hard boiled eggs

Easter Eggs

I’ve always loved coloring Easter Eggs, don’t you? For years I hosted an annual Easter dinner which included an egg hunt. Unfortunately, the kids are grown and there are no grandchildren on the immediate horizon, so I’ve temporarily given up that delightful tradition. But, I couldn’t resist dyeing a batch of hard-boiled eggs simply for the fun of it, to enjoy the lovely colors, and make egg salad…Easter Egg Salad that is. What is different? A couple of things, first I celebrate the cracks. Celebrating the cracks is a good thing, don’t you think? In fact, I celebrated by making more cracks and they re-dying the eggs.

Cracked Easter Eggs

I think the patterns are lovely, so don’t be upset if your eggs crack while dying them.

Second, I used a mashed ripe avocado in place of the mayonnaise. Lots of healthy fat rather than the other kind.

Easter Egg Salad

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1 ripe avocado
1 finely minced shallot
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Crisp toast
sliced sun-dried tomato in oil for garnish

Easter Egg Salad

Chop the eggs and combine with the mashed avocado, soy sauce, minced shallot, and salt and pepper to taste.
Spread on crisp toast, buttered if you want.
Garnish with sun-dried tomatoes.

Easter Egg Salad

This post is dedicated to the ladies in my freshman home economics class at Gulf High School in Florida. I recently returned from a “significant” class reunion where we were reminiscing about old times and laughing at our antics as young women. Eggs a La Goldenrod was one of the first things we learned to make in “home ec”. It was popular in home economics classes in the 60’s. In hindsight, it taught several useful basic techniques such as making toast, a basic white sauce, and hard boiling eggs. A perfectly boiled egg without that greenish ring around the yolk is a skill. Over boiled eggs are smelly and indigestible. See my note at the end for a perfectly cooked hard boiled egg.

Times have changed and home economics (as well as shop for boys) has gone the way of the dinosaurs, but Eggs a La Goldenrod remains. This recipe first appeared in a Betty Crocker cookbook during the 50’s. This is a perfect answer to “What do we do with all those colored hard boiled eggs?” left from Easter egg hunts.

Eggs a La Goldenrod

Eggs a La Goldenrod

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon of truffle oil (optional and not part of the original recipe)
6 slices of hearty bread, toasted and buttered
chopped chives for garnish (optional and also not part of the original)

In a saucepan melt the butter, add the flour and stir until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
Add the milk, stirring with a whisk the entire time to prevent lumps. Cook over low heat until the mixture starts to thicken. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
Add the optional teaspoon of truffle oil. Set aside.
Separate the eggs whites from the yolk. Chop the whites and add them to the white sauce.
Arrange the buttered toasted bread on a plate and pour the sauce over it.
Grate the egg yolks over the sauce. Garnish with chives
Add additional salt and pepper as needed.
Serve warm.

Eggs a La Goldenrod

Note on cooking hard boiled eggs:

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by at least an inch.
Bring the eggs and water to a rapid boil, then cover the pan and turn off the heat. Leave the pan on the burner. If you have a gas stove, turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting and leave for 1 minute before turning off the heat.
Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 12 minutes.
Drain and run cool water over the eggs.
Peel when cool. Slightly older eggs are often easier to peel.