RECIPE: WICKED DEVILED EGGS

I like these spicy deviled eggs for a BBQ; they really stand up to the bold flavors! Take my classic deviled egg recipe and add spicy Wickles Pickle Relish in place of the sweet relish. Sub Dijon for the yellow mustard and some hot sauce for an extra kick!

WICKED DEVILED EGGS

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 45 minutes including 17 minutes for the hard-boiled eggs

INGREDIENTS

12 hard-boiled eggs (get the how-to)

5 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dry mustard (like Coleman's)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/2 tablespoon Sriracha

1 1/2 tablespoons Wickles brand spicy pickle relish (or add a couple of dashes Tabasco to your favorite sweet relish)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

Paprika for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Carefully cut the boiled eggs in half. Set the whites aside to stuff. Put the yolks into a glass bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mustard. I prefer a thicker consistency but add more or less mayo depending on the consistency you like. Use a fork to mash it all together until somewhat creamy; if there are some bits of egg peeking through, that's ok. Add the salt, pepper and relish. Check the seasoning. Combine well. Spoon the yolks into the egg whites or make a pastry bag from a plastic zip top bag. Spoon the mixture into the bag and push it into the corner and squeeze out the air. Snip the end and pipe nice little swirls onto your egg. I can do this so trust me, it's not hard. Chill until serving time, at least 1 hour.

GET THE HOW TO ON THE PERFECT HARD-BOILED EGG

PHOTO CREDIT: ARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

RECIPE: MINT SWEET TEA

I am not sure I can say anything about sweet tea that has not already been said... but on the chance you have no idea what it is... it is our life's blood in the South.

Well, just about. If you go to a restaurant here and order "tea" the waitress will respond: "sweet or unsweet" .... that meaning sweet tea or unsweetened tea. The "iced" part goes without saying. Everyone in the South has their favorite sweet tea. It might be your mama's, your aunt's, your Nana's, or a restaurant down the street. No matter who makes your favorite sweet tea, you will never forget it and on a hot summer day, you will just about do anything for it. I grew up making the tea at our house. Mom would tell me to put the water and sugar on to boil and then add the tea bags.

These days, I make my sweet tea a little differently, opting to make a simple syrup so guests can add a little or a lot to their own taste. In the Spring and Summer, when I have wild mint growing on the side of the yard, I always add mint to the simple syrup to make mint tea. Anyone who has tried it says it is their favorite and it is just so refreshing. Here's how I do it....

Summer in the South: Mint Sweet Tea with wild mint from the yard is a treat on a hot day!

MINT SWEET TEA

For a quart of tea you need a 1-quart tea bag and 4 cups cold water. Put the water in a pot or large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Drop in the tea bag. Let steep for 7 minutes. Discard the tea bag and let the tea cool completely.

For a "Double Mint" version- my niece Sarah likes this one- we add a few sprigs of mint to the hot tea so we flavor the tea and have mint in the syrup, too.

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP
(simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water)
1 cup sugar
1 cup cold water
25-30 mint leaves

DIRECTIONS:
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan over high heat. Stir it once and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir again, making sure the sugar is totally dissolved. Add the mint leaves. Allow to cool completely. Strain the simple syrup into a mason jar. Discard the leaves.

To make the tea, pour 1 quart of tea into a pitcher with 1/2 cup mint simple syrup. Stir. Serve over ice with a sprig of fresh mint.
FYI: I don't dilute the tea with water because it will be too weak when you serve it over ice.

The ratio is 8 parts tea :1 part simple syrup or to your own taste.
For 1 gallon of tea, add 2 cups simple syrup.

RECIPE: HOMEMADE VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

My mom used to make homemade ice cream for us all the time. There was just nothing like it and we’d all fight to get to lick the paddle. When I was really young, we had one of those churn kind. I used to think it would never freeze. When I got a little older, we graduated to an electric freezer but it did not make as much... a problem for an ice cream loving family of six. We would usually have both going at the same time so there was enough for everybody.

You can add fresh fruit to this recipe if you want but add it in right at the end after you spin the ice cream for best results.

MOM'S HOMEMADE VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

Skill Level: Easy  

Prep Time: 10 minutes   Cook Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups milk

2 cups whipping cream

1 vanilla bean

1 cup sugar

Pinch salt

10 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

 DIRECTIONS

Prepare an ice bath in a large heat-proof bowl.

Add the milk, cream, and the vanilla bean to a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat until little bubbles start to form around the edges but do not let it come to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand for 15 minutes to allow the vanilla bean to infuse the milk. Remove the vanilla bean.

In a medium bowl of your mixer using the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks with sugar and salt until they are thick and pale yellow. With the mixer on low, very slowly add a cup of the hot milk to the eggs to temper them, adding a little at a time. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk in the saucepan. Change to a wooden spoon. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens enough to coat back of the spoon. You will know it is done if you use your finger to draw a line down the back of the spoon and it holds. This will be around 160 degrees if you are using a thermometer. Do not let the mixture boil. (If it goes over 180 degrees F, it will likely curdle.)

Strain custard through fine-mesh sieve into large heat-proof bowl placed over the ice bath. Stir the custard until cooled. Split the vanilla bean pod and remove ½ of the seeds and put them into the custard. Stir in vanilla extract. Taste. Add additional salt or vanilla as desired. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled; up to 24 hours before freezing.

Freeze according to manufacturer instructions.