap the baking dish against the counter to help the pudding settle into pockets between the pieces of cake.
Pour the contents of both cans of cherry pie filling over the top of the pudding layer, spreading to evenly distribute the cherries
Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 2 hours
Scoop portions onto plate and top with whipped cream

Simple, but always a crowd pleaser.

I try and do Sunday dinner but tonight didn’t even live up to Mom’s limited menus, I ordered pizza. To be fair, we did eat it together as a family while watching Sunday night football. 😉

I’ll do better tomorrow.

Apple Cider Sangria

Yesterday I made a batch of spicy apple cider that filled the house with a delicious early fall smell. Tonight I think I’ll spice things up a bit more by sharing a recipe I have for a large batch cocktail featuring my sweet spicy apple cider.

Fall Apple Cider Sangria

1 Granny Smith Apple
1 Fuji Apple
1 Golden Delicious Apple
1 Lemon
1 Navel Orange
2 Cups Spicy Pressure Cooker Apple Cider
4 Cans Stoli Ginger Beer
1 Bottle Sauvignon Blanc Wine – I prefer one that has peachy/apple/honeysuckle undertones when I am making this Sangria. One that leans toward the citrus/grapefruit might throw the taste off.
1/4 Cup Cinnamon and 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

Prepare Serving Glasses: Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup cinnamon and pour onto a shallow rimmed plate (like a salad plate); Dip the rim of your serving glass into water and then touch edge of glass into the cinnamon/sugar mixture on the plate; Lightly tap the excess off of each glass and set them aside.

Prepare the Sangria:

Using a Mandolin or other thin slicer (I prefer the OXO 6 Piece Grater Slicer) thinly slice the apples, orange and lemon.
Fill a Large (At least 1 gallon) Pitcher, or Mason Jar with a dispenser with the fruit.
Add apple cider, ginger beer, and Sauvignon Blanc wine.
Stir mixture, pour into the prepared serving glasses and garnish with thin slices of apple on a small skewer if you desire.

TIP: If you are not a White Wine person, a lot of people aren’t, here are some recommendations for the type of wine you are looking for in this recipe:

Angeline Sauvignon Blanc – About $13 “With graceful aromas of white peach and nectarine, green apple and lemon…”

Low Hanging Fruit Sauvignon Blanc – About $8 “Flavors of honeydew melon, lemon-lime and ripe apple, followed by a refreshing crisp finish.”

Cloud Break Sauvignon Blanc – About $8 “lively flavors of honeydew melon, juicy peach and pear.”

This would be a great light drink to serve while the family is gathering before Thanksgiving dinner is served, an easy picnic or tailgate treat, and would be a really fun poolside treat.

With a 7:30 PM Thursday night USC game two weeks away, I can’t think of a better time to break this recipe out alongside my cider as a bit of a treat on, what may very well be, our first chilly night of the season!

Cheers!

The Diet Can Start Tomorrow

I was scrolling through Twitter this afternoon and saw a “food porn” video for something that made me want to ignore the fact that I really want to lose this post-surgery pudge and get myself into the kitchen using one of the three modes of transportation available to me: my one legged scooter, wheelchair, or my crutches, so I can get into the kitchen to make some of this gooey deliciousness!

All four of the recipes in the video looked fabulous, but the first one, for the peanut butter cup s’mores dip looked too good to be true…

I tried imbedding their video, but nope, not happening. Thank goodness for the internet. Google came to my rescue once again and the recipe was soon found at www.pilsbury.com!

The recipe is so easy to make and has only 3 ingredients!

Peanut Butter Cup S’Mores Dip

1 bag (12 oz) miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cup candies, unwrapped
2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (You can use the big marshmallows if you prefer)
1 Box Graham Crackers

Heat oven to 450°F. Place peanut butter cup candies in single layer in bottom of ungreased 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet; top with marshmallows. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown and toasted. Serve immediately with graham cracker pieces for dipping.

Dip & Enjoy!

Ceviche Style Shrimp Cocktail

It may be starting to look like fall in the East, but here in Southern California, we’re getting ready for another 80°+ weekend. It’s late September, and I’m not complaining.

With any luck, I’ll be out of my cast (fingers crossed), my stitches will come out of the four incisions on my foot, and I’ll be able to spend all day Sunday floating in my pool, catching some rays and we’ll BBQ a steak, some fresh asparagus, and some sweet potatoes for dinner.

Well before dinner though, I’m absolutely going to have a couple of these shrimp cocktails (thanks for the recipe Pampered Chef) prepared and ready to have for lunch while I’m lounging!

Ceviche Style Shrimp Cocktail

Ingredients

1 pound shelled, deveined, large cooked shrimp, diced (21-25 per pound)
1/2 medium seedless cucumber, diced
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup thinly sliced and quartered red onion
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium avocado
Coarse salt, lime slices and whole shrimp (optional)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Directions

Combine shrimp, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño pepper and salt in mixing bowl; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving.
Immediately before serving, dice avocado and fold gently into shrimp mixture. If desired, rub the rims of four margarita glasses with one lime slice, then dip into shallow dish of coarse salt; spoon salad into glasses. Garnish with lime slices and whole shrimp.

