Got Eggs? Eggs-ellent Egg Salad

 

A long time favorite at lunch counters, egg salad is a good way to use up dyed boiled eggs at Easter. Please use caution and safety and do not use eggs that have been off refrigeration for longer than six hours for any food purposes.

After Easter, hot summer weather seems to be on us before we have eaten the last Peep in the Easter Basket. I like to keep salads on hand for cool easy meals during hot weather. Southerners love cold plates. I call cold plates “Scoopa” Plates – scoopa egg salad, scoopa tuna or chicken salad, scoopa potato salad, pickled beets, cole slaw arranged on crisp green lettuce leaves. a slice of baguette on the side.  Egg salad is a staple item for quick lunches, impromptu company, open faced for special occasions.

Egg salad can be as plain or fancy as you wish. Below is my basic egg salad. You can leave out the mustard and use curry powder to season or add chopped pimiento stuffed olives, or chopped green onion. dill instead of chives, finely chopped dill or sweet pickle – customize this to suit yourself. Hollowed out cherry tomatoes stuffed with egg salad also make an excellent appetizer or party nosh. Use reduced fat mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise. If I am going to be serving immediately, I also like to peel and scoop out the good stuff of an avocado and mash along with the eggs. Avocado egg salad has a lovely pale green tint and is a fresh looking dip or spread for crackers and adds a whole different flavor layer to this basic dish.

Thank you Public Domain Images for photographs!

Ingredients
6 large hard boiled eggs. peeled and cooled
1/4 cup mayonnaise + 1 tbs
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 medium-length celery stalk, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Put eggs into a bowl and mash with a fork until as smooth or chunky as you choose. Add other ingredients and mix well. Use for egg salad sandwiches, dip or spread for crackers or for stuffing cherry tomatoes.