Lifestyle

There’s arguably no better way to start a festive gathering than with deviled eggs.

“I grew up eating deviled eggs for special occasions and have always loved them. I also have a love of a good pimento cheese and thought why not combine the two,” Jennifer Hill Booker, a chef and cookbook author of Lilburn, Georgia, told Fox News. 

“What I ended up with is an amazing treat that’s perfect for family get-togethers, appetizers for dinner with friends, and a delicious addition to all your future tailgating parties,” she added.

For this recipe, Booker suggests boiling and peeling your eggs and making the pimento cheese, which uses some of the boiled egg yolks, the day before the big event. “This pre-prep allows you to fill the deviled eggs with your pimento cheese right before [serving them],” she adds. 

2-INGREDIENT JALAPENO CHEDDAR CRISPS: RECIPE

Another smart tip? “Use a cooling rack to push the boiled egg yolks through. This saves time on chopping the eggs and is easy to clean up.”

Chef Jennifer Hill Booker’s Pimento Cheese Stuffed Deviled Eggs

Makes about 24 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes 

Cook Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

For deviled eggs

2 dozen eggs

1½ cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup hickory smoked bacon, cooked and cut into 1/4 pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup onion, minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

One 4-ounce jar diced pimentos, drained

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

SMOKED HICKORY MEATBALL SKEWERS WITH MOZZARELLA FOR FOOTBALL SEASON

For garnish

1/4 cup cooked hickory smoked bacon, crumbled

4 scallions, green and white parts, chopped

24 fried popcorn shrimp, chopped (Booker uses SeaPak)

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, place eggs in a single layer and cover with enough water to cover the eggs with 1½ inches of water above the eggs.

2. Heat, uncovered, over medium high heat until water begins to boil; cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave, covered, for 14 minutes, then rinse under cold running water for 1 minute.

4. Remove the eggs from the water, gently crack the eggshells and carefully peel under cool running water. Blot the eggs dry with paper towels.

5. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Place half of the yolks into a large bowl and all the whites on a large serving platter. Save the remaining yolks for another use.

6. Mash the egg yolks into a fine crumble using the back of a dinner fork or use a cooling rack as described above.

7. Add cheddar, ½ cup bacon, cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, garlic, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper and using a rubber spatula mix until well combined. (You can also make the filling in the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment.)

8. Season to taste, with salt and black pepper.

9. Using a spoon or piping bag, evenly divide the deviled egg mixture into the egg whites.

10. Garnish with crispy bacon, scallions and fried popcorn shrimp. Enjoy!

Booker’s first restaurant, Bauhaus Biergarten, is slated to open in spring of 2022 in Springdale, Arkansas.