Deviled Eggs
- 12 to 16 hard-boiled eggs
- 3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 to 3 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
- Paprika
Cover eggs with water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off heat and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes. Alternative: Cook eggs in an egg cooker. Peel eggs.
Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and place in a mixing bowl, reserving whites. Add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and celery salt. Mix with an electric mixer. Taste and adjust mayonnaise, mustard and seasonings for flavor and consistency. Fill a piping bag with the mixture and pipe into the reserved whites, or use a spoon to fill the egg halves. Sprinkle with paprika. Chill until ready to serve.
Skillet-Roasted Carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound rainbow carrots, trimmed and cut on a bias (halve them if large)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots start to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add vinegar and honey to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until liquid is syrupy and carrots are evenly coated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with thyme. Serve immediately.
Fresh Field Peas
- 2 smoked ham hocks
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups (about 1 pound) shelled fresh field peas
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Bring ham hocks and 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Simmer for 2 hours, or until meat is tender.
Meanwhile, sauté onion in hot bacon drippings in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the pea and onion mixture to the pot with the ham hocks. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until peas are tender. Remove hocks. Drain peas; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Chop ham from hocks, and discard bones. Stir ham into peas.
Lemon Garlic Green Beans
- 1 pound long green beans, washed and trimmed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Lemon zest, to taste
Place the green beans in a steamer basket. Put steamer basket in a large sauce pan over 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and steam for about 8 minutes, or until beans are crisp-tender.
In a small saucepan, cook garlic in olive oil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Transfer beans to a serving dish. Drizzle with olive-oil mixture. Top with lemon zest.
Scalloped Cheese Potatoes
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups extra sharp cheddar, shredded
- 8 cups (about 2 1/2 pounds) thinly sliced red, white or yellow potatoes
Heat oven to 350 F.
To make sauce, cook onion and garlic in hot butter in a medium saucepan until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk. Gradually add shredded cheese, stirring over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
Place half of the sliced potatoes in a greased 3-quart rectangular dish. Top with half of the sauce. Repeat layers.
Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 45 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving.
Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 extra-large eggs
Frosting
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in the grated carrots until they are well coated.
In a separate bowl and with an electric mixer, beat the sugar, brown sugar and oil on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Pour the carrot and flour mixture gradually into the egg mixture. Beat on low speed until combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Beat until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract, milk and orange zest.
Spread frosting on the cooled cake. Top with nuts.