Egg Salad Sandwiches and the Perfectly Hard-Boiled Egg

Summertime in Nashville is always an amazing time of year. Who am I kidding? Every time of year is amazing here.

It's starting to really warm up outside, and there's nothing like a nice, cool lunch to keep you going.



Egg Salad Sandwichs are just one of those things you have to make your own. Put what you like in it. Me? I like homemade bread and butter pickles from a lady that graciously gave me some a few weeks ago!

Many people like to put peppers and onions, and sun-dried tomatoes... the sky is the limit, but for me, I like to keep it simple with good quality mayo, pickles, salt, and pepper... that simple.

First, I have to tell you how to hard-boil the perfect egg. You may laugh, but a lot of people don't know this, and I found out first hand that I had been doing it wrong the whole time. A good sign you're over-boiling your eggs is when you see a green outer coating of the yolk. I thought that's just what happened. Now that I know exactly how it's done, the eggs are perfect. Creamy, yet still firm.

Here's how to do it:

1. In a medium saucepan, place your eggs in, and put enough cold water in the pan to cover the tops of the eggs. (Cold water because we want a gradual increase of temperature).

2. Over high heat, bring the pan to a roaring boil. Once you've obtained a roaring boil, turn off the heat.

3. Let the eggs sit for twelve minutes in the saucepan with a covered lid.

4. After twelve minutes, drain the water, and add cold water to begin bringing the eggs back down to room temperature. (I usually drain and add more water every few minutes to speed up the process).

5. After the eggs reach room temperature, you're done! Peel and eat!... or in my case, make egg salad.



Let me tell you a little story. When I was young, I spent many summers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with my grandparents, and one of my favorite childhood memories is when my grandfather used to take my cousin and I crabbing. See... seafood is in my blood. My grandfather used to have a shrimping boat back before my time. That's what our family did, so needless to say, it's no wonder why I love seafood so much.

Anyway, he'd take us crabbing, but every morning before we left, my Granny would make us egg sandwiches. Plain and simple white bread with scrambled eggs and mayo. Since then, every time I eat egg salad, it carries me right back to my childhood.



I love these Egg Salad Sandwiches on whole wheat bread. It's a summer meal that cools you down and fills you up!

I hope you like it!

Egg Salad Sandwiches

4 eggs, hard boiled

2 tablespoons Blue Plate Mayonnaise (if Blue Plate isn't available, feel free to substitute)

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

bread and butter pickles, to taste

pinch of salt and pepper


Mash eggs with a fork in a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Today is Dudes Cook Too's one year birthday! I can't believe it's been a year! When I started this blog, I had no idea the following I would get in just one year. I honestly have people visiting this blog on a regular basis from countries I've never heard of. It's humbling, and I'm very blessed to have seen the success this blog has had. I've also enjoyed getting to know other food bloggers as well. This blog has changed so much of my life, and we've loved every minute of it.

It's not the making of the food that's so enjoyable... it's seeing so many people love it and enjoy it. That's what makes it worth while. Thank you all!

For Dudes Cook Too's birthday, I decided to make cupcakes. I have to be honest. I hate making cupcakes. I like eating cupcakes (several at a time), but I'm not a fan of actually making them. It's tedious. I'd much rather make a two-layer cake and slather icing all over it and be done. Please don't tell anyone, though. Food bloggers are supposed to enjoy making cupcakes.



These cupcakes are dressed to impress. It's a vanilla bean cake with a strawberry whipped cream filling topped with a chocolate buttercream frosting.

ahhhh.

When you start with butter and sugar, you know it's going to be good. These cupcakes are light, yet rich, and the strawberry whipped cream filling adds a wow factor that can't be ignored.



I hope you like it!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
*(cupcakes and frosting from Joy the Baker)

*makes 24 cupcakes

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together milk, vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This may take 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well incorporated.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. If the batter begins to looks a bit curdled, that’s alright.

with the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the vanilla milk mixture in three batches, starting and ending with the flour. When the batter is almost combined, stop the mixer and finish mixing the batter with a spatula, making sure that any flour bits at the bottom of the bowl are well incorporated.

