The secret to really great deviled eggs starts with perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs that peel easily and have bright yellow yolks without the gray ring. Then it’s all about a creamy filling with just the right balance of tangy flavor and smooth texture.

“Older Eggs” boil better, it is said that fresh eggs give you more trouble, especially when peeling eggs. So if you have farm-fresh eggs, this may matter more than when you have purchased pasteurized eggs.

Classic Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are one of those timeless recipes that always disappear first. They’re creamy, savory, simple to make, and perfect for holidays, cookouts, brunches, or anytime you need an easy appetizer everyone loves.

My biggest tip when making hard-boiled eggs or deviled eggs is to cook them and then chill them in an ice water bath. Then peel them! The shells come off the easiest them, once they are refrigerated, which makes them harder to peel.

The best texture for deviled eggs are smooth and creamy. Pressing the mixture through a fine strainer is a great way to ensure it’s smooth. Using an immersion blender is another option.

Simply run them under cold water, and the shells should slide off.

Be sure to check out my post on the top 3 ways to prepare hard boiled eggs.

Currently, my preferred method is to steam the eggs. 12 minutes, then ice bath for 10 minutes. All the details are here.

What Makes the Best Deviled Eggs

The best deviled eggs are:

• Easy to peel
• Smooth and creamy
• Full of flavor
• Not dry or crumbly
• Nicely chilled before serving

What to add to your deviled eggs?

The possibilities are endless! Add in some sweet or dill pickles for added acidity and flavor, or a few dashes of hot sauce (buffalo sauce is yummy).

Mix chicken salad with egg salad and stuff the eggs for a super high protein bite!

Top them with:

• Crispy bacon
• Green onions
• Chives
• Red onion
• Jalapeños

Other items to add in are avocado cheese like feta or parmesan; sun-dried tomatoes and basil are a winning combination. Lemon and capers make the flavor bright! Kick them up with some jalapeños, diced or pickled.

Looking for some summer fun, add some Old Bay seasoning and put a shrimp on top!

Want a trendy flavor option, drizzle on some hot. honey and add a piece of bacon, salty sweet with some heat… yum!

Pesto is a great option and a perfect appetizer to an Italian Dinner.

Just want something to sprinkle on top, everything bagel seasoning works great!

A little paprika on top gives them that classic look, but you can also add chopped chives, bacon, pickles, or a dash of hot sauce for extra flavor.

And if you’re interested in this style napkins, look here.

More posts on eggs:

• Eggs: recipes, tips, and uses
• Deviled Egg Dip
• Egg Salad
• Egg Drop Soup
• Scrambled Egg Fried Rice
• Scrambled Egg and Bacon Spaghetti

And this is my favorite item to hold eggs in the fridge. I wonder why I ever left them in those flimsy cartons and plastic clam shells!

You’ll find mor of my egg recipes here.

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Best Deviled Eggs Recipe (Simple and Perfect Every Time)

Deviled eggs are one of those timeless recipes that always disappear first. They’re creamy, savory, simple to make, and perfect for holidays, cookouts, brunches, or anytime you need an easy appetizer everyone loves.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword deviled eggs, eggs

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

cold water bath 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons mayonaise
• 2 teaspoons mustard dijon or brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon vinegar or pickle juice for an acidic flavor optional
• 1/4 teaspoon salt adjust according to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper adjust according to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

• Prepare the eggs according to the method you prefer. I like steaming them with an inch of water and the eggs resting on a strainer above the water. I boil an inch of water, place the eggs on the strainer rack, then cover with a lid and simmer the water on low for 12 minutes.
• Next, use tongs to place them in an ice bath, a medium bowl of water and ice. Allow them to sit in the ice bath for 10 minutes.
• Then crack the wider end on the counter and peel them while running them under a thin stream of cold water.
• Slice the eggs and half, lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a bowl.
• Add the mayo, mustard (vinegar, or pickle juice if adding), salt, and pepper, and mix it.
• Place it in a fine strainer and press throught with the back of a spoon.
• Place the mixture in a plastic bag or piping bag with a large round tip.
• Pipe the filling onto the egg white pieces and sprinkle with paprika.
• Refrigerate until serving.

The post Best Deviled Eggs Recipe (Simple and Perfect Every Time) first appeared on Created by Diane.

I tried a new methods of “hard boiling eggs” as soon as I hear of a new tip or method.

I’ve made many batches of hard boiled eggs for deviled eggs and egg salad.

I even make a high protein deviled egg dip and egg salad spring rolls or just add slices of hard boiled eggs.

