The Republic from Columbus, Indiana • Page 49

wpiiym' mwh 'ir'-wtiii jmif0m'y Extra, Columbus, Wednesday, December 31, 2003 3 FARE GAME ss air toirdl to rM be." Blue Ribbon Cook Book Deviled Eggs This recipe appeared in the 1907 "Blue Ribbon Cook Book," by Annie R. Gregory, "assisted by one thousand homekeepers." Published in Chicago, the book was sold by various newspapers of the time. Cut in two, crosswise, one dozen hard-boiled eggs. Remove the yolks carefully, mash them very fine and season sparely with mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and a tablespoonful of melted butter. Chicken minced very finely may be added if desired.

Be sure that the mixture is sufficiently moist and that it is not lumpy. Fill the spaces in the whites of the eggs with the spiced yolks; smooth it even with top; sprinkle with chopped parsley; garnish with the same and serve cold. Excellent dish for picnic. (Jane Bradley) From 'The Blue Ribbon Cook Book" by Annie R. Gregory (L.

Walter 1907) Classic Deviled Eggs Yields 12 halves 6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed (see -Deviled egg 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard 12 teaspoon mild vinegar 2 tablespoons sweet-pickle relish Salt arid freshly ground pepper to taste. Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika or a dab of relish. By Amy Culbertson Knight Ridder Newspapers FORT WORTH, Texas A deviled egg is a party in itself. It's guaranteed.

Place a platter of homemade deviled eggs on the table at a party and watch them disappear; not even shrimp will be gobbled up more quickly. Show up with a plate of them at a potluck and you're the belle of the buffet for sure. With retro-'50s cocktail parties and canapes the hottest thing in trendy entertaining and the low-carb Atkins and South Beach regimens wiping out eggs' nutritional stigma among dieters, deviled eggs' time has come. For entertaining, they're small, compact, portable, require only one hand and no utensils to eat, and leave nothing behind to be disposed of, which makes them perfect cocktail-party or buffet fare. Despite a reputation as a ladies' tea-party kind of savory, they take beautifully to lusty flavors like barbecue sauce, chipotle chiles and Cajun spices.

And those who think deviled eggs hopelessly passe might check out versions like the one with fresh tuna and black olives served on the appetizer menu of Boston's pan-Mediterranean restaurant Oleana. As for appearances, deviled eggs are the little black dress of canapes: They're attractive all by themselves, but they're endlessly accessorizable. They could practically be the poster child for "Garnishing for Dummies:" From a sprinkling of paprika to a feather of dill to a dab of caviar, deviled eggs dress up great. They're equally attractive on a trendy translucent square plate or on a cut-crystal antique deviled-egg platter. And come March, deviled eggs will even have their own cookbook, courtesy of Raleigh, N.C., food writer Debbie Moose.

Moose is certain deviled eggs are poised for a comeback, although she points out that people have never stopped liking them: "Maybe they just kind of went underground." Eggs were something of a mustard or cayenne. Turn-of-the-century recipes for "devilled eggs" including one in the 1907 "Blue Ribbon Cook Book" which was sold by newspapers generally included mustard as well as melted butter and vinegar. What most of us think of as traditional deviled eggs use mayonnaise as the main moistening agent, though many cooks hereabouts fall into the Miracle Whip camp. Some cooks (myself included) think homemade mayonnaise makes a noticeably better deviled egg than even good store-bought. But "Deviled Eggs" author Moose says she can't discern the difference even among regular, reduced-fat and fat-free mayo, "once you get it in there with everything else." But there are plenty of possibilities beyond mayonnaise, including sour cream, yogurt and bottled salad dressings of all varieties; I've seen recipes that call for brandy or other spirits, and Moose has a deviled eggs Benedict recipe that uses a variation on hollandaise sauce.

Finely chopped green onion is a popular ingredient in deviled-egg recipes, but with recent hepatitis outbreaks having raised concerns about bacteria-bearing uncooked green onions, shallots make a good substitute, or you can use chives or very finely chopped sweet onion. The best thing about deviled eggs, perhaps, is their endless flexibility. For her book, Moose even developed three dessert recipes, including chocolate mousse deviled eggs. The recipes I've gathered here barely begin to tap the versatility of deviled eggs. Proportions aren't really important you may like yours creamier or stiffer, more tart or less spicy, so start with a small amount of each ingredient and taste as you go along.

You should feel free to substitute whatever suits your fancy; part of the fun of deviled eggs is the freedom to tweak and tinker, experiment and customize. "The beauty about the deviled egg," says Moose, "is that you can make it however you prefer it to nutritional no-no for years, with their reputation as artery doggers, until subsequent cholesterol research absolved them of much of their bad-guy status. Then came the current low-carb mania, which has moved the high-protein egg from many dieters' hit lists to their hot lists. Reflecting the ramped-up demand, recent egg prices have climbed to 20-year highs. The jury's still out on the low-carb diets, but when it comes to deviled eggs, you won't find any disagreement on one thing: They are universally loved.

