Nanie's Deviled Eggs, the heart of Lakewood Picnics

THE BEST TIMES

Holiday gatherings of family always bring back memories of the good foods we shared. The first time I ate Nanie's deviled eggs was at a block party in September after we moved in to Lakewood that summer. They blocked off the streets; men brought cookers out to the streets and everyone brought out picnic tables and lawn chairs. It was one of the only times we were allowed to play in the streets.

We had three legged races (Do you know what those are?), waterballoon fights, horse shoes, and lots of jump roping and four square. I always brought out my colored chalks and drew ahead on the street colorful four squares. Usually we had three set ups. The girls liked to do cheerleading. I never was very good at it. I learned two cheers in my entire life time. But jump roping...I can still jump rope with the best of them!

The kids would play, the dad's would cook, the mom's set up the food tables and watched over the youngest children. When it was time to eat, we all held hands in this huge circle and one of the dad's blessed our food, our families and the nation. I looked up at the first gathering and peeked at the huge circle while we were praying. It was filled with all the different families tightly holding hands and praying together. It made me feel warm and good all the way through my body. I have known these families for over 50 years now. God is good! AND so are Nanie's Deviled Eggs.


The highlight of every holiday or Lakewood summer street parties were Nanie's Deviled Eggs. The recipe seems so simple, but nothing was better than her deviled eggs. When we were kids we tried to sneak up on the food tables to snag one before the lines opened up to fill your plates with food.

My girls grew up with Nanie in her kitchen preparing these eggs from when they were big enough to spoon the stuffings into the eggs. Only when they were helping there was never enough filling and always left over white egg boats. I have a feeling that licked the spoon between every egg fill. Nanie would then use the left over whites and dice them up for her green pea salad. Oh my, and that is a favorite of our menfolk! Nanie's pea Salad.

Here I am supposed to be recording memories of my life for the grandchildren, but it seems a lot of the family gatherings involved the sharing of food and family. Nanie's love lives on through those memories and the dishes we still make to serve the next generations.

Nanie's Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 1 dozen eggs
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or New York Hot Honey Mustard
  
• 1/3 cup real mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp minced onion
  
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika

Method

First hard boil the eggs. Fill up a large saucepan half-way with water and gently add the eggs. Cover the eggs with at least an inch of water. Always add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water (this will help contain egg whites from leaking out if any of the shells crack while cooking). Also add a pinch of salt to the water. When the water boils, cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let sit covered for 12-15 minutes. Drain hot water from pan and run cold water over the eggs. (At this point if you crack the egg shells while the eggs are cooling, it will make it easier to peel the shells.) Let sit in the cool water a few minutes, changing the water if necessary to keep it cool.

Second, peel the eggs. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Gently remove the yolk halves and place in a small mixing bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a serving platter. (Nanie had five different deviled egg platters!)

Then, using a fork, mash up the yolks and add the hot mustard, real mayonnaise, onion, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spoon egg yolk mixture into the egg white halves. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly with paprika.

This makes two dozen deviled eggs.

I am off for the day to grocery shop. We are out of food after Thanksgiving!

Lauren
6 December 208