These little pumpkin eggs are flavored with pumpkin and smoked paprika. If smokey flavor isn’t your thing use regular paprika.

Ingredients

• Eggs
• Mayo
• Mustard
• Turmeric
• Paprika (smoked or regular)
• Pumpkin puree
• salt and pepper

Cook hard boiled eggs using your preferred method. Use a pressure cooker with 1 cup water, add as many eggs as you’d like on the wire rack. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Quick release the pressure and put them in an ice bath for 15 minutes to cool them.

Peel and slice the eggs, pop out the yolks.

Mix the yolks with all the ingredients until well blended, you can use an immersion blender, food processor or mix then press the mixture through a fine strainer with the back of a spoon so there are no lumps.

Place the egg mixture into a piping bag with an 857 piping tip or similar star style tip, the more prongs on the tip the more lines you’ll have on the eggs.

Pipe the egg mixture on the sliced egg whites and top with something green. I used fresh sage leaves. Parsley leaves or diced green onion are another option.

These fun Thanksgiving deviled eggs with be the hit of any holiday dinner.

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Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

the best deviled eggs for Fall, Halloween, and Thansgiving celebrations. These eggs are cute enough to serve all year and the flavor combination is delicious.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizer, deviled eggs, eggs, fall, halloween, pumpkin, thanksgiving

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1-2 tablespoons paprika regular or smoked
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cook hard boiled eggs using your preferred method. Use a pressure cooker with 1 cup water, add as many eggs as you'd like on the wire rack. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Quick release the pressure and put them in an ice bath for 15 minutes to cool them.
• Peel and slice the eggs, remove yolks and place them in a bowl
• Mix the yolks with all the ingredients until well blended, you can use an immersion blender, food processor or mix then press the mixture through a fine strainer with the back of a spoon so there are no lumps.
• Place the egg mixture into a piping bag with an 857 or similar piping tip
• Press the mixture out of the piping bag onto each half of the egg white
• garnish with sage leaves, parsley, diced green onion or similar to create the pumpkin stem or leaves
• Keep refrigerated until ready to serve, these can be made a day or two ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap but don't allow the plastic wrap to touch the eggs.

The post How to make the cutest Pumpkin Deviled Eggs first appeared on Created by Diane.

The beauty of French toast is how simple it is to make, It requires few ingredients, often items you already have on hand, and additionally, it’s versatile in that it can be paired with sweet or savory items–it can even be turned into one of the best breakfast sandwiches! 

French Toast is everything you want in a cozy breakfast—thick slices of French bread or Texas toast soaked in a vanilla-scented egg custard and cooked to golden perfection. The key? Slightly dried-out bread that holds up without getting soggy. Whether you’re serving it with syrup, powdered sugar, or fresh berries, this simple yet indulgent recipe is a go-to for weekend brunches, holiday mornings, or anytime you’re craving a warm, buttery slice of comfort.

We are going to explore this popular menu item and how you can elevate it by simply adding some amazing options! Let’s get started…

Let’s start with bread options. You can use whatever bread you have on hand, but my favorite, and for this recipe, we’ll be using French bread–it makes the best bread for French toast! But you can use Texas toast for a thicker white bread option, or even croissants for a decedent and butter experience. Another great option is making French toast with sourdough bread, it also makes amazingly crispy French toast. This is due to it being a firmer bread, which dries out easily. And that brings me to an important point; whatever bread you decide on, fresh isn’t best!

 You almost always want your bread to have dried out. If bread is too fresh, it will absorb too much of your egg/ milk mixture. Making the toast soggy. Dryer bread will render a crisp French toast. Fresh bread will be more soggy. So, allow your bread to dry out overnight. You can even refrigerate it uncovered, or lightly toast it in the oven.

The next big part of making delicious French toast is the dip. Traditionally, milk and egg have been used since the 5th century A.D. However, now with so many milk varieties, you can switch it up! You can choose from any one of the many assortments of plant-based milk, if almond milk is your thing you can absolutely make French toast with almond milk. Or you can easily turn this into Bailey’s french toast and have yourself a boozy brunch- just replace the milk with Bailey’s for a fun twist! Want a little tang? Add some lemon to the egg and milk mixture. And of course, you can keep it simple and do just egg french toast and add a little water. You can even dress it up a bit by adding sugar and cinnamon to the French toast batter. 

Now, some people love French toast as is with a little bit of butter, some drizzled syrup, and some,,, sprinkled powdered sugar. And I agree, it’s my favorite way to eat French toast. It is a classic way to enjoy it, but sometimes it’s nice to add some topping for a truly decadent breakfast.