"People snarf them right up," says Moose, whose "Deviled Eggs" cookbook will be published by the Harvard Common Press in March "Everybody likes them," says Mike Smith, owner of the Paris Coffee Shop, one of Fort Worth's beloved home-cooking institutions. Deviled eggs aren't on his restaurant menu, but he does make them for catering customers, and "they love them." Part of the appeal of deviled eggs is undoubtedly their status as that rare dish that seems festive and comforting at the same time. Southerners, particularly, associate them with celebrations, parties and holidays; for Paris Coffee Shop's Smith, they were a traditional appetizer for holiday meals. "Every time my mother had a party, she had deviled eggs," says Francis Ann Rodgers, who is known in Fort Worth circles for the deviled eggs she makes for parties and other occasions and who still models her eggs and the pickles that go into them after her mother's recipes. Though deviled eggs may seem a quintessentially American dish, we can trace their ancestry as far back as the 15th century.

Recipes for hard-cooked eggs stuffed with raisins, cheese and herbs can be found in medieval European texts. The term "deviled" didn't appear until several centuries later; it refers to any dish made spicy with seasonings such as to taste Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish each with a pecan half. Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs Yields 12 halves 6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sour cream 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill 3 tablespoons finely minced smoked salmon, packed Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish with a sliver of smoked salmon and a tiny sprig of dill.

Herbed Deviled Eggs Yields 12 halves 6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard 1 teaspoon lemon juice 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (see note below) Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish with a leaf of one of the herbs. Note: Tarragon, chives and parsley are the herbs of choice here; a combination of the three works well, but you may use just one or two if you prefer. Deviled Eggs With Shrimp Yields 12 halves 6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon sour cream 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 teaspoons capers, finely chopped 2 teaspoons fresh dill, finely chopped 6 medium to large cooked, shelled, deveined shrimp, chopped-fine Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish with a sprig of dill andor the tails from the shrimp.

More Variations: All these use mayonnaise. Texas barbecue deviled eggs: Mesquite-flavored barbecue sauce (or other store-bought barbecue sauce, as long as it's not a sweet one), grainy mustard, hot sauce, garnished with a jalapeno slice. Curried deviled eggs, with curry, chopped chutney, sour cream, lemon juice. Cajun deviled eggs, with finely chopped tasso ham, cayenne, spicy mustard and chives. Southwestern deviled eggs, with chopped chipotle chiles, adobo sauce and ancho chile powder.

Pico de gallo deviled eggs, with pico de gallo and lime juice. Pesto deviled eggs, with prepared or homemade pesto. Mediterranean deviled eggs, with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh rosemary. Southern deviled eggs, with pimento, bacon, chives and mustard. Caviar-topped deviled eggs, with sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest andfinely chopped red onion, garnished with lemon zest and caviar or salmon roe.

English deviled eggs, with Colman's mustard powder and anchovy paste or HP Sauce, garnished with a sliver of anchovy fillet. Spanish deviled eggs, with minced roasted red pepper and finely chopped almonds. Caesar salad deviled eggs, with finely grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice, garnished with a little chopped romaine lettuce. Ham-on-rye deviled eggs, with chopped ham, grainy mustard and caraway seeds. Worcestershire-Pecan Deviled Eggs Yields 12 halves 6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard 1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion or shallots 2 tablespoons chopped pecans Salt and freshly ground pepper TDne tiriclk to dpfclk CmsttoMnze dislnes with Pork aimdl Piet Beams By Janet Keeler St.

Petersburg Times The beauty of quick breads is as simple as the name. Quick breads don't need muscle-cramping kneading or hours in a warm, draft-free place so the yeast can do its thing. Banana bread batter can be slapped together and in the for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans; discard liquid. Place roast in a 5-qt.

slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery, water, chilies, chili powder, garlic, cumin, oregano and pepper. Pour over roast. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 hours longer or until beans are tender.

Remove meat; shred with two forks and return to slow cooker. With a slotted spoon, serve meat mixture over corn chips or in tortillas; serve with toppings of your choice, Yield: 1 0 servings. 5 medium carrots, chopped 4 celery ribs, chopped 1 12 cups water 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies 2 tablespoons chili powder 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano Dash pepper 2 packages (10-12 ounces each) corn tortilla chips or 30 flour tortillas (9 inches) Chopped green onions, sliced ripe chopped tomatoes, shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream andor shredded lettuce Place beans in a saucepan; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand Plug in your slow cooker to prepare Pork and Pinto Beans, which makes a great filling for tacos.

