Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, hard-boiled (see below)
• 2–3 tbsp salad dressing (Miracle Whip or similar)
• 1 tsp sweet relish (such as hot dog relish)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp paprika or sprig of fresh parsley to garnish

Directions

1 Cut each egg lengthwise on a cutting board.

2 Use a small spoon or the tip of a small knife to remove the yolk. Place cooked yolks in a medium bowl.

3 Arrange the cooked egg whites on a platter.

4 Mash the yolks with a fork until smooth. Blend in the salad dressing, relish, salt, pepper, and dry mustard.

5 Carefully spoon approximately 1 tbsp of the blended yolk mixture into each egg white until all is used.

6 Sprinkle each egg with paprika or top with a sprig of parsley.


Tip: Transfer the yolk mixture into a small plastic bag with a snipped-off corner, or into a piping bag, and squeeze the yolk into the egg whites. On the serving platter around the eggs, place sprigs of fresh parsley, cherry tomatoes, radishes, or sliced cucumber.

Makes 12 egg halves.

How to hard-boil and peel eggs:

1 In a medium saucepan, add enough cold water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Set the timer for 15 (to 20) minutes. Bring to a boil.

2 Simmer until the timer is up. Move the eggs around gently with a spoon during the first 5 minutes of cooking to make sure the yolks cook in the centre of the egg.

3 Remove from the heat and place the eggs in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. Cold water creates a layer of steam between the shell and the egg white, which makes it easier to peel the egg. Older eggs are always easier to peel than farm-fresh eggs.

4 Hold each egg under cold running tap water, and crack the shell using the back of a spoon.

5 Gently slip the edge of the spoon under the membrane beneath the shell, following the curve of the egg and lifting off the shell.

6 Rinse the eggs thoroughly to remove any remaining bits of shell.

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Excerpted from  Miss Vickie's Kitchen  by Vickie Kerr. Recipes Copyright © 2014 Vickie Kerr, Photography copyright © 2014 John Sherlock. Excerpted by permission of Raincoast Books, Richmond, B.C. All rights reserved.