Stephanie's Recipes: Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Now that you have a hard boiled egg obsession, it's time to get you hooked on something else... SRIRACHA!

Never heard of Sriracha before? Sriracha (AKA Rooster Sauce, because of the rooster on the bottle), is spicy, sweet, salty, and tangy all in one. Delicious! We'll typically put it over scrambled eggs or sushi or chili. It complements so many flavors, so it's great to have around. But be careful! A little bit goes a long way. This stuff is HOT!

Because of our great love of Sriracha, I bought us a copy of The Sriracha Cookbook a few years back. If you're a lover of the sauce, it's a lovely cookbook. One of the recipes that instantly stood out was this recipe for Sriracha deviled eggs.

I made them late one night when I was hankering for some extra protein and I was instantly sold. Sriracha is MADE for this combo. Mixing the Sriracha with the yolks from the eggs and the mayonnaise really cools it down a bit. I was expecting for the outcome to be wooooooah spicy, but they really weren't at all. Seriously! There was barely a hint of spicy! Instead, the other Sriracha flavors -- salty, sweet, and tangy -- really stood out. And in the best way possible.

I've made these about a dozen times since, and they always satisfy. Sometimes I'll just make two eggs (four deviled egg halves) for a lunchtime snack. Eggy perfection.

Imagine how popular you'll be when you bring a batch of these to your next party. "Mmmm! What is IN these? They're amazing! So unique! So tasty! So eggs-quisite! I've GOT TO get this recipe!" At this point you can decide whether to keep it as a top secret recipe or share, share away. I won't judge!

Not to mention, aren't these colors just so prrrrettttyyyy?

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Ingredients
12 hard boiled eggs
2 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
2 tbsp dijon mustard
6 tbsp mayonnaise
2-3 green onions, chopped

Directions
Hard boil your eggs using this easy recipe.

Peel your eggs. Carefully cut the eggs in half (I'm horrible at this part). Separate the yolks from the whites and put all the yokes in a big mixing bowl.

Break up the yolks with a fork. Then combine yolks, Sriracha, dijon mustard, and mayonnaise.

Spoon the yolk mixture back into the egg whites. Top with green onions.

Adapted from Randy Clemens's recipe in The Sriracha Cookbook.

Stephanie's Recipes: How to Bake Your Hard "Boiled" Eggs

Egg-cellent.

I stink at hard boiling eggs. Always have, always will. And it's because the directions I read are never well defined. "Wait 'til the water boils, toss in some vinegar, then let it simmer for a bit, and then turn it off and do three summersaults while they continue cooking."

Ok, so I kid a little. BUT, what exactly is meant by boiling? Is it a rolling boil? I know what that looks like. Or is it when those itty bitty bubbles start rising up to the top of water? I know that that looks like too. But there's quite a big difference between the two. Or how about the simmer? How low do they want my simmer to go? It's so confusing! And I never know what's exactly right, so making my favorite eggs just always ends up with me having full on anxiety and lots of eggs with stinky brown/green yolks. Yuck!

But then my life was forever changed when I realized I could BAKE the eggs in the oven and get the same (but better!) hard-boily result. And these directions are WAY easier to follow, WAY more defined, WAY impossible to mess up. So that's how I do it now. And I share this little recipe with anyone who'll listen, because for me, it's a life saver. I hope you enjoy it. And just in time for all those Easter Eggs!

Egg-citing!

Baked Hard "Boiled" Eggs

Ingredients
Eggs

Directions
Preheat your oven to 325.

Put 6 (or fewer) eggs in a 12-muffin tin. Spread them out! (Don't let them get too crowded or it will affect baking time.) Put the egg-filled muffin tin in your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare an ice bath for your eggs by filling a bowl with ice and water.

Eggs-foliating.

Remove the eggs from the oven and immediately use an oven mitt or tongs to move the eggs from the muffin tin to the ice bath. Make sure those eggs are completely submerged! Add water if needed. Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for 10 minutes.

For best results, peel immediately after removal from ice bath. The shock from the ice bath will make the shells come off very easily. Otherwise, refrigerate until ready to peel and eat (up to 3 days).

Egg-ceptional! 

And that's it! Easy peasy, right??? I've never made a stinky, discolored hard "boiled" egg since! My only tip is this: ovens vary, so you may need to adjust the temperature based on how your first batch turns out. The general range for baking your eggs is 325 - 350, so play around with your oven temp 'til those eggs come out perfect.

Happy baking!

Perfection. No eggs-aggeration! 

Be sure to tune in tomorrow when I'll share a devilishly delicious recipe, perfect for your new obsession with baked hard "boiled" eggs.

Little Happies -- John's Turn

Have I got TWO special treats for you today!

First, I decided it was worth it to pay for the link-up to include your thumbnails. Especially since there were so many of you linked up last time and I just really wanted to see little pics of your adorable blogs with your link-ups. So I just did it. Less than $2 a month for something that makes me happy? Worth it. :)

Second, my dear husband, John, has spent the last week focusing on his Little Happies, and with a little bit of encouragement from me, he's agreed to post them on this here blog!! Today!! Since he's never written a blog post before, I hope you'll be extra nice to him. And I hope you enjoy!

Heeeeeeeeerrrreeee's Johnny...

--one--
Bacon.

I'm pretty sure Walt Whitman wrote a poem about bacon.
Right?

Well, let's do the easy one first.  Bacon.  Bacon is definitely a little happy, especially when it's fancified, thick-cut, cracked pepper bacon that you may have accidentally put on a tortilla with a fried egg and sriracha.  Why is bacon so awesome? We may never know.

--two--
Watching Doctor Who with my wife.

When she looks away from the TV the
characters get sad.

This may not exactly be the best picture of the Doctor and company, but they'll probably forgive me for posting it.  Anyway, our preferred mode of relaxation these days is joining the Doctor on his adventures.  Also, those are sunglasses; sunglasses are cool.  Speaking of glasses...

--three--
When your wife wears your glasses.

She thinks that if she looks closely enough, she can see
how mischievous you've been.  But she caaaaan't.

Alas, she is cursed with perfect vision and doesn't wear glasses unless she has stolen them from off my face.  Makes it all the more special when she does it, I suppose.  She does look awfully cute with glasses.

--four--
Gorgeous sunrises.

That truck can't handle the beauty, so he's stopping.

This, I believe, was snapped while driving in to work, and hardly captures the colors appropriately. Should I have been taking photos while driving?  Probably not.  Don't tell my wife.

--five--
This chocolate-covered Oreo.

I wish you could taste this picture.

It was glorious.  A Gloreo.

--six--
Growing your hair out.

Look at how much work it is to grow your hair out.

Because I've had short hair all my life.  It's ponytail time.  In like 3 months (right? soon? please grow faster?).  Even if the children of some friends tell you that that makes you a girl (which actually happened - the pink shirt I was wearing at that time was the second bit of supporting evidence for that hypothesis, I was told). #longhairdontcare

Wondering what a "Little Happy" is? No need to fear! Click right here. And if you'd like to share some Little Happies of your own, we'd love to have you join our link-up. Thanks for reading along! 

And Then There Was Biaxin

Just a friendly heads up -- I'm going to mention both endometritis (infection of uterine lining) and endometriosis (uterine lining grows in the wrong places) in this post. I warn you because they're easy to misread if you don't look at the word closely enough. I do it all the time. Oops! So there you go. Now on to the good stuff...

We met with our NaPro doc earlier this week for another one of them follow-ups. We're at the point in our treatment where our doctor just tweaks a few things, then lets us go for several cycles to see if new tweaks have worked. If not (AKA if we don't get pregnant), we meet back with him in a few cycles to do more tweaking, then more waiting, until at some point we're either pregnant or we've adopted a newborn and don't even have time to think about fertility treatments anymore. Both sound nice to me!

At my appointment, Dr. G took a look at our charts and asked us if there was anything we were worried about. I mentioned that pesky infection (endometritis) we found a while back, before surgery. John and I both took a few rounds of antibiotics to treat the infection, but I never really felt it was gone. During my surgery, Dr. G found some micropolyps, which usually indicate endometritis, but when he scraped some off and sent the cells to the lab be tested, it came back negative for endometritis. So we just left it alone and didn't do another round of the antibiotics. Which of course left me thinking that we were ignoring quite a big issue. But Dr. G said not to worry about it, so I (mostly) didn't.

Now that it's been 6 months since surgery, and I've been on Clomid and HCG injections for several months, I felt it was appropriate to bring it up again. And when I did, Dr. G was very responsive. There's a test you can do to check for endometritis, which I've had done before, way early in our NaPro workup, but it involves you being fully awake while they scrape off some of the lining of your uterus with this evil tool, and we both agreed we'd rather avoid that. So, Dr. G recommended just assuming the infection's back and treating it with Biaxin.

Dr. Hilgers, founder of the Pope Paul VI institute and King of all things NaPro, tends to focus treatment on the things he can see. And endometritis is one of those annoying things that is, in many ways, invisible. As far as I can tell, it's not painful, it doesn't have many (or any) signs to indicate its existence, and no one really knows what effects it can have on infertility, as it hasn't really been studied properly. So compared to other diagnoses, like endometriosis or PCOS, it doesn't really stand out that much and therefore, often gets pushed aside, ignored. Though Dr. G did mention that Dr. Hilgers is just now starting to look into endometritis, its causes, its effects on infertility, and its best treatments. You hear that, friends with infection? There's hope!!

As of right now, one of the recommended NaPro treatments for endometritis is Biaxin, an antibiotic to be taken on CD8-14. Hopefully that little antibiotic will be just enough to clear up all the icky infected stuff and make room for a little, precious baby to implant. Very hopefully.

But if not, we'll be meeting with Dr. G again in three cycles to discuss the next tweak. Unless, of course, we are blessed with a baby through adoption in the meantime. Then the NaPro treatments will go on hold for quite some time, I'm sure. :)

During our appointment, I did also mention that I'm quite worried about the egg-sized fibroid sitting at the top of my uterus -- is it heavy enough to weigh things down and close off my tubes when I'm standing?? But Dr. G assured me that that was not happening and that removal was way more risky (5% chance of losing your whole uterus!) than keeping it there, especially since it's on the outside of the uterus, far away from the all-important lining.

So that's all for now. Biaxin it is! And Clomid and HCG and pursual of adoption will continue like normal. I'll most certainly give you another NaPro update when (optimistically: if) we meet with Dr. G again in three cycles.

Oh, and if you have no idea what I'm talking about with all this NaPro mumbo jumbo, check this out. If you're struggling with infertility, prepared to be wowed. It's all good stuff!

Are You Guys Crazy?!

In which I feature pictures of us actually being crazy.

I imagine that's what folks are thinking when they find out we're open to adoption and still trying to conceive at the same time.

"Are you guys CRAZY?!?!"

No one's actually made a comment like that to me outloud, thank goodness, but John has heard a few recently. For example...

"Aren't you a little young to be adopting?"

Ha! A little young? Sure, he might be 30 and I might be 27, but I think where biology is concerned, that's not exactly young. It's more like average. Sure, we're probably a bit younger than the average age of adoptive couples, but that doesn't make us crazy for considering it now. I'd like to think it makes us mature. :) So thank you for your concern, but just no.

Then there are the worry warts.

"Well, what if you get pregnant right after you adopt? You'll go CRAZY if you have two babies that close in age!"

Really? You think that will make us crazy? How about CRAZY happy! Because that sounds really freaking amazing right about now. Though that's certainly not a guarantee. We'll just take what the Lord gives us when He gives it to us and be happy with that.

And then there are those pesky websites/blogposts/articles that I found one day when googling "Is it OK to adopt while you're still TTC?" that tell me it's unfair of us to be in the adoption waiting pool while still trying to get pregnant.

"The adoption waiting pool should only be for couples who can't have a family otherwise. You're selfishly taking away a baby from a childless family. And what's your adopted child going to think when you like your biological child better?"

Ok, so maybe I've never read anything that extreme, but I have read similar things. Though I can't seem to find those articles online anymore (probably for the better), otherwise I'd show ya and provide a real quote. Oh well. The point is, some people think you really have to completely stop infertility treatments in order to be ready for adoption. Some adoption agencies even make it a requirement.

And I assume all this fuss is over us being just plain CRAZY again!!! Right?!?!

But then there are folks who encourage us, and they're awesome.

For example, my NaPro doctor, Dr. G.

"I think it's becoming even more normal now for couples to adopt while still TTC. You'd just have to be alright with the possibility of having two babies close in age."

Thanks, Dr. G. We appreciate the positive support!

Or the director of our adoption agency, who met with us for coffee and chats a few weeks ago. When I mentioned that we were still trying to conceive and that we weren't sure if that was alright with the agency, her response was nothing but positive.

"I think that's completely fine! I think you've got to do what's best for the two of you. So long as you've really given yourself time to process your infertility, you really can still do both."

Ahhh, a breath of fresh air!

The truth is, folks, we're not crazy. Not even close.

The truth is, we're called to both -- both biological parenthood AND adoptive parenthood. Both are different callings and I feel blessed to have been called to parenthood in two different ways. Especially knowing that this is not the case for everyone.

How do I know we're called to both?

When I think about how wonderful it would be to carry a child for nine months, deliver that precious baby, and raise a cute kiddo with the perfect 50-50 mix of John and Stephanie genes, I am filled with joy. And when I think of not being able to experience that, sadness.

When I think about how wonderful it would be to get that special call from our agency, connect with a birth family, meet our little one for the first time, and raise a kiddo who won't look like us, but will still be 100% part of our family, I'm again filled with great joy. And when I think of not being able to experience that, again, sadness.

I knew something had really changed when my nightly prayers changed from "Please, Lord, help me get pregnant," to "Please, Lord, help us grow our family." When my desire to be a parent surpassed my desire to be pregnant.

So I really hope both adoption and pregnancy are part of our story. And therefore, I really think it's not crazy at all for us to keep trying to conceive while also pursuing an adoption. It's just right. Right for us, anyway.

And that's really the point I'm really trying to make here. What's right for us probably isn't right for everyone. You may feel like you would need to wait until you're absolutely sure you can't get pregnant to be ready to move on to adoption. Or maybe you feel like once you've exhausted all of your infertility treatments, if you're still not pregnant, a childless life is best for you and your spouse. Or you may feel exactly like us. No matter the situation, don't let anyone tell you you're CRAZY, because it's just not true. If you've discerned and calculated and brought it to prayer, you're probably in the right place. And that's all that matters.

For us, that means we're going to keep going down both paths. On one, we have the miracle of adoption, and on the other, the miracle of pregnancy. And we're not crazy for walking both. We're just being us. And we're just pretty stinkin' excited!

"How excited," you ask? Snow cone level excited.

Little Happies -- Adoption Stuff, Judgy Eyes, and Delicious Food

Happy St. Patty's Day!! And welcome back to our Little Happies Monday link-up! I give you five of my best Happies from the past few weeks... 

--one--

Our adoption agency required a liiiittle more paperwork from us, so John and I spent a few hours last week at a nearby Starbucks, drinking delicious drinkies and getting work done. We plowed through our questionnaires and enjoyed each others' company in the process. I have to say, I now believe that the best way to get work done is by disguising it as a coffee date. It's like getting your kids to eat broccoli by hiding it in brownies. Or something like that. Oh, also, isn't his pony tail great? 

--two--

This recipe!!! Avocado, Mozzarella, and Jalapeno Chimichurri Grilled Cheese. Umm, yes please! I made this last week and it was delightful! Don't worry, that's gluten free bread up there. I'm staying on track with my anti-inflamm diet, at least for now. Can I tell you something else that makes me happy here? Cooking! I've really been grooving in the kitchen lately. I find it's most fun when I have mindless fluff shows running on hulu while I chop and saute up a storm. Good times. 

--three--

Sunsets. Sunsets are ALWAYS Little Happies. And they always happen right when you need them: at the end of a long, tiring day of work. I caught this one while we were driving through the park on our way to date night. So I was already in a good mood, but this made it even better. Beautious. 

--four--

I give you FOOD TRUCK RODEO! Every Sunday around lunchtime, our nearby park has a food truck rodeo where all the local food trucks park near each other and serve up their happy yummies. This time around, John got the most ridiculously awesome hot dog on a pretzel bun with rosemary parmesan fries. Just wow. I didn't try the hot dog, but the french fries were superb. Hey, btw, french fries are gluten free, right? And healthy? ;)

Also, another one of my favorite little joys in life -- catching people in the act of awkward staring. I'm lovin' that I snapped this pic just in time to capture that gal in pink with hardcore judgy eyes. 

--five--

And the award for most exciting Little Happy goes to... our adoption profile arriving in the mail!!! It's done and with our agency now and I'm just so proud of this little masterpiece. I got a chance to stop by our agency this past week and they are just as sweet in person as they are on the phone. So happy to be on this adoption journey, even though it took infertility to really get us to this point. We pray each night that the perfect child will join our family at the perfect time. God's will, God's way. Mmm, warms my heart. 

Little Happies -- From Around the Internet

 





Have I got a bunch of happies for you today! I've collected some of my favorite giggle-enducing, smile-causing, joy-filling goodies from around the interworld over the past few weeks, and now I share them with all of you, in hopes of making you giggle, smile, and joyful, just like me. 

--one--

Our first stop on our around-the-internet Happy tour is actually not that far away. If you head on over to the Ecce Fiat blog, you'll see a Scripture verse from March 3rd's morning prayer out of the Magnificat. As Ecce Fiat said, it makes a great motto for this Little Happies link up. Check it out...

They are happy, whose strength is in you,

in whose hearts are the road to Zion.

As they go through the Bitter Valley

they make it a place of springs,

the autumn rain covers it with blessings.

Psalm 84

Ahh! Scriptural perfection. :)

--two--

Our next stop is over on the good ