Recipe Review | Deviled Eggs

I thought it might be the perfect time to get this recipe posted. With Easter fast approaching, we will all soon find ourselves swimming in an abundance of hard-boiled eggs.  Here's a delicious solution: Make some deviled eggs!  Deviled eggs remind me of my childhood. My step-mom, Diana, made the best deviled eggs. We used to enjoy them all the time. Then I recall a vast absence of deviled eggs from our gatherings. It seems they must have gone out of fashion (along with Lipton Onion Soup dip served beside Ruffles--so sad!). I'm sure I went at least a decade, maybe two, without enjoying deviled eggs. Thankfully, they're back en vogue (along with Ruffles + Onion Dip--at least at my house).  There are lots of interesting variations to try. This one is simple and tasty.

Deviled Eggs

(modified from Virginia Willis' Bon Appetit Y'all)
PRINTABLE RECIPE

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What you need:

12 eggs, hard boiled, cooled, and peeled

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon chives, finely chopped (for garnish)

2-3 slices thick cut bacon, fried and cut into 1 inch pieces (maple is delicious)

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What to do:

1. Cut the eggs in half, lengthwise and separate the yolks into a medium sized bowl, reserve the whites on a serving tray or plate.
2. For the creamiest results, use a food processor to combine the yolks, mayo, butter, mustard, and seasonings. If you're not feeling super fussy, just use a fork to press and mix the yolks into a smoothish paste before adding the other ingredients and mixing well.
3. Place the yolk mixture into a piping bag with a star tip. (You can easily use a gallon-sized plastic food bag, cutting off the bottom corner tip.) Pipe the filling into the egg whites.
4. Garnish with fresh chives and a crispy piece of bacon.

I'd take these over Cadbury any day! What's your favorite variation?

~ Pin For Later ~

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Treasury | Thoughtful Things For Mom

What I love most on Mother's Day is to sleep in. I love to be woken up with kisses and coffee. Nothing beats a hand-made card from my kids. (Now that they're a bit older, I love it when they include a letter.) I like to have a part of the day set aside for a family walk or bike ride. I like to have a casual lunch out. I like for my husband to make dinner. AND I also like a thoughtful token or gift. :)

If your wife or mother has not been dropping any hints and you'd like to surprise her with something more personal than a gift card or grocery store bouquet (Nothing wrong with grocery store flowers--y'all know how I love my "growers bunches."), then here's a simple list to get you started and possibly spark some of your own creative ideas. 

Mother's Day is exactly one month away. It is definitely time to start thinking about how you'll celebrate the moms in your life.

• From Eagle Rowe, a Hand Forged Chevron Necklace ($23 + $5) ~ This can be inscribed on the back. And the seller is offering a 10% discount. Allow 5-10 business days for delivery. 

• From Copperpot Traditions, a Breakfast Gift Assortment ($35) ~ Present her with this beautifully packaged box of goodies and then offer to bake the scones while she sips her morning coffee. 

• From Jesse McCann, this Hand Stamped Latitude and Longitude Necklace in sterling silver ($33) ~ I have this necklace and I love it. I chose the coordinates of the city where I met and married my husband and where we started our family. Be sure to ask about delivery time in order to get it by Mother's Day. 
  
• These fun necklaces from Shiloh Valley Designs come in lots of colors and styles ($23) ~ Don't be tied down to a traditional monogram style, consider using your children's initials with Mom's. For example, mine might read: GTP. Allow 1-2 weeks for delivery. 
  
• Monogrammed Suede Boho Bag from Mark and Graham ($129) ~ Standard delivery in 6-8 business days. And free shipping (for the time being using code: TOTES). 
  
  
  
• A Bird Ceramic Vase full of flowers would be lovely. Here's a beautifully crafted one from Whitney Smith ($40-$44) ~ Allow 3-14 business days for custom piece delivery. 
• You could have that vase filled for $40/month (free shipping) if you signed her up for The Bouqs, a subscription flower delivery program. You choose the style and size bouquets you'd like to gift. The more months (or deliveries) you gift, the higher your savings. For example, once a month for 6-12 months is 20% off, making each delivery $32.

  

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• Personalized stationery is nice too! ~ Allow 3-10 days for shipping on custom creations. 

 ~Thoughtful and Personalized Gifts to Help Your Kids Make for Mom ~

• picture frame
• plate or platter (or use a coffee mug) 
• "A Book About My Mom" 
• garden stone 
• Jar of "I Love Yous" (simple, more elaborate)
• Coupons for fun activities, help around the house, kisses, etcetera
• herb garden or terrarium

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Things I Love Thursday // 4.10.13

• Spring ~ It's blooming all over the yard. Back in December we landscaped the front flower beds and the beds at the sides of the house. Of course back then, most everything was dormant. Now our big hornbeams are waking up for the season and there are buds all over the hydrangeas. The little red maple has popped and things are sprouting up all over. I look forward to showing you how it's all come together. [Updated: Landscape Post]
  
  
• The "Waterlogue" app I recently installed on my iPhone ~ I'm addicted. I've been playing around with this for days now and I LOVE it.  
  
  
• These Blayne sandals from Banana Republic that I have not managed to talk myself into yet 
• Rosy soccer cheeks 
  
• This article, "30 Totally Rotten Things Parents Do That Are Ruining Their Kids' Lives" is great for a giggle.
• My new Target Lakitia sandals in gold ~ Which were easy to talk myself into because of the great price tag. These go with everything and they are really comfortable. The soles are thin so I wouldn't recommend them for long walks but for errands, a backyard bbq, or lunch out with girlfriends, they're great! 
  
• NARS tinted moisturizer ~ This has been my go-to base for a few months now. I love that it's light, I've found a tone (St. Moritz) that matches my own skin tone really well (kind of yellowy), and the SPF is decent too. 
• The girls' "made with nature" art installments that I randomly find throughout our yard 
  
• The absurdity of the Guess "sexy overall" campaign ~ Really?! I don't get it. However, I love it because whenever I happen upon one of these "sexy overall" images I get a great big chuckle--and who doesn't love a good laugh? 

  

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• Playing QuizUp ~ But I haven't yet figured out how to play against people I know. Any help here? What are your favorite categories?

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Getting Crafty | A Birthday Terrarium for Daddy

The little Jonesies decided that for his birthday, they wanted to make their dad a terrarium for his office. Terrariums are all the rage these days so I thought it would be no problem gathering the supplies we needed to put something together. In fact, I assumed I could find an easy kit that contained all the essential "ingredients." HA!

After finding the BEST online tutorials (there are 7 in this thorough series), I knew what we needed; the trick was in finding all the necessary elements. I had a little driving around to do. The gravel and charcoal were acquired from the pet store (fish department). The jar, pebbles, and rocks came from Michaels craft store. The moisture loving, compatible micro-plants came from the nursery. I found (way too much of) the horticultural fabric at Home Depot. And to avoid having to purchase a huge bag, the small amount of potting soil needed was gifted from our gardener neighbor, Miss Amy.

 I'm not going to go through all the steps because I know I won't do a better job than you can find over at the tutorials. But here is our process in pictures. The girls were very involved and we had a lot of fun getting our hands dirty for daddy.

He LOVED it!

We were sad to see it leave the kitchen table and have immediate plans to make another (with all our leftover supplies) to keep at home.

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