Egg Salad: Comfort Food

 

Growing up summer at the beach included egg salad sandwiches for lunch.  I have fond memories of Mom boiling eggs and turning them into deviled eggs and egg salad sandwiches.  She knew they were a favorite we shared.  Egg salad, chips and a coke and lunch was served.  I have so many fond memories of those lunches.  White sandy beaches, heat, heat, humidity and fun.

Although I never thought about it, the egg salad seemed to be seasonal.  The sandwiches would start appearing after Easter and end sometime after Labor Day.  These days I look forward to my egg salad at the Masters.  There is something about their version of the egg salad sandwich that takes me back to Mom’s.  I’ve  been trying to decode their recipe for years now.  Today as I mixed my egg salad for sandwiches on the beach, I finally came close!

 

 

One dozen eggs – hard boiled and dumped into an ice bath to make pealing easy.

Peel eggs, slice and mash

Add salt and pepper to taste

Mix in 1/4 of mayo to start, add additional as needed.  I used lite mayo,

Add a tablespoon of mustard.  I used Frenches

Spread on bread of your choice and enjoy!

The Incredible Egg, Southern Style

Summer to me is a gourmet paradise.  The farmer’s markets are laden with fresh vegetables, cheeses, fruits and other delicacies.  Tomatoes are my passion but there comes a time when you need something other than that ripe jucy tomato to eat.   Eggs here we come!  What is more southern than a deviled egg or an egg salad sandwich?  When I think of picnics, summer concerts or the beach, a deviled egg or an egg salad sandwich is the first thing that comes to mind.

Both recipes are super easy.  Boil your eggs until they are hard-boiled.  Pour off the hot water and immerse the eggs in an ice bath to make them easy to peel.  Then peal away the shell.

For deviled eggs,  slice in half and remove the yolks to a bowl.  Then mash the cooked yolks and add salt and pepper to taste.  Then add mustard and a bit of mayo also to taste. Stir together with a fork and then stuff each half of the white.  Top with a bit of paprika for a fancy occasion.

Egg salad is a derivative of this.  If you made deviled eggs for dinner and had too many, simply mash them with a fork and you have egg salad.  If you are starting from scratch, slice the boiled eggs into a bowl and then mask with a fork or a potato masher.  Add salt, pepper, mustard and mayo, then stir.  Serve the egg salad on white bread for that true southern flavor.

Summer is here!

I don’t believe that I’ve ever anticipated a summer as much as I anticipated this one.  Snow in April was my undoing.  I love all four seasons but I was ready for a spring that never quite seemed to arrive.  This made me long for summer and it is here!

Hot days, warm nights, long walks on the beach and visits with family and friends are all on my schedule for this summer.  The pace seems slower in the summer; time to enjoy life in a way I don’t seem to manage in the rest of the year.

I’m prepping for the summer.  Here is my checklist:

• Mani/Pedi in preparation for flip flops and shorts
• A case of new tennis balls as I plan to spend hours on the court.
• 50 sunscreen  –   I’m serious about sunscreen.  I go with 50 for most of the summer and titanium dioxide as an ingredient.  I love to spend time in the sun either walking, playing tennis, or spending time on the beach or at the pool but I don’t want to risk skin cancer so it is time to lather on the sun screen.
• Sisley Lavender body scrub for the shower.  Nothing like it to make you feel great post outing and make the bath smell wonderful.
• A visit to the bookstore and audible for beach reads.  Audio books are a must as it is a drive to the coast.
• Review beach gear – suits, hat, and bag to see if new additions or replacements are required.  
• Trip to the farmer’s market for fresh veggies!

What is on your summer prep checklist?