BBQ Deviled Eggs

Don't you just hate when the "rules" regarding food constantly change? I do, and in the case of eggs, it's always something different. First they are good for you, then they are not, and right now they are "in" again. Who makes these rules? Regardless of what has been said in the past, I've always been a giant egg fan. I love them prepared any way. One of my favorite childhood memories was my dad making soft boiled eggs for weekend breakfasts. I also like them scrambled, in omelets, in frittata form, or sunny side up.

About a week ago I ended up with a plethora of eggs. They had been on sale, and long story short, I bought way more of them than I needed and was able to use, so I had to come up with some recipes that would require quite a few eggs.

What better way to use up copious amounts of eggs than to turn them into deviled eggs, and what better time of year to make these considering all the potlucks and picnics to get "rid" of them.

I found this recipe in one of my "Cuisine at Home" magazine and fell in love with it right away. BBQ Deviled Eggs? Two of my favorite things combined into one, no further convincing was needed.

This recipe is a bit of a departure from my standard  Snappy Deviled Egg recipe but it is just as good. Hard boiled egg yolks get mixed together with cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and barbecue sauce (aha!). Minced pickles (I used dill pickle relish), sweet onions, and parsley will add the final touch. The filled egg is then garnished with a drizzle of barbecue sauce and a pickle slice. Voilà!

These eggs were a giant hit! I loved the little bit of smokiness the barbecue sauce added and the crunch of the pickles. These eggs were gone in no time and are most definitely a keeper for our family! I know I will be making this recipe over and over again. I hope you'll give it a try as well, I'm sure there are plenty of occasions left during the summer months.

BBQ Deviled Eggs

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Ingredients:

12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, cut in half, and yolks removed

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 tablespoon barbecue sauce 

3 tablespoons minced dill pickles (I used dill pickle relish)

2 tablespoons sweet onions, minced

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Salt and black pepper to taste

Barbecue sauce for drizzling

Sliced pickles for garnish

Directions:

Mash egg yolks in a bowl; stir in cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, barbecue sauce, minced pickles, onion, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Season mixture with salt and pepper; stir until ingredients are well combined. Divide filling amount egg whites*.

Drizzle barbecue sauce lightly over each egg. Garnish each egg with a small pickle slice. Refrigerate until ready to serve!

* For easy piping, spoon filling into a heavy-duty plastic Ziploc bag. Cut a small hole in the corner; squeeze gently.

Adapted from: Cuisine at Home

Cubano-Style Burger

 

I have much love and great admiration for a lot of different cuisines. With the weather being so hot here in the southwest already, one of the easiest things to make for a quick dinner is a good burger on the BBQ. Flipping through the pages of several of my cooking magazines, my eyes caught the Cubano-Style Burger in "Cuisine at Home".

This burger is modeled after the traditional Cuban roast pork sandwich which is topped with sliced ham and Swiss cheese and I absolutely adore them. We have a little Deli here that makes one of the best Cuban sandwiches, everything is made from scratch using only local ingredients. It is a requirement to  order it every time I eat there, it is that good. 

The burger is composed of pork and beef (which I added to cut a bit of the fat) but you could certainly make this burger with all pork or even turkey. Deli ham and Swiss cheese are layered on top after the burger is cooked through and left on the the grill until the cheese is melted to perfection. The finished burger is then topped with a mustard pickle relish that mimics the flavor of the classic sandwich which usually has pickles on it.

This recipe makes substantial 1/3 pound burgers which are moist and juicy. All the flavors work incredibly well together even before adding the relish, but once it is topped, the burger becomes irresistible.

This burger is so good, my 8 year old managed to eat almost a whole one all by himself and that is unheard off. I'm adding this to our regular burger rotation, and am already planning to make this at our next party. I served this burger with sweet potato fries since that is what I had on hand, but if you are trying to add even more authenticity then go with fried Tostones (fried green plantains). 

So, if you like to crank up the heat, love a really good burger, and want to add a little spice to your next dinner, don't wait, make this soon!

Cubano-Style Burger

~serves 6~

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Ingredients:

For the mustard relish:

1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard

1/4 cup dill pickle relish

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons diced pickled jalapeno

1 tablespoon honey

For the burgers:

1 pound ground beef (I used 90 % lean)

1 pound ground pork

Salt and black pepper

6 slices deli-sliced ham

6 slices Swiss cheese

6 onion hamburger buns, buttered

Mayonnaise

Directions:

Preheat one side of grill to medium-high and the other side to low.

Combine ingredients for the relish in a bowl; set aside.

Combine the ground beef and pork. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a patty slightly larger than the bun to allow fro shrinkage. Season patties with salt and pepper and coat bother sides of each one with nonstick spray or brush lightly with olive oil.

Grill burgers, covered, over medium-high heat until cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Top each burger with a slice of ham and a slice of cheese. Grill, covered, until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes, more. Remove burgers from the grill and tent with foil.

Grill buttered buns, covered, over low heat until lightly toasted, 1-2 minutes.

To serve, spread bottom of buns with mayonnaise, place burgers on buns, and top with mustard relish.

Adapted from: Cuisine at Home

Susi's German Pasta Salad

Growing up in Germany I was introduced to this pasta salad as a young girl. I guess my mom found the recipe sometime in the 70's in a magazine and it has been a family favorite ever since.

I always looked forward to my mom making this salad. I remember us (my sisters and I) putting dibs on the leftovers if there were any. I introduced my own family to this recipe many years ago and it has been just as well received. My children will also fight over the leftovers, just like I did many years ago with my own siblings.

This pasta salad is made quickly and tastes great with just about anything from grilled chicken, to pork, beef, or sausages. Sometimes I even leave the ham out and make it a true vegetarian option depending on who is eating.  Because of the mild flavor of the canned peas and carrots this salad has proven over and over that it is a favorite with kids even if they are not too keen on vegetables. The dressing isn't as rich tasting due to the sour cream content which will cut the heaviness of the mayonnaise but I've also made this salad time and time again with low fat ingredients with the same great results.

I hope you'll give my German version a try, maybe it will become a family favorite for you as well.

Susi's German Pasta Salad

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Ingredients:

8 ounces Elbow Pasta 

1 (15 ounce) can Baby Peas, drained (I prefer Le Sueur Brand)

1 (15 ounce) can Baby Carrots, drained and sliced (Le Sueur Brand)

1 (6 ounce) pack boiled Ham, diced

1/2 cup pickles, diced

2 tablespoons pickle juice

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Dressing:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1 tablespoon pickle juice

Pinch of sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and place in a large bowl. Immediately add the pickle juice and vinegar, toss to coat the pasta. Let cool slightly, then add the peas, the carrots, ham, and pickles. Mix together.

For the dressing add sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk together. Taste for seasonings.

Add the dressing to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving. 

A Susi's Kochen und Backen Family Recipe