Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Finally, summer arrived in Oregon! Well, it did last weekend at least. I spent the weekend with pals bumming around a swim hole, celebrating a close friend's 30th birthday. Beautiful, right? I hope to have many more days like this in the near future.

Back to cooking...the other day I found myself with an abundance of eggs in the house. What does that mean? Why, deviled eggs of course! And not just any deviled eggs, Sriracha Deviled Eggs!

I know there are a few dozen different versions of deviled eggs out there, but this one is the one! Slight sweet, yet spicy. Delicious and filling. Trust me, you will want to make this recipe soon. It's a perfect addition to any BBQ or cookout.

I adapted this recipe from Cook The Book, removing the chives and lime and adding a lot more flavor (at least in my opinion). Don't fret if you are unsure how to hard boil eggs. A post will follow in the coming days with tips on how to make it through a hard boil without losing most of your egg. Now go out and enjoy some summer!

Sriracha Deviled Eggs
Adapted from: Cook The Book 

• 6 hard boiled eggs
• 1/3 c mayo
• 4-6 tbsp sriracha
• 1/2 tsp horseradish 
• 3/4 tsp dijon mustard 
• 1 tsp sweet mustard
• 1 tsp white wine mustard
• 1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dill
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

In a medium bowl, mix together the mayo, mustards, and horseradish. Refrigerate promptly. Split the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the egg yolks. Using a fork, break up the yolks in a mixing bowl. Stir in the Sriracha Mayo, salt, pepper, dill and smoked paprika. Blend well. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip or use a ziplock bag with one corner snipped off and pipe the yolk mixture back into the egg whites. Top with a pinch more of smoked paprika, dill, salt and pepper. Serve or cover and refrigerate immediately.

Easy Quiche

As per a request of a friend, I am trying hard to stay on top of posting recipes on a regular basis. More than just once a month, which seems to be my pattern. Ha! If you only knew how much I travel for a living, then you might think better of me.

One of the most requested recipes from friends is my quiche. Yep, simply easy quiche. I know what you are thinking. Quiche, really? Like I need to take the time to develop a good, easy to use recipe for this? Yet it is true! Quiche is one of those types of food that if you screw it up, it will scare you away from eating it for years (also like brussels sprout). However if you figure out the science behind making a really good, delicious quiche... you will become a believer!

Bake it and they will come. To eat, of course.

So here it is, without further ado, my much refined quiche recipe! Enjoy!

Amanda's Easy Quiche

• 5 eggs (I use my chicken's farm fresh eggs)
• 3/4 cup milk (I use rice milk)
• 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1/4 to 1/8 cup chopped onion or shallot 
• 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/4 cup chopped spinach
• 1/2 to 1/8 teaspoon salt (I use a salt grinder)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (I use more & from a pepper mill)
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell (I use a great vegan version found in the freezer section at my local store)

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Take your unbaked pie shell out of the freezer or out of the fridge if using fresh dough and place it on a baking sheet. Fork the bottom of the pie crust a few times (such as you would a potato you bake).

In a large bowl crack open all of the eggs. Pour in milk and blend at medium to high speed with a hand mixer until the egg milk mixture becomes very, very frothy. Froth is the key here! The more frothy the egg milk mixture, the more tasty the texture of the quiche.

In the unbaked pie shell, spread the various chopped vegetables around the bottom. Keep in mind you can switch up your veggies to use something else or omit something if you don't like it. Sprinkle half the cheese around on top of the veggies (again you can switch up your cheese types; for instance feta is amazingly delicious in quiche). Sprinkle half of the dried spices on top of the cheese and veggies.

Next pour the frothy egg milk mixture over the top of the contents of the unbaked pie shell. If you have some left over, you can always use a ramekin to bake the rest or make an omelet. Sprinkle the remainder of the spices and cheese as well as the onion and garlic powders over the top of the unbaked quiche. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and finally the red pepper flakes.

Place the unbaked quiche in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. It is key to have the high temperature for the initial baking to give the top of the quiche a golden color as well as solidify the eggs. Set a timer and after it goes off, turn the temp of the oven down to 350 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes.

Take the baked quiche out of the oven and let it cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any uneaten portions. Believe me, quiche tastes amazing the second day (if it lasts that long).

Farm Fresh Eggs

There is something special about farm fresh eggs. Something magical and delicious, which reminds me of a warm kitchen and hearty breakfast. Or better yet, baked goods! Mmmm...

I am happy to report that the eggs around this kitchen come directly from happy, healthy chickens. My own, in fact! We keep a flock of 6 lovely ladies, two light brahmas (gentle giants), two golden-laced wyandotte (skittish but beauties), and two white leghorns (very independent ladies). Since relocating from the farm, a wonderful friend allows our flock to take up residence in her backyard only a short bike ride from my home. My mornings begin with a little feathered friend time and my evenings end with a shared moment around the hen house at dusk. I wouldn't want it any other way.

A few things I didn't know before raising this flock:

1. Chickens have this thing called a crop, which if you aren't aware of its existence will scare the hell out of you! 
   
2. Chickens are moody! Yes, they sometimes will throw a fit for no apparent reason... much to my pleasure. 
3. Chickens lay on a 25 hour cycle, and will change the time of date they lay over time. 
4. Chickens lay eggs using their skin pigment from parts of their body, so as a hen becomes a good layer her legs and other areas will go from yellow to almost white as the pigment heads into the shell of her eggs. 
5. Chickens do funny things like try to fly when they really don't ever get off the ground, do some funky stretching that appears to be chicken yoga, and love to run wild in one crazy flock!
6. Happy, healthy chickens lay the best tasting eggs imaginable...