Special Request-Erica's Deviled Eggs

I had a little email tonight in my inbox from my friend E in Maryland asking for my most recent deviled eggs recipe. Wow...I've never had a request before!

I actually don't make deviled eggs from a recipe. I learned to make them from my mother and it's probably the only thing that I don't have to read a recipe for to make. And they are pretty darn good. I actually made them for my wedding rehearsal dinner as an appetizer...I made about sixty and every one of them was eaten.

If anyone would like to see a recipe for the version of whatever it is you are looking for, please post and let me know...I am ALWAYS up for a challenge and for ideas!

Erica's Deviled Eggs

Place a dozen large eggs in a stockpot and cover with water until the water level is one inch above the eggs. Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil. Boil eggs for twelve minutes. Immediately after removing from the heat, place pot in the sink and run cold water in it until eggs are cool enough to handle. Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water and let sit for at least fifteen to twenty minutes. (This process will avoid the green slime that the sulphur creates between the yolk and the white.) Peel eggs and cut each egg in half. Place egg halves on a tray or a deviled egg plate and put yolk pieces into a mixing bowl. Mash with a fork until yolks are evenly crumbed and soft. Start the seasoning with a two spoonsful of mayonnaise and a spoonful of yellow prepared mustard. (Any mustard will work fine, even Dijjonnaise.) Add a healthy shake of each of the following ingredients:

red paprika
garlic powder
garlic salt
onion powder
dried chives
dried parsley
dried dill
kosher salt
black pepper
Tabasco

Mix by hand or with an electric mixer until mixture is creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Usually I find that I have to add more mayonnaise, salt and Tabasco. Once mixture is just right, spoon teaspoonsful into each egg half. The final touch is to sprinkle more paprika all over the tops of the eggs and to garnish the plate or tray with fresh parsley.

What I like about this dish: They are SERIOUSLY good, everyone loves them and to me, they say holiday dinners as I rarely ever serve a holiday dinner without them.
What I don't like about this dish: They don't refrigerate very well, so I recommend that you make just enough for the guests that you are serving and make sure that they are all eaten.
Cool kitchen gadgets used: I have two deviled egg plates since I serve this dish quite often...one is a white porcelain dish in the shape of an egg and one is a cut crystal dish that doesn't accomodate more than a dozen. But I love both.
Tastiness factor: I find that the Tabasco sauce really adds a special kick. I actually started adding pepper sauce to my eggs several years ago after making a spinach and artichoke dip that called for a dash of Tabasco and discovering how wonderful Tabasco is when added in small quantities.

Tip from me: Store Tabasco in the refrigerator to preserve and prolong the sharp flavor and the beautiful red color. It is okay to store it in the cabinet, but the sauce may lose some of its flavor and the color may fade to orange.

E, enjoy the eggs...hope you like them! They are the same ones that I served the night before my wedding!