Below are some ideas to elevate your French toast:

• Butter and powdered sugar
• Syrup–not just maple either! Try blueberry syrup, apple-walnut, maple walnuts,  strawberry syrup, or try one of these other syrup recipes.
• Peanut butter
• Honey
• Add some slices of almonds, roasted walnuts, or pecans.
• Make it savory! Serve with mozzarella cheese, tomato, fried eggs and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
• Add some yogurt, coconut, and fruit like blueberries and if you have a real sweet tooth add chocolate chips!

And then, of course… you can take your French toast out of plate-and-fork territory and turn it into a delectable breakfast sandwich!

Take two pieces of French toast, bacon, and cheese, add in a scrambled or fried egg and you can take it on the go for the best breakfast sandwich! Or for a sweet treat, if you like Nutells, go right ahead and place that in between two pieces of French toast to make an amazing sandwich…

And one of the bonuses is when the french toast is warm, it’ll melt that silky smooth Nutella for an ultimate indulgence.

Finally, french toast doesn’t have to be served alone. You can add virtually anything as a side dish. Here are some of my favorites:

• Add protein like eggs–I have some fabulous egg recipes here. You can also add bacon, ham, sausage
• Cottage cheese
• Fruit- peaches, strawberries, blueberries, apples, bananas, cantaloupe
• Yogurt- any kind you like!
• Jellies, jams, or even lemon curd!
• Peanut butter and honey or fresh fruit tastes amazing!
• Avocado–this is one of my favorite savory items
• And if you’re looking to add a savory vegetable to the plate, try broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, spinach, cabbage, and tomatoes- okay technically a fruit,  but delicious especially grilled or roasted in a pan!

Okay, now comes the good part–cooking this delicious bread!

In a bowl mix the eggs, milk, and vanilla well until silky smooth.

Slice the bread ½ “ thick. If your bread is fresh, place it standing on end in the oven for a minute to dry it out a bit, I often put it on the center rack of the oven and set the oven on high broil. Do not walk away–a minute is all it takes, any longer, you may over-crisp or burn your bread.

Dip the bread slice by slice into the egg mixture until you have 4 slices.

Preheat a 12-inch skillet to medium heat.

Add the 4-6 slices of bread to the pan. Your pan may be smaller or larger–the key here is not to overcrowd the pan. 

Cook on one side until firm on the edges and golden

Turn over and place a lid on top, cook until the other side is crisp and the center is cooked through.

Put the cooked french toast into a pan, bowl, baking sheet, tortilla warmer, or a low-temperature oven to keep warm until all french toast is cooked to serve all at one time.

Should french toast be dipped or soaked?

The egg mixture must be allowed to soak into the bread; you want a soft, custardy middle. Apply strong but mild pressure while allowing the bread to soak for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Can I just use milk and no eggs?

You need the eggs. Too much milk will result in soggy French toast because the milk will be absorbed by the bread first, leaving the egg on the bread’s surface.

Is the center of French toast intended to be oozy?

The perfect French toast has a browned, crispy exterior and a creamy interior. It is neither dry nor too wet.

What bread is best for French Toast?

Dry bread is better than fresh, soft bread. French bread, sourdough, croissants, and Texas toast are all great options. Allow the bread to become stale by leaving it out on the counter overnight, or to quickly dry it out, place it on a baking sheet and place it in a 300° oven for a few minutes, turning the bread so it dries out evenly, or place it on a pizza screen.

My favorite way to enjoy French toast is slathered with butter and powdered sugar, has been since I was a kid, and still is today.

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French Toast

Thick dry bread soaked in an egg and milk mixture is cooked to perfection, making it lightly crisp with a great chew. Perfect for breakfast or when you'd like to serve breakfast foods any time of day.

Course Bread, Breakfast, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Diane Schmidt - createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 1 lb loaf of French bread or thick Texas toast-style bread
• Sliced ½” thick
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Notes on the bread! If the bread is fresh it’ll absorb a lot of the egg/milk mixture making the French toast soggy, We want to avoid soggy French toast.
• I prefer the bread to be either refrigerated or slice the bread and allow to dry just a bit at room temperature it can be sliced and placed on a baking sheet and toasted in the oven for a few minutes on each side to dry it out a bit if necessary.

