Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
12 eggs, hard boiled
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. mustard, yellow or Dijon
dash of salt and black pepper
dash of celery salt
dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)
paprika or Cajun seasoning for garnish
Directions:
Place eggs in enough water to cover them. Add a tsp. of vinegar and a dash of salt and they will peel much easier. Also, if you can, don’t use really fresh eggs that you just bought. They are much harder to peel than eggs you have had in the fridge for a few days. Bring to a boil and boil for just a minute with cover on pan. Turn heat off and let sit for about 12 to 15 minutes in the hot water. Run under a couple changes of cold water and peel. They will peel much easier.
With a sharp knife cut down the center lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a bowl. Mash with a fork. Add the other ingredients and stir together until smooth. You can fill them with a spoon or put the filling in a piping bag and pipe it in for a very pretty presentation. Sprinkle with just a little paprika or I like to sprinkle with just a bit of Cajun seasoning which gives them a little more spiciness.
Another optional seasoning that I sometimes use for variety is to add 2 tsp. of dry ranch dressing mix. It gives the eggs a really good flavor.