Jan D'Atri

Jan D'Atri > Worcestershire sauce

Worcestershire sauce

Easter Deviled Eggs

by

They should be called “Angel” eggs because it seems as though just about everyone loves them. In fact, Deviled eggs are generally the first things to be gobbled up at a gathering like Easter Brunch. There are hundreds of variations on the popular party food that Julia Child simply called Stuffed Eggs. Can you just hear her, reading a line from her own book, Julia Child’s Menu Cookbook?

“I do think eggs look most attractive and professional when filled with a pastry bag and cannelated tube!”


Once I found out what the heck “cannelated” meant (fluted or grooved) I agreed with her! So, just in case you have some extra hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator after Easter egg dyeing this week, or you are hosting a get-together tomorrow, let me share one of my favorite recipes for Deviled Eggs. I found it in one of my oldest cookbooks called Quantity Cookery from 1922. I didn’t think you’d appreciate a recipe, however, that calls for 96 halves (or 6 pounds) of hard boiled eggs. I got the recipe down to a manageable size and started with an egg yolk and mayonnaise base. Softened butter and cream cheese add a rich, smooth texture while spicy mustard, prepared horseradish and Worcestershire sauce all add the kick. In fact, many Deviled eggs recipes I came across had dashes and splashes of flavor like lemon juice and hot sauces added to the base, which just goes to show that when it comes to Stuffed Eggs, the Deviling is in the details. Happy Easter and happy brunching!

Cinnamon Laced Beef Chili

by

This week the word is Brrrrr! That means it’s time to pull out your favorite chili recipe, grab a Dutch oven and get cookin! This yummy dish makes the cold weather almost welcome, and there isn’t a finer bowl of winter comfort food than homemade chili! This particular recipe has a fabulous twist—cinnamon sticks, which adds a subtle earthiness to the dish.(You’ll find many award-winning chili recipes have added cinnamon to the mix!) I’ve partnered with La Mesa RV to travel our great state, looking for fun adventures and cooking delicious dishes in all sorts of RV’s, and this week, it was time for a hot bowl of spicy beef and chiles! Grab a bowl full and devour!

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

by

The kids are finally back in the classroom, and when they come home from school or sports they are generally ravenous, right? It’s a pretty good bet that if given a choice between chicken nuggets and anything else, my guess is it’s going to be the nuggets. So, why not make them delicious and perhaps healthier than the fast food version? Plus, kids love to cook these days, and if your young ones are old enough to be safe around the cook top and oven, this might be a great meal that they can make themselves! (Studies show that when kids take the initiative to cook a meal, they enjoy not only eating the food, but are more apt to want to learn how to prepare meals more often.) I discovered that on a field trip a few years ago to a Boys & Girls Club where I was teaching a cooking class. About fifty kids huddled around as I taught a hands-on cooking demonstration. They were mesmerized. Many shared their at-home cooking experiences with Mom and Dad. I was, quite frankly, stunned at their interested in every aspect of cooking, whether chopping and dicing, sautéing and of course, sharing what they had prepared. Back to the chicken nuggets. This recipe is fairly simple and super delicious, and it’s the kind of recipe that may flesh out whether you have a budding Jacques Pepin or Julia Child just waiting to cook up something fun for the family!

Barbecue Pork Sandwich

by

I appreciate wine so much more after this recipe. Not because there’s wine anywhere in the dish, but because it was the wine that loosened the lips of Mrs. Stebbins that finally got her to give up her secret recipe for the most scrumptious Barbecue Pork ever! I received the recipe and story from Chandler resident Ann Todd and I loved both so much I couldn’t wait to share them with you! “Jan, my mom, Liz Ramsey, makes this recipe for weddings– mine in fact! She also makes it for parties, picnics and other promotions.” Ann told the story of her Mom’s friend, Mrs. Stebbins who would sit in the front of her house cross legged, leaning against the door reading a novel and having a glass of wine in the sunshine. Ann’s Mom had Mrs. Stebbins’ Barbecue Pork at a party and really wanted the recipe. Mrs. Stebbins didn’t want to give it up because she didn’t want the secret out so that she could make it every time she had a party. However one afternoon after one of those reading and sipping in the sunshine sessions, she was a little loose-lipped and let the secret of her great barbecue pork out. She just walked into Liz’s kitchen and said, “Oooooo-kay!” If you’re looking for a delicious and hearty recipe for your Super Bowl spread this year, you’ve got a winner right here. Devour it and raise a glass to Mrs. Stebbins!

Cheesy French Onion Meatballs

by

Here is a One Skillet Wonder that is so delicious, so savory, so cheesy, and so satisfying that it’s become one of my favorite family meals, and I hope it becomes the same for you! Here, the Italian meatball is smothered in a classic French onion soup gravy, and the result is nothing short of delicioso and magnifique!

Watch my How To Video for French Onion Meatballs here!