Deviled Bunny Eggs

Directions

DEVILED BUNNY EGGS

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Makes: 12 servings, 2 filled egg whites each

Ingredients:

12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

48 thin 2-inch long celery sticks

72 mini chocolate chips

96 thin 2-inch long pieces carrot

Shredded lettuce, optional

Directions:

1. SLICE eggs lengthwise in half.  REMOVE yolks; place in a medium bowl.
2. STIR mayonnaise, mustard and salt into yolks until well blended. 
3. DIVIDE yolk mixture evenly between egg whites.
4. For each “bunny”, USE 3 mini chocolate chips – 2 for eyes and 1 for a nose.  PLACE 2 celery sticks near top of “bunny” for ears.  PLACE 4 carrot pieces at an angle under nose for whiskers.
5. COVER a serving platter with lettuce. PLACE bunnies on lettuce.
6. REFRIGERATE until ready to serve.

VARIATION:

·      Substitute small pieces of black olive for the mini chocolate chips.  Use carrots pieces for the ears, and chives or dill for the whiskers.

·      Plate can be covered with lettuce leaves, tinted dried coconut or paper grass.

TIPS:

·      Very fresh eggs can be difficult to peel.  To ensure easily peeled eggs, buy and refrigerate them a week to 10 days in advance of cooking.  This brief "breather" allows the eggs time to take in air, which helps separate the membranes from the shell.

·      To hard-cook eggs:  PLACE eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in single layer. ADD cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. HEAT over high heat just to boiling. REMOVE from burner. COVER pan.  LET EGGS STAND in hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs (12 minutes for medium eggs; 18 minutes for extra-large) COOL completely under cold running water and peel.

·      Hard-cooked eggs are easiest to peel right after cooling.  Cooling causes the egg to contract slightly in the shell.

·      To peel a hard-cooked egg:  Gently tap egg on countertop until shell is finely crackled all over.  Roll egg between hands to loosen shell.  Starting peeling at large end, holding egg under cold running water to help ease the shell off.