"I first tasted this dish at an office potluck, and now I serve it often when company comes," says Darlene Markel of Salem, Oregon. "I set out an array of toppings and let everyone fix their own taco or taco salad." This savory slow-cooked recipe appeared in a recent issue of Taste of Home. Pork and Pinto Beans 1 pound dried pinto beans 1 boneless pork loin roast (3 to 4 pounds), halved 1 can (14-12 ounces) stewed tomatoes 77 and batters in the order specified in the instructions. Wet ingredients are beaten or whisked together separately from the flour, leavening agents and spices to add volume. The air beaten into the mixture doubles the volume and makes it thick and creamy.

Dry ingredients should be incorporated into wet quickly so the gluteal in the flour is not developed. This is desirable in yeast breads, but unwelcome in quick breads because the sinewy gluten makes them tough and chewy. If a quick bread recipe calls for baking powder, let the batter or dough rest for 20 minutes at room temperature before baking. A quick bread loaf is done when the top looks firm and dry, and the edges have pulled slightly away from'the pan. A cake tester put into the middle should come out dry.

Muffins and scones also will look dry on top when they are done. Loaves will taste better if allowed to sit overnight, but scones, muffins and biscuits almost always are best eaten on Day 1 (unless they are cooled and frozen). Smaller baked goods go stale quickly. All can be frozen for up to a month in airtight containers or wrapped in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Some bakers prefer cake flour to all-purpose because it's lighter, but that's not always easy to find.

I had better luck on my second go-around when I played by the rules. I gave up my dream of asiago-olive bread for bacon and Gruyere muffins, actually following the directions to the letter. Amazing how easy, and delicious, these muffins are. Eat them with salads, omelets or soups. Then I tackled a zucchini pineapple bread, keeping in mind Al Davis' idea to include nutritious ingredients.

Again, good recipe, good results. Quick breads, for sure. And this timer yummy, too jumm t- -f But no. The next attempt was less ambitious, but it had more promise. In a recipe for papaya-macadamia nut bread, I substituted mangoes.

I'd done this in other quick bread recipes with success. Problem is that the late-season mangoes were almost too ripe for anything but smoothies. I added lots of mango juice, but not enough pulp. The bread lacked flavor and the additional liquid made it appear soggy and undercooked. I also made one more quick bread baking boo-boo.

I failed to cut what firm mango flesh there was into small pieces and the chunks sank to the bottom of the pan in a gooey mess. Keep ingredients in small pieces. Herbs, crisp bacon and even shredded" cheese should be fine enough so that they will incorporate evenly, buoyed by the batter or dough. (By the way, batter can be poured, dough is thicker.) To avoid quick bread pitfalls, follow a recipe until you really understand it. (Again, do as I say, not as I do.) Then begin to substitute ingredients that are similar types.

Pecans for walnuts; one extract for another; dried apricots for dried pineapple; amaretto for Grand Marnier, etc. In short, know your ingredients and use the best you can afford. Al Davis of Largo, has a banana bread recipe he could make in his sleep. Davis and his wife, Barbara, have over the years baked thousands of banana bread loaves and sent them to U.S. military personnel overseas.

They started their effort during the Persian Gulf War and selected banana bread for the potassium in the fruit and the protein in the walnuts, Davis says. Davis is a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. "We make it just like we're making it for our families," he says. He advises buying whole nuts and chop them yourself for maximum flavor, he says.

It's important mix doughs AH c- oven in no time. The same is true for all manner of muffins and even scones, once you get the hang of them. And, quick breads, especially loaves and muffins, can be made ahead and frozen. Pull them out for family breakfasts or even as gifts when you need to show appreciation fast. While seemingly the easiest thing to bake, quick breads, defined as breads that are not yeasted, present some problems.

Who hasn't made a loaf that's too dense, dry or tough? Or muffins that fall apart at just a light schmear of butter? To make a moist, tasty quick bread, you've got to follow some rules. Hopefully, the following tips will help you avoid some of my disasters. I've written many times, and you've read and heard from other sources, that baking is an exact science. The ratio of wet to dry ingredients is crucial to the outcome. Well, do as I say, not as I do.

I made two disastrous quick breads recently because I substituted ingredients that threw off the ratio. In one case, I tried to turn a sweet olive oil quick bread into a savory asiago, rosemary and black olive bread. Chopped cured black olives replaced raisins; minced rosemary stood in for lemon zest. A cup of sugar was eliminated but a few tablespoons of butter were added along with a cup or so of shredded asiago cheese. It smelled heavenly.

It went into the garbage can. Dry. Dense. Tough. Yuck.

I overmixed the batter, plus there wasn't enough liquid. Remember, sugar melts when heated, adding moisture without density, and I'd eliminated an entire cup. I thought the cheesewould help. tf Taste of Home Mix and matcrr toppings ta create origins! dishes with Pork and Pinto Beans..