So I’ve held the big egg-citing news in for almost an entire month now. I’m not sure egg-actly how I managed to do it. I am not a keeper of secrets. I’m more of a tell it all kind of girl, or a keep it to yourself and a few select special people kind of a girl, but never a keep it an absolute secret and tell no one on pain of death type of girl. So today my head and my heart is lightened to be able to share my big secret news with everyone.
Earlier this year I entered several of my original recipes into the 2014 Eggland’s Best “Your Best Recipe” Contest. This was before I got “a real job,” and basically said goodbye to any free time I might have. In those wonderful bliss-filled days I had all of the time in the world to play around with recipes and enter recipe contests. This particular contest screamed out to me, because I actually use, love, adore, and choose Eggland’s Best eggs over all others. I’ve been a long time fan, and until I finally get that chicken coop right outside in my backyard, I will always be a loyal customer.
Last month I received word that I had made it to the finalist round for my Balsamic Deviled Eggs with Pancetta recipe. Starting today you can vote for the Fan Favorite recipe HERE. Fan Favorite voting ends October 31st and the recipe with the most votes will receive $1,000. So I need all of you to help me out by voting for my recipe. Tell all your friends, tell all your family, basically tell anyone who will actually listen; I need all the votes I can get. I’m extremely honored, overjoyed, and amazingly proud to have made it this far in the contest, and am looking forward to seeing just how far I can go with all of your help.
The Original Balsamic Deviled Eggs with Pancetta Recipe
I absolutely love a deviled egg! I absolutely love a good deviled egg! This one is incredible, not to mention super easy to make. It may be my new go to version for picnics and cookouts this coming summer. I’m sure some of you have a bunch of colored Easter eggs hiding out in your fridge, which you will need to find a use for soon, because they’re starting to make everything else in your fridge smell like sulfur. This is a great recipe to help get rid of them quick. Trust me; if you love deviled eggs, you’ll love these. They have a bit of sweetness to them from the sugar, but it helps to balance out the saltiness of the balsamic vinegar. Smash a couple of these little cuties up and slather them on some bread for one of the greatest egg sandwiches you’ve ever tasted.
*I originally made this recipe around Easter time, which explains the reference to colored Easter eggs.
Ingredients:
- 1 (4-oz.) Package Diced Pancetta
- 1 Dozen Hard-Boiled Eggland’s Best Eggs
- 3/4 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Celery Seed
- 2 Teaspoons Chives, Chopped
Directions:
- Fry the pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until all of the pieces of pancetta are dark in color, crispy on the edges, and most of the fat on the pancetta has been cooked away. Remove the pancetta from the skillet onto a plate covered with several paper towels; set aside.
- Halve the hard-boiled eggs lengthwise, and place the yolks into a food processor.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to the food processor, except for the pancetta. Puree until smooth.
- Reserve two teaspoons of the pancetta for garnishing the finished eggs, and add the remaining pancetta to the food processor. Pulse until well combined.
- Spoon the egg mixture into a large resealable plastic bag, snip the end off, and fill the hard-boiled egg whites.
- Garnish the filled eggs with the reserved pancetta.
Suggestions:
- There are a million and one ways to hard boil an egg; everyone has their favorite. I bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium-high, add the eggs slowly with a slotted spoon, and then cook for 16 to 17 minutes, depending on the size of the egg. I then remove the eggs to a large bowl filled with ice water, and allow them to sit for at least a half an hour. I usually boil my eggs ahead of time, so I will keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two before peeling.
- Never use eggs that you have just purchased at the market to make deviled eggs. Older eggs are much easier to peel. If in a pinch I scour the area for a store that tends to keep stock on hand several weeks before sale, such as Walgreens, CVS, or a gas station convenience store.
- I love a creamy deviled egg, so I tend to use a bit more mayonnaise than some people. If you prefer a drier deviled egg, reduce the amount of mayonnaise to 1/2 cup.
- Use a disposable decorating bag and piping tip to fill the deviled eggs.
Improvements:
- Add a sprig of fresh parsley onto each finished egg for garnish.
- Add a teaspoon of capers to the egg filling mixture.
- Sprinkle the finished eggs with Italian seasoning.
There were four categories in the Eggland’s Best “Your Best Recipe” Contest, and you were allowed to enter two recipes for each category. Here is a list of the recipes I submitted.
Breakfast:
Appetizer:
Main Course:
Dessert:
Head on over to http://www.egglandsbest.com/yourbestrecipe to vote for your Fan Favorite and check out all of the other egg-citing recipes chosen to be finalists.
