FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Put those Easter eggs to good use
By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor
The first start-to-finish dish I ever made all on my own was a breakfast-in-bed dish for my mom on Mother's Day 40 years or so ago. It was creamed eggs on toast, and we had learned how to make it in home economics class at Lahainaluna.
Am I dating myself or what? Not only is home economics a term long out of favor, but creamed dishes are pretty rare, too.
Creamed eggs — hard-boiled eggs sliced into a thin white sauce and served on crisp toast points — came to mind because in a few days there'll be a lot of leftover hard-boiled eggs hanging around from Easter festivities.
Eggs, like creamed dishes, have been out of favor in recent years because of their cholesterol content, but new studies suggest that dietary cholesterol may not translate directly into blood cholesterol and that there's no reason other than your personal taste not to include eggs in your diet.
"Experts no longer consider it necessary for healthy people to limit their intake of egg yolks to a specific number per week," says a report by the American Council on Science and Health. Eggs provide protein and vitamins B2, B12, A, D, folate and niacin plus minerals and amino acids.
Some ideas for leftover Easter eggs:
Breakfast burritos: Stuff burritos with refried beans, sliced hard-boiled eggs, sautéed onions or peppers and cheese or sausage, if desired.
Salad topping: Grated or minced hard-boiled eggs are nice on salads, such as the classic Cobb (which makes use of that leftover ham, too).
Post-Easter potstickers: The American Egg Board has a recipe for filling won ton pi with a mixture of minced green onion, celery, fresh ginger and chopped hard-cooked eggs bound with a little sherry. Fill won ton pi and fry, 12 at a time, in hot oil until golden; pour in 1/3 cup water; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until translucent. About five minutes. Dip in shoyu.
Deviled eggs: Recently, I served deviled eggs at a party and they disappeared, with everyone commenting on how long it had been since they'd had them. This dish is ultra simple. Just cut peeled hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out yolks. Mash yolks and blend with mayonnaise and a few good cranks of pepper. Some people add dry mustard, some use minced onion, some pickle relish. Put the mashed yolks in a zip-closure plastic bag, snip off a corner and use that as a pastry bag to fill the whites. Sprinkle with a little paprika and serve.
Creamed eggs: Make a white sauce (melt 1 tablespoon butter and whisk in 1 tablespoon flour; gradually stir in 2 cups milk, bring to a boil, turn down heat and cook until slightly thickened). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently stir in 4-6 sliced hardboiled eggs. Serve on crisp, multigrain toast.