Divide into the lined cupcake pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Ovaltine

Cream together butter, cocoa powder and salt. Butter mixture will be very thick. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar. Turn mixer on low and mix in powdered sugar while adding milk and vanilla extract. As the sugar incorporates, raise the speed of the mixer to beat the frosting. Beat until smooth. In a 1-cup measuring glass, stir together heavy cream and Ovaltine. Turn mixer speed to medium and pour cream mixture into frosting in a slow, steady stream, until you’ve reached your desired consistency. You may not need the full amount of Ovaltine and cream. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.

For the Filling:

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 heaping tablespoons strawberry glaze

As soon as you remove the cupcakes from the oven, while they are still hot, press a hole center of the cupcake making room for the filling. Next, let the cupcakes cool completely. Then, pipe the strawberry whipped cream into the cupcake just until it reaches the top.

Then, frost your cupcakes.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Many of you may not know this, but Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread was the very first post I made on this blog on June 22 of last year. Since Dudes Cook Too is turning one year old Friday, I thought it would be interesting to reinvent this recipe.

This time, I made a whole wheat version that is so moist and delicious, it'll make you weak in the knees!



You start out with a biscuit-like dough, cut it in half, and then roll it out flat on a cutting board.



Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top, and cut into squares. The squares don't have to be perfect... that's the beauty of it! It's rugged!



And to top it all off, I topped the bread with a vanilla glaze.
I hope you like it!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
**adapted from Joy the Baker

For the Dough:
3 cups all-purpose
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 sticks butter
1 1/4- 1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

For the filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400*.

Begin by cutting two sticks of butter into cubes. Next, with a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, begin to blend the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Next, add the butter and blend until the mixture becomes the texture of coarse sand.

Add the milk and and vanilla with your stand mixer on low until you get the consistency of a thick dough.

Roll dough out onto a floured surface, and form into a ball. Cut dough in half, and store half in the refrigerator while you prepare the other half. Roll the first half out until about 1/4 of an inch thick. Then, in a bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnaon in a bowl. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the dough, and cut into (approximately) even squares. Stack the squares, and place into a buttered bread pan. Next, remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and repeat the process.

Bake at 400* for 25-30 minutes until done.

Vanilla Glaze:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blog Favorites

I've got big news! Dudes Cook Too is about to turn 1 year old!

I can't believe it! There's a few things I never could have imagined when I started this blog:

1. That anyone besides my wife and mother would read it.
2. That I would connect with so many other food bloggers and readers through this medium.

Enough on that... we'll save it for a later post this week! Since Dudes Cook Too is turning 1, I thought I would share a small list of my favorite recipes from the past year. Enjoy!

BlackBerry Butter.  My wife takes all the credit for this one. Amazing. This stuff is good on just about anything!

Cinnamon Rolls.  Easy to make, quick, and simple. A great holiday breakfast!

Vanilla Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins.  Whew... what a mouthful. These muffins are some of the best I've ever made. Period.

Chocolate Cobbler.  Some things don't need a description. This is one of those moments.

Skillet Apple Pie.  What can I say? My southern roots come out on this one! This recipe is quick, easy, and aimed to please!

Pepperoni Calzones.  Wow your woman... or man with this easy to prepare dinner! Wine...Champagne... that's what I'm talking about.

Hope you guys have enjoyed these recipes as much as I have enjoyed bringing them to you!

Silver Skillet, Atlanta, GA

Looking for the all-american diner experience?? Look no further than The Silver Skillet in Atlanta, GA.

It's no secret my wife and I love eating out, and especially trying new places. We saw this place on Food Network, and now... every time we visit Atlanta (or the surrounding area), we ALWAYS stop in at the Silver Skillet!



