Journey Into Deliciousness

Deviled Eggs

Grade: A

Time it takes: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Yield: 48 deviled eggs

Source: I cannot remember. I have had this recipe for a few years; if I had to guess I would say it probably came from somewhere on foodnetwork.com.

I really do not need much of an excuse to have a dinner party. So, when I found out there was such a thing as Thanksgiving-Canadian style I was definitely ready to pop a turkey in the oven. Canadian Thanksgiving was on October 10th this year, so Chris and I hosted a little get together and cooked up a storm all day.

I love deviled eggs on holidays. You need to make them ahead of time in order for the eggs to have time to get nice and cold, so they are perfect snacks in between peeling potatoes and brushing butter on the turkey. Desserts usually get made ahead of time too, but a forkful of pumpkin pie missing is definitely going to be noticed.

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Mini Twice Baked Potatoes

Grade: A

Time it takes: 1 hour and 25 minutes (45 minutes prep, 40 minutes cooking)

Yield: About 35

Source: Pennies on a Platter - a food blog (Mini Twice Baked Potatoes)

I actually made these to go along with my BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches. They were seriously good! Whenever I ask what kind of potato side Chris wants for dinner, he usually says twice baked potatoes. And, I am pretty sure I've only made them a few times because I am a bad wife. Before I started this blog I didn't really research recipes, if I didn't know how to make it then it was a pretty good assumption that I wasn't going to make it. Twice baked potatoes were something I only sort of knew the idea behind, but I didn't really know how to make them super yummy. When I saw this recipe while I was reading through Pennies on a Platter's archives, I was like I better save this one for Chris! It didn't stay too long in the favourites folder either when I realized I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

When I read through the directions, I had absolutely no idea what a steam insert was. Actually I think the image in my head was a pasta strainer when I first read it. And, no it  is nothing like that. It is this little flowered metal thing on legs with holes in it! Put a little water in the bottom of a pot, plop the flowered metal thing in the bottom, get some boiling action, and then plop potatoes on top! Easy, no problems. I am so pro at this cooking thing now...

These were not at all hard to make. And, they have such a cute presentation you could bring them with you to a party for an appetizer or a fun side at a cook out. Also, delicious. They were a big hit around these parts. Hot, pototoe-y, cheesy, and bite-sized ... how could you go wrong?

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Queso Blanco Dip

Grade: B

Time it takes: 25 minutes (10 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking)

Yield: about 2 cups

Source: Annie's Eats - a food blog (Queso Blanco Dip)

Queso dip is pretty much the best thing ever. I love cheese. I love melted cheese. And, dipping things in melted cheese...seriously delicious.

I think that this dip is really very good. As a matter of fact it was gone in under 24 hours. But, I think it needs a bit more oomph in the spice department. It had just a hint of warmth to it. Perhaps if the jalapeno wasn't completely seeded. I'm no expert at jalapeno peppers, but I know the seeds add heat! I just couldn't say how much heat 1 whole jalapeno pepper with seeds would bring to the table. The next time I make this I will play around with how many seeds to add - half? I'll get back to you!

***edited*** I made this dip again and I used the whole jalapeno seeds and all, and it was really good. Had a much better bite to it that way, but it wasn't too hot for my tastes. I'm not sure why you would seed the jalapeno at all because keeping the seeds in really didn't make it all that hot. It was definitely a mild gooey cheesy dip!

I also decided to make this without getting out all my ingredients and completely prepping ahead of time like I normally do. I was stirring the cheese and chopping up things and shredding more cheese. It got a little chaotic. So, save yourself the trouble and just chop up everything before hand - a little advice from me to you.

The next time you are feeling like Mexican for dinner, whip this up for an appetizer and make sure to take plenty of trips to the table for seconds.

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Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Grade: A

Time it takes: 35 minutes (10 minute prep, 25 minutes baking)

Yield: Serves 10

Source: recipe from Pennies on a Platter - a food blog

My uncle was in town for his birthday. So, I wanted to have a family birthday dinner while he was here. I finally decided on an Italian menu, and this was the appetizer. It looked delicious, it smelled fantastic, and it tasted scrumptious. It came out of the oven and I set it on the table and then continued on with prepping and cooking the rest of the meal, but I couldn't resist several trips to the table for a toasted baguette full of dip.

I got this recipe from Pennies on a Platter based off the Olive Garden recipe, so now I don't have to go out to eat it! Now I just need to master an alfredo sauce recipe.

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Scotch Egg

Grade: B

Time it takes: 1 hour and 35 minutes, plus overnight (40 minutes prep, 55 minutes cooking)

Yield: 8 Scotch eggs

Source: inspired by Rose & Crown Pub at Epcot, recipe from allrecipes.com

When Chris and I went to Epcot after we got married with our friends, we ate at the Rose & Crown Pub in the United Kingdom pavilion. Somebody at the table ordered a Scotch Egg for an appetizer. We tried a bite and it was pretty amazing. Before I found a recipe, I was pretty baffled as to how it was even cooked...it is an egg wrapped in sausage, how do they even DO that?! Magical fairies and trolls perhaps.

My friend Atty thought it would be fun to join up and host a themed dinner party - and British night was decided on. So, I decided to make Scotch eggs and Shepherd's Pie (recipe to follow) as my contribution. We also had beer fondue, poutine, carrots and English trifle - it took us 7 hours to eat our way through it all!

I enjoyed the Scotch eggs. They were not as hard to make as I thought they would be, always a nice surprise. It was mentioned somewhere over at allrecipes.com that their family makes Scotch eggs as a Christmas morning tradition, and I think I might have to adopt that because they would be the perfect addition to Christmas breakfast. The only thing I need to add to the recipe is something to dip them in that isn't mustard, because mustard is not my thing.

*Update: I whipped up a few more scotch eggs because I forgot to take a finished picture of the first batch. So, I tried one with ketchup, mayonnaise mixed with mustard, and maple syrup. The ketchup was pretty gross, and I definitely dislike mustard even with mayonnaise, but the maple syrup was a good dip. I bet if I actually liked mustard though that that would be the way to go, because it goes with both the sausage and the hard boiled egg. The hard boiled egg with maple syrup was a bit odd.

I also hard boiled the eggs the same day. I put them in an ice water bath after they were done cooking, peeled what I needed and then placed the eggs back in the ice water for a few minutes. It worked just fine if you don't want to hard boil the eggs in advance or get a spur of the moment Scotch egg craving.

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