Egg Salad Canapés that taste like Summer...

I have been going through a funny roller coaster ride of emotions, giddy highs and miserable lows. There are days when I can hardly wait to get out of bed to tackle the next chore on my list. Then there are days when I just want to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed all day – handling a 5 month-old baby is not easy! Of course each moment with little Michelle is exciting but it can sometimes tire you out totally!

This little blog space has become my island, where I can come and be creative and share my thoughts regardless of what my mood is and whichever part of the world I am! For this I am happy because I can take you where ever I go! I know that I haven't been a regular blogger these past few months and it may be that way for sometime because managing a baby and home can sometimes get difficult. But I try to share my enthusiasm with new recipes whenever I can steal some time and update you on the latest.

The recipe today is a gorgeous Egg Salad Canapé.

Eggs - Comforting, happy, leisurely, fresh, satiating, rich, whimsical, enveloping, warm.... versatile. That's what I think of and feel when I eat them. What do they remind you of? This is a recipe where the quality of products play a large role so try and get your hands on the yummiest mayonnaise, best herbs and the most fresh bread you can find. You won't be sorry.

Picnics and salads are a great combination. I'm sure all of us have a passion for being outdoors and enjoying our meals in some scenic spot. And what better time to do this but Summers; with kids vacations going on, lovely fun picnics are always on the agenda. How many of you are planning little picnics with family and friends? Isn't it fun to dream of huge theme parties and picnics just as soon as the first warm sunrays strike. I just love spending time with a family and friends, laughing and chatting, the aromas of delicious goodies filling the air. The gentle summer breeze brings the scent of perfumed flowers and the sounds of other people giggling and laughing as they too enjoy their parties and fun trips.

Most people don't waste too much time preparing food for picnics, they simply make a few sandwiches and cut up some vegetables and fruit, take a few bottles of fresh or fizzy drinks and ta-da, your picnic basket is ready. But I believe in just the opposite; picnics if planned with a little care can be both exciting and healthy. Usually for most picnics the spotlight is mostly on the location rather than the food; but it need not always be that way. A picnic with freshly prepared home-made goodies like grilled delicacies, refreshing salads and piquant sauces is so much more fun and appealing than eating all that junk. The food always has to be plentiful because, I do not know about you, but I always tend to overeat at picnics; everything always tastes better.  But when the food is home-made and healthy, why worry if you eat a little extra! I love playing around with flavors for salads, sauces and salsas. Here I took an old salad favorite and gave it a slight twist. Egg Salad – I used very little mayonnaise, a little dijon-style mustard and lots of herbs, making it lighter and slightly tangier in flavor. What makes this salad exquisite is the use of sharp but sweet red onions and the mild heat from the paprika brings about a flavor explosion. The salad works really well as little canapés arranged on tiny pieces of firm bread or crisp lettuce leaves. It can also be spread on a bread of your choice making yummy sandwiches. Whichever way, they taste great and are quick to prepare and make an excellent picnic snack. I have presented them as bite-size canapés today. Simple, easy, home-made....Do try them out.

We also had some for breakfast today; perfect start to the day! :)

Ingredients

3 Eggs

3/4 tbsp Mayonnaise

Boiled & Cooled Water - 1 or 2 tsp (refer notes)

1/2 to 3/4 tsp Dijon-style Mustard (refer notes)

2 to 3 tsp of fresh herb (you can always add more if you like the flavor; refer notes)

1/4 to 1/2 tsp Paprika (adjust as per spice tolerance)

1/2 of a medium size Big Onion; finely chopped

Method

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. Keep aside.

In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, water, mustard, herbs, paprika and chopped onions. This is the dressing.

Into this add the chopped egg and combine well by mashing with a fork or wooden spoon.

Chill the Egg Salad in the refrigerator for atleast an hour. Serve cold as canapés or as sandwiches.

Notes:

1. I like my dressing a little runny (of course not too much), so I always add a little water to give it the right texture. That way we don't have to add too much mayo into the dish.

2. In case you do not have Dijon-style mustard in your pantry, you can always use any other good quality mustard.

3. You can use any fresh herb of your choice. Here are a few choices, you can use any one at a time: Dill, Parsely, Cilantro or Coriander and Celery.