Tip:

For the best texture, do not prepare this recipe more than 1 hour in advance. Once combined with the acidic lime juice, the shrimp will begin to firm up and eventually become tough and rubbery.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories 200, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 220 mg, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 26 g, Sodium 550 mg, Fiber 5 g

Do You Eat Breakfast Every Day?

fruitandoats Since we were young we’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Turns out that Mom wasn’t just trying to keep us from shoving candy and junk food into our pie holes by making us eat breakfast.

It really is important to eat breakfast for some very good reasons:

Breakfast influences how we perform physically and mentally throughout the day. According to John L. Ivy, PhD University of Texas at Austin, “Breakfast immediately raises the body’s energy level and restores the blood glucose level to normal after an overnight fast.”
Kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier throughout the day
Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, restless and irritable
Choosing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein while low in added sugar helps boost attention span, concentration, and memory
People who don’t eat breakfast tend to overeat later in the day and are more likely to be overweight
If you are trying to lose weight, breakfast kicks your metabolism into gear and helps get your body into calorie burning mode for the day.
Eating a good breakfast lowers levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, lowers chances of getting diabetes, heart disease and being overweight (per WebMD.com)

Eating the right foods for breakfast is also important:

Oatmeal – Steel cut with fruit, almonds and sweetened (if desired) with honey. Another healthy option, the one that Barry Jay, Co-Founder of Barry’s Boot Camp, prefers, is to add a tablespoon or two of natural almond or peanut butter. Avoid pre-packaged oatmeal that’s high in sugar and low in fiber.
Cheerios – Top with a sliced banana, and serve with non-fat milk and a hard boiled egg.
Greek Yogurt – A great “Grab and Go” option. High in protein, just add a pinch of cinnamon and a handful of blueberries or raspberries to sweeten.
Vegetable omelet or scramble made with 3 egg whites + 1 egg yolk (which provides protein, vitamin A, choline and B vitamins) a handful of fresh spinach, chopped tomato, a few chopped broccoli or cauliflower florets and, if you desire, a bit of feta cheese.
Bananas, Apples, Berries – Easily Digestible fiber that will keep you fuller longer
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake – chocolate whey protein powder, natural unsalted peanut (or almond) butter, ice, unsweetened almond or coconut milk, cinnamon, and water.
Whole Grain Bread Toasted – Topped with either: natural almond or peanut butter and a sliced banana; or a scrambled egg, atop a slice of cheese, a few leaves of raw spinach and a slice of tomato

Any of these choices are hearty enough to keep you full until at least 10:00- 10:30 when you should have a mid-morning snack to keep you going. Keeping your blood sugar steady throughout the day helps keep your energy levels and attention up during the school day or work day, which is especially important if you are someone who operates heavy equipment or drives for a living. I’d want to be at my very best if that’s what I did!

If you’re dieting it’s important to eat small amounts between your main meals for the same reason. When blood sugar crashes we are at our most vulnerable and most likely to reach for the nearest food to satisfy our hunger, which often isn’t the healthiest choice: drive-thru, pre-packaged snacks, etc.

quest-bar-cheat-clean

In my case, I always try (I don’t always succeed) to choose: a piece of fruit with a cutiesjuice individually packaged cheese stick; a low net carbohydrate protein bar (I like Quest Bars); or a hard boiled egg and a glass of fresh sqeezed or whole fruit (no sugar added) juice like Cuties Tangerine Juice.

If you’re like me, you do more in a day than most people and do for yourself last. I, for one, am slowing down to take care of my health because if I don’t, the rest of the people around me will surely fall apart. Moms are the grease that keep the squeaky wheel of the family turning and we need to start taking care of ourselves today. Yesterday is gone, we can’t change that, but we can change tomorrow.

That change starts with breakfast, even if it’s just a glass of juice (or an apple or banana) and a hard boiled egg that’s been pre-made and peeled to grab and go on the way out the door.

One way to make sure to have quick mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack on hand at work is to at least prepare your grab and go snacks on Sunday:

If you have a small to medium lunch or grocery type bag you can leave in the refrigerator that’s ideal.
Boil a dozen eggs; peel once they are cool enough to touch (I plunge mine in ice water to stop the cooking); put 5 into a zip bag and then into the lunch bag. Put the other 7 into a second zip bag and put into the snack / deli drawer in your refrigerator.
Fill 5 snack sized zip bags with 1-2 TBLS each natural (no sugar added) almond or peanut butter and put into lunch bag.
Put 5 medium sized Apples and 5 individually wrapped low-fat cheese sticks into the lunch bag and put into the refrigerator.
Make a note for yourself and put it with your car keys so you don’t leave without your snack bag.

It takes a very small effort to eat breakfast when it’s something as simple as a banana and a hard boiled egg that you can grab on the way out the door to work. Even if you regularly eat out for lunch, you will likely eat less (and better) and will get through your day with more energy and clarity if you have your snacks on hand to get you through the mid-morning and mid-afternoon danger zones. Who knows, you might even lose a few pounds. 😉

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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.

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.