Spicy Deviled Eggs

I'd prefer to call these Delivered Eggs but that just doesn't sit right. Whatever moniker you go with, these eggs are a hit at any gathering. Deviled eggs are an age-old classic to holiday spreads but with Easter around the corner, they're on the forefront of my mind, despite the current state of affairs with an egg shortage! Easily customizable depending on your palette, these eggs can be served as an appetizer or a great accompaniment to your main dish.

What you'll need:

⋒ 6 eggs

⋒ 2 TBS mayo

⋒ 1-2 tsp yellow mustard

⋒ hot paprika

⋒ pickled jalapeños

⋒ salt and pepper to taste

How to:

⋒ Boil eggs. Everyone has their way of accomplishing this step so boil your eggs whatever way works for you! However, I learned a little trick from a friend a few years ago that I've adopted in order to help with easy peeling; gently tap the rounded end of the egg on your work surface in order to expose the air sac of the egg. Repeat for all of the eggs you want to boil. Next, gently place the eggs in a pot of cold water, ensure eggs are covered with water. Bring eggs to a rolling boil, then turn off. Let eggs sit in the pot of boiled water for approximately 12 minutes. Pour eggs out into colander and place under cold running water.

I find that eggs are easiest to peel when they are still warm. If you're wanting to work ahead, I would recommend at least boiling and peeling your eggs, then place them in an air-sealed container and placed in the fridge until you're reading to "dress" them.

⋒ Dress eggs. Ok, if you're not from the south, you can just say "fill the eggs"! Regardless of what you call it, for this step, you will carefully split each egg in half, long ways, the yolks should be solid. Pop the yolks out into a mixing bowl; be very gentle with this as you do not want to rip the whites. Mix in all remaining ingredients except paprika and jalapeños. You can add more mayo if you feel the mixture is too dry. Feel free to add more mustard if you like more of a mustard-y taste.

Once ingredients are mixed, fill yolk mixture into a piping bag with tip, or simply using a Ziploc and cut one of the bottom corners of the bag. Carefully fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. Sprinkle the eggs with paprika and finish with a piece of jalapeño on each egg.

⋒ Enjoy! These spicy deviled eggs have always been a hit at my gatherings for years and they do not last long! If you're not into the heat, you can omit the jalapeños and add a 2-3 tsp dill relish to the mixture. make sure you drain as much as you can so that your yolk mixture isn't soupy. Other topping ideas are: crispy bacon pieces, lox, chives, or green onions. However you decide to finish your eggs, get ready for tons of compliments and requests for more!

*If you're making eggs for a crowd, this recipe is so easy to double or even triple! Just be sure you have a pot large enough to fit the eggs in (or use multiple pots if you don't have a large one), and grab an extra egg plate or 2 at your local thrift shop.