When you go, start out with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee. This coffee reminds me of my grandmother's coffee. PERFECT. Brewed not too strong, but not too weak. It's smooth, and satisfying, and definitely gives you that boost if you're on your way to IKEA to grab a few "essential" items...



I digress...



Silver Skillet truly does have that hometown feel, even in Atlanta. When you walk in, you're greeted and told to sit wherever you'd like, and a waitress quickly comes over to welcome you and offer you coffee.

TIP FOR RESTAURANT OWNERS: Make sure your clientele ALWAYS, under every circumstance feel welcomed and loved. Trust me on this!



We ate the French Toast... with eggs, and sausage (Not pictured).

The French Toast was the best I've ever had. Rich, and flavorful at it's best.

I do have some advice though for your first visit...



Whatever you do... TRY. THE. BISCUITS. Completely from scratch, melt in your mouth, this what heaven must be like good!

Guys... GO! Drive, take a plane... walk. It's worth it.

Hot Pepper Butter

Let's talk about Pepper Butter. This is one of those recipes that you can alter yourself and make it whatever way you would like. Get crazy... do your own thing!

Last weekend was jam-packed fun for us!



I love summer in Tennessee. I actually love Fall, Winter, and Spring as well...

Summer means Farmer's Market every Saturday in the Square. There's something awesome about supporting local farmers in your area. They work hard to bring you fresh produce that is straight off the vine. If there is a Farmer's Market in your area, I say GO! Enjoy it! Not only does ours have fresh produce, there's tons of booths serving homemade jams, CINNAMON ROLLS, and fresh fruit waters!



While we were there, we tried Strawberry Basil Lemonade.



Want to talk about refreshing! I also tried Blackberry Sage Water, and it's crazy how the combination of the two create such an explosive flavor.



Then, we headed to this little girl's birthday party! Her parent's are very close friends, and we had a blast at her party!



...and while we were there, we ate.. ohh.. about 5 of these. These cupcakes were made by Hooty Cakes, and they were everything I ever imagined they could be. I'm a sucker for desserts, but these cupcakes took it to a whole new level!



...and now back to the Hot Pepper Butter. After the party, we headed over to a great friend/mentor/boss/all-around great person's house, and got to work on the Butter! Cooking with friends is so much fun. Grab your family, get around the stove, and make some memories people. It's just something money cannot buy!



While we were there, we made Joy the Baker's Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake. Let me tell you about Joy the Baker. EVERY recipe that she comes up with has never failed, and never ceased to amaze me. She has a very special gift!



...it was amazing. Highly recommended!

But back to the Butter. These are very easy to make, and just use what you have on hand. Bell peppers, banana peppers, jalapeño peppers if you like a little kick! I'm new to the whole canning process, and if you're like me, and need a little guidance, here is a great post about how to properly can your goods.

These also make great gifts!

I'm sure you're asking yourself... "What would this pepper be good with?" EVERYTHING.



We served our Pepper Butter over hotdogs with Homemade Hotdog Buns.

A more appropriate question would be what NOT to serve this with... And I just haven't found anything that doesn't compliment it.

Guys... this Hot Pepper Butter is amazing.
I hope you like it!


Hot Pepper Butter
recipe from Laurie Witherow

1 quart yellow mustard
1 quart cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups flour shaken in 1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 gallon bag of yellow and red peppers

Seed and chop peppers.
Mix everything together. Because we rough chopped the peppers, we used an emersion blender at this point. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly or until desired thickness.
Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Cap with hot lid and of course the ring and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Eat fresh on hot dogs, with pretzels as a dip or. . .wait for it. . .as a glaze on a ham!

Catching Up...

Check out the view I've had the past week...



If you're wondering what's on the top of my hate list this week... it's moving. We're almost done, and it has literally taken over a week off and on due to work, etc.

We're getting there though.

I'm writing this post to apologize for lack of posts lately. Between working full-time, and moving, I barely knew what day it was. But... My next post involves this:



...and this:



Once again, thank you guys for all of your support!