On the Eleventh Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me Eleven Pipers Piping. Now we could think of these pipers as often depicted, playing flutes or other woodwind instruments. And while there is nothing wrong with thinking flute, the pipers are piping – calling attention to their message. Now I ask you, what draws attention better than bagpipes?

Our pipers are the Eleven Faithful, calling us to the Lord. They are Simon, whom He named Peter, Andrew, Bartholomew, James the Greater, son of Zebedee, James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus, John, Matthew, Philip, Simon, Jude and Thomas, the doubter. We have all had those doubts about faith and insecurities with trust. It is now, in this season of Miracles, that God reminds us we are not forsaken. There is goodness in the world.

Bags and Piping – we could bake a cake and pipe on the frosting. That would really be fun. I don’t know about you, but I have reached my limit on sweets this holiday season. In years gone by, Christmas was all the inspiration I needed to bake cookies and create candies for days and days. This year, my heart wasn’t in it. Like so many, Christmas had changed and feeling the spirit wasn’t easy. So instead of baking up a storm, we filled our house with handmade Chocolates from one of the best Candy Kitchens around. Not only are their Truffles and Chocolate Trees amazing, their handmade Candy Canes are legendary. People come for miles around to watch the candy canes being made right before their eyes.

So, what else can we pipe if not frostings? Deviled Egg Fillings of course. There is noting prettier that piped deviled eggs. And today I’ll be sharing not one but two Deviled Egg Trays. The first is definitely a Christmas Theme, and the second is great for any occasion that calls for Deviled Eggs.

Note: You really want 14 eggs, but in the spirit of The Days of Christmas, we’ll call it 11. And for today, think about putting out trays of eleven deviled eggs each just to get the conversation going.

Classic Christmas Deviled Eggs
Deviled Eggs
11 Eggs
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Sour Cream
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar or to taste
1 pinch Kosher Salt
White Pepper to taste

Place eggs in a pot covered with 1-inch of cold water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

Plunge boiled eggs into an ice-water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from cold water, crack shells and return to water bath for another 20 minutes.

Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Remove egg yolks and place yolks in food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse until egg yolks are a pasty consistency.

Add mayonnaise and mustard and mix until creamy. Mix in red wine vinegar one teaspoon at a time and season to taste. Store filling in refrigerator until ready to fill “colored” egg whites.

Colored Egg Shells
Red Food Coloring as desired
Green Food Coloring as desired
2 teaspoons Distilled White Vinegar
2 cups Water
2 small Glass Bowls
2 Slotted Spoons

Mix water with green food coloring and 1 tablespoon of vinegar into a bowl. Add coloring until desired shade of green is reached. Repeat with red food coloring.

Divide egg whites in half. Dip half into the green coloring, one egg white at a time until the desired color is reached. Remove, turn egg shell up-side-down on paper towels to drain. Repeat with each egg white to be colored green. Repeat again with remaining whites and the red coloring.

Once the colored shells are completely dry, place into the egg tray, alternating between red and green.

Place the yolk filling into a pastry bag fitted with a wide star tip. Pipe filling into the colored egg shells.

Garnish
Chives snipped as needed
Roasted Bell Pepper minced as needed

Snip chives, garnish red shelled eggs with chives. Dice red pepper, garnish green shelled eggs with red peppers.

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This next recipe is perfect for snacking. Yep, snacking on appetizers is great for family game night or just vegging with those Hallmark Romance Movies on a Saturday Night. Can’t go wrong with Bacon.

Creamy Bacon Deviled Eggs
11 Eggs
4 Bacon
2 Green Onions
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Sour Cream
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Place eggs in a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Pull eggs from water with a spider ladle or large slotted spoon.

Gently crack shells, then plunge the cracked eggs in ice water and let rest 20 minutes.

While the eggs cook and cool, chop the raw bacon into small pieces. Fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Once cooled, place in a food processor fitted with a blade, pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.Snip green onions for garnish, set aside.

Peel shells off of the hard boiled eggs and slice in half (lengthwise). Place yolks in a food processor fitted with a blade, place whites in deviled egg tray.

Quickly pulverize the yolks. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and salt and pepper to the food processor; process until smooth.

Place the egg yolk mixture in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the filling into the cavity of each white.

Garnish with bacon bits and snipped green onions. Serve and enjoy.