Making the Most of a Kitchen Staple

By Gooseberry Patch- Vickie Hutchins and Jo Ann Martin ~

An inexpensive ingredient, eggs are always in the refrigerator–or at least on the shopping list! The hard-boiled egg is so versatile, making a perfect garnish, snack or picnic side dish. To help you make the most of this kitchen staple, we’ve collected three deliciously different salad recipes from our Almost Homemade cookbook.

They may be familiar or new to you, but they are all delicious! And to get you started, we’re sharing a few of our favorite hard-boiling tips.

• Use eggs that have been refrigerated at least 7 to 10 days, instead of fresher eggs…the shells will slip right off.
• Cover eggs with an inch of water in a saucepan; place over medium-high heat. As soon as the water boils, cover the pan and remove from heat. Let stand for 18 to 20 minutes…cover with ice water, peel and they’re done!
• Make no-fuss hard-boiled eggs in your slow cooker! Cover 6 eggs with water in the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 3-1/2 hours. They’ll be perfectly hard-boiled for use in salads, sandwiches or even for Easter eggs.

Chunky Pea Salad Shared by Jaimie Schmutz of Dickson, TN

1 lb. bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled 2 drained cup mayonnaise

6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped

32-oz. pkgs. frozen peas, thawed and well

8-oz. pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 to 1

Combine all ingredients except mayonnaise in a large bowl. Add enough mayonnaise to moisten. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours; serve chilled. Makes 10 to 15 servings.

Hearty Cobb SaladShared by Peggy Donnally of Toledo, OH

16-oz. pkg. mixed salad greens or romaine lettuce

2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced

4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and cut into wedges

6 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

2 avocados, diced

3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

4 to 6 green onions, sliced

15-oz. can baby corn, drained

8-oz. bottle buttermilk salad dressing

Arrange greens in a large salad bowl. Top with ingredients in order listed. Toss lightly just before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Nana’s Cracker Salad Geach of Elk Grove, CA

Shared by Karin

1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed

14-1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes, very well drained

1 egg, hard-boiled, peeled and finely chopped

3 green onions, finely chopped

1-1/2 cups mayonnaise

An old-fashioned favorite. Mix all ingredients together; chill. To serve, scoop out lemon-size portions. Makes 6 servings.

Back in 1984, Vickie Hutchins and Jo Ann Martin were next-door neighbors raising their families in the little town of Delaware, Ohio. They were two moms with small children looking for a way to do what they loved and stay home with the kids too. They shared a love of home cooking and making memories with family & friends. After many a conversation over the backyard fence, Gooseberry Patch was born.

Today, Gooseberry Patch is best known for its home style family-friendly cookbooks. With more than 200 titles and nearly 9 million copies in print, plus a new collection of e-Books, Gooseberry Patch has grown from a kitchen-table operation to a nationally recognized best-selling publisher.