Instructions

• In a bowl mix the eggs, and milk vanilla well until silky smooth.
• Slice the bread ½ “ thick. (if it’s fresh bread place it standing on end and place it in the oven for a minute to dry it out a bit, I often put it on a high broiled in the center of the oven.
• Dip the bread slice by slice into the egg mixture until you have 4 slices.
• Preheat a 12-inch skillet
• Add the 4-6 slices of bread depending on how many will fit nicely without overcrowding the pan.
• Cook over medium heat.
• Cook until firm on the edges and golden
• Turn over and place a lid on top, cook until each side is crisp and the center is cooked through.
• Put the french toast into a pan, bowl, baking sheet, tortilla warmer, or a low-temperature oven to keep warm until all french toast is cooked to serve all at one time.

More great syrup recipes below, perfect for breakfast items, mimosas, summer spritzers, cocktails, and more:

OMG, so many delicious syrups to choos from, Leave in pieces of fruit is you prefer!

• Apple Cinnamon Syrup
• Blackberry Syrup
• Blueberry Syrup
• Cherry Syrup
• Chocolate Syrup
• Coffee Syrup
• Grapefruit Syrup
• Hibiscus Syrup
• Lavender Syrup 
• Lemon Syrup
• Maple Syrup
• Peach Syrup
• Pineapple Syrup
• Pumpkin Spice Syrup
• Raspberry Syrup
• Strawberry Syrup

The post French Toast first appeared on Created by Diane.

To begin you’ll want to hard boil the eggs.

Then dying eggs with food color are only a couple steps away.

I have a couple of posts on hard boiling eggs, my go-to method is to use the instant pot, it’s a set it and forget it method and I love it.

You can always use the traditional method on the stove. I’ll give you tips for great results with that method as well.

Be sure to plunge the eggs into an ice bath. 

Continue reading: Coloring Eggs

The post Coloring Eggs first appeared on Created by Diane.

I can’t get over just how pretty these simple spring rolls are.

The watermelon radishes are the star of the show, for their bright color, but if you’re unable to find them, they’ll look just as pretty with orange carrots and some greens popping out or you may use thinly sliced regular radishes if you choose.

Get all my tips on making egg salad.

This post on Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs.

And more recipes for Eggs here.

And if this recipe appeals to you may be more of my LOW-CARB recipes will too.

Continue reading: Egg Salad Spring Rolls

The post Egg Salad Spring Rolls first appeared on Created by Diane.

Green Eggs and Ham… a delicious combo and fun to get kids to eat differently. That is what the famous Dr. Seuss book is all about and under 50 words, how fun is that! 

Let’s start with how to cook the eggs, simply put they are boiled eggs, hard-boiled to be specific. 

How to hard boil eggs?

The two most popular ways to prepare hard-boiled eggs:

Stovetop: Add the desired amount of eggs to a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil then shut off the burner, move the pot to another burner, place lid on top, and time for 10 minutes for large eggs, add 1 minute to xl eggs or reduce for medium eggs.

Pressure cooker: place eggs in the pressure cooker with 1 cup water, turn on low pressure for 5 minutes, release the remaining pressure then place in a cold water batch.

• More info on Instant Pot Eggs HERE.
• More info on Hard Boiled Eggs and Coloring Eggs can be found HERE.
• I have more info on cooking eggs here 

Continue reading: Green Eggs and Ham Recipe

The post Green Eggs and Ham Recipe first appeared on Created by Diane.

Made ahead of time, this salad can be enjoyed throughout the week as a breakfast with toast, for lunch as a sandwich, or atop some mixed greens for a low carb option.

I have a Low Carb Guide, take a look.

And lasting 5 days in the fridge it can make your busy week way easier! Truth be told I wasn’t the biggest fan of egg salad when I was young, my mom didn’t make it often, but now we both tend to make it often. It’s funny how things change like that. I could eat egg salad every day now, and for any meal. 

Continue reading: Egg Salad

The post Egg Salad first appeared on Created by Diane.

I love savory items for breakfast, which are not always popular or easy to find as a bowl of cereal, items smothered in maple syrup.

Pancakes, waffles, traditional french toast are all often served with syrup and fruit.

I love bagels with cream cheese, with sliced red onions and tomato topped with salt and pepper, no jelly for me.

My other go-to is avocado toast, topped with an egg or some slices of bacon.

• I love eggs
• scrambled egg fried rice,
• spam fried rice,
• spaghetti and egg,
• and of course biscuits and gravy.

Along comes this unexpected Savoury French Toast recipe that is a welcome heart warming dish to the usual sweet breakfasts.

Continue reading: Savory French Toast

The post Savory French Toast first appeared on Created by Diane.

I cannot count how many times I’ve made this dish… it’s numerous.

I was a huge fan of my Spaghetti and eggs when I ate carbs, but not that I eat primarily low-carb, I make this. 

I love that it is ready so FAST, 

that it has an amazing flavor,

the secret is the sesame oil… so flavorful! But if you don’t have sesame oil, you can use some sesame seeds or a tablespoon of soy sauce.

And you can add in some veggies if you like: some shredded carrrots, broccoli, peas, white onions, and finely diced cabbage are great additions.

And just so you can see how simple this is to make, there’s a VIDEO below.

Continue reading: Bacon and Egg Cauliflower Fried Rice

The post Bacon and Egg Cauliflower Fried Rice first appeared on Created by Diane.

I’ve heard that many times since they’ve become popular.

If you have an air fryer you’re going to love seeing all the things I tried with great results in the air fryer. If you don’t have one, you may just want to get an air fryer soon after seeing this!   

Let’s start with what an air fryer is, it is a small convection oven.

Since it’s small there is no preheating needed, it typically gets to temperature in about a minute.  

Convection simply means. That hot air will circulate and in turn, will cook food faster, sugars caramelize quicker for a crisp edge and oiled items brown nicely.

Just wait until you see how QUICK these foods are to make. They take at least half the time as they would in the oven and come out tasting better and crispier.

These Air Fryer Recipes are sure to make you want one if you don’t own an air fryer already!  From sweet to savory, snacks, or a whole meal, my list of Unique Air Fryer Recipes has you covered!

What should I make in my air fryer? I hear this question often, and my response is always, “just about anything!” I was gifted an air fryer years ago and never thought I’d end up using it as often as I do. I do not typically eat a lot of fried foods, but it turns out that an air fryer just makes things CRISPY without all the grease. I love crunchy and crispy, so I decided to see what foods could be made better by using my air fryer instead of my oven or stove. As it turns out – there are more than I imagined!

HERE is the Air Fryer have in white

What Should I Cook in My Air Fryer?

I love using it for just about anything I’d cook in the oven. Some of my favorite things to make in my Air Fryer are French fries, chocolate chip cookies, veggies like Brussels Sprouts, taquitos, homemade tortilla,  chips, diced up Spam, frozen mini tacos, sausage, Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas, and tortellini or ravioli. The Air Fryer crisps up the tortellini and makes is perfect for dipping in marinara or Alfredo sauce.

What Is An Air Fryer?

An air fryer is essentially a small convection oven. Convection simply means that hot air will circulate and in turn, will cook food faster. With an air fryer, sugars caramelize for a crisp edge and oiled items brown nicely. I have found that foods in the air fryer typically cook in half the time as they would in the oven. It’s a win! The air fryer is also great for my teenager because he can cook his favorite snacks quickly and easily.

Do Air Fryer Recipes Require A Lot Of Oil?

Prepared foods are made with enough oil that you do not need to add any oil to cook them. Fresh foods will need a small amount of oil if you want them to cook up crispy such as vegetables. Nonstick vegetable oil spray is great for quickly adding a bit of oil to things like Brussels Sprouts or French fries.

Should I Buy An Air Fryer?

An Air Fryer is great for anyone who wants a small amount of food cooked quickly. Because Air Fryers are small, they typically just make enough food to serve a couple of people. If you RV a lot, these are perfect for that, too! The small size is great for traveling and cleanup is a breeze. Air Fryers are also convenient for college students, single people, or anyone who frequently snacks on convenience foods.

How Can I Convert A Recipe to Make in the Air Fryer?

To convert any recipe to cook in an Air Fryer, start with the temperature you’d use in the regular oven, cutting the cooking time in half. Gently shake the cooking basket or turn the item over as necessary for even heating. One nice feature is that the timer stops when the air fryer is opened to check on the food, then it starts right back up when it’s closed.

Then I started thinking if I could make things I would normally eat CRISPY well that sounded more appealing to me. Brussels sprouts were at the top of my list to try.

I first started off making some prepared foods that my teen just loves. Wow were they crispy, they tasted better than baking them and they cook up so quickly now I don’t need to “help them” cook ( in other words do it for them as they think cooking takes to long, with the air fryer, they can do it all themselves.

YAY!!

It got me thinking about how many other people could benefit from using an air fryer. My kids were ALWAYS leaving the oven on… even when they were done using it. It was so frustrating! With the air fryer, it turns off when it’s done cooking.

Genius! 

Continue reading: 12+ Air Fryer Recipes

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