Afternoon Snack: Why Not a Deviled Egg?

They're a picnic/family reunion/potluck staple, but we've been eating just one or two deviled eggs as a quick snack lately. Hard-boiled eggs are so nutritious and easy, and devil-ing them takes no time at all...

We boil one or two eggs, let them cool, and then slice them and carefully scoop out the yolk (a 1/2-teaspoon measuring spoon works great for this, if you don't have a teaspoon small enough). We mix the yolks with a squirt of mustard, a dab of mayonnaise, a little sweet relish, and salt and pepper. Then we spoon the yolk mixture back into the hollowed-out whites.

This snack came to be when we were hungry one afternoon and our cupboards were bare. Even when we haven't been shopping in a while, we usually have eggs and condiments on hand. And we realized that we didn't need a party to make some deviled eggs—in fact, now that we've been making one or two at a time, the thought of scooping out dozens of eggs sounds like way too much work.

The extra kick of flavor makes this a much more enjoyable snack than a plain hard-boiled egg. What do you think? Does anyone else make single-serving deviled eggs?

(Image: Elizabeth Passarella)

Comments (29)

Why not deviled eggs? Because one or two is impossible. I have no self control, you see. I love deviled eggs so much, you would most likely find me passed out on the floor, carton next to me, with yolk smeared all over my face. And really, no one needs to see that.

this post has just inspired me to make a delicious snack!

I really like chopped up bacon and and onions in mine with a generous sprinkling of paprika.

sans mayo. I hate mayo. Just thinking about it makes my stomach turn.

I do! I made just a few deviled eggs last night with lots of Dijon, only a smidge of mayo, and fresh dill, and topped with a dab of red caviar.

I haven't but I will now! I love deviled eggs. I'm really liking the idea of tossing bacon into them, too.

one of my all time favorite snacks! it's even easier if you buy already boiled eggs or boil extras and keep them on hand. if you want to make it healthier go with light mayo and ditch half the yolk.

http://tearinguphouse.blogspot.com

secret ingredient: a dab of relish!

meleyna,
You and me, both!

I don't use a spoon to scoop out the yolk, I just halve the egg, then sort of pop the yolk section inside out, from the bottom. The yolk pops out easy-peasy.

I use a little mayo, yellow mustard, touch of vinegar and sugar, finely diced onion, and paprika in mine. They're very basic, but whenever I take them to a cookout, they're gone within minutes.

great idea! though, like meleyna, i may out-devil myself with tragic results...

horseradish. 'nuff said.

I will try this when I get home!

Yum. I scarf down deviled eggs at parties/BBQs, don't know why I never think to make them at home. Probably because I don't usually have mayo in the house--but I think this will inspire me to buy a jar for the fridge!

mmm, dinner

so unfair. now I want deviled egg instead of these multi grain crackers I'm eating at my desk....

If I'm going to go to the trouble of boiling an egg, I will boil a half dozen and use the extras for other favorite uses, such as egg salad sandwiches or slicing up in a salad.

two words: truffle oil

creamy horseradish instead of the mayo - yum!

I had them once at a party and they tasted extra special. The hostess said she put herbes de provence in them.

Here here meleyna!

I'm not one to stop at 1 or 2 either. I did shopping last night and currently have 30 large eggs at home. Yes! 30!

Chili powder!! It's what makes them 'deviled'. Just a little bit, maybe a some sprinkled on top.

Pimientos or olives are good mixed in, or on top, too.

I've never actually had deviled eggs before. Great snack idea.

Melissa A - *never*? Oh my. Once you've had a deviled egg, a plain boiled egg is akin to having cake with no icing! Still good, but not what it *could* be.

On the other hand, I'd never thought about it and hadn't realized making these things could be this easy! Everyone I know who's made them makes it out to be an ordeal only worthy of those big family pot lucks.

Guess what I'm making for lunch today? :)

I hate hardboiled eggs, but just recently realized i love deviled eggs. Must be the slight change in consistency of the yolk, and the flavor.

I mix mine with just a bit of creamy vidalia onion salad dressing and if wanting to make extra fancy, top with fried sage leaves.

Totally adding that to my hodgepodge dinner tonight!

If you are craving deviled eggs but don't have time to cook these up and you happen to be in NYC -- you MUST try the deviled eggs appetizer at Resto. Resto: East 29th between Lex and Park. The restaurant is really good but these are, well the best stuff on the menu.

Chili powder does make them darn tasty! I have also went to a party where the bottom of the white was loaded with Bacon bits then topped off with Devilish finish - yum

I totally do this and thought it might be kind of weird! Ha ha. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

I found recipes for 3 different kinds of deviled (or stuffed) eggs in a Spanish Tapas cookbook, and was asked for the recipes quite a lot --

One had thin crisp-tender asparagus spears, chopped up and combined with mayo and cilantro (or was it parsley?); another had olive oil (I used mandarin orange olive oil), a drop or two of hot sauce, finely grated carrot and some saffron, topped with chopped green pistachios; and finally, the egg yolk was combined with chopped green olives, a little olive oil and a little mayo, and then topped with hot garlicky and salty fried breadcrumbs -- I used Panko.

People were pretty impressed with these eggs -- I made lots, and they were literally inhaled.

A little chipotle in adobo or pimenton adds great smoky flavor and beautiful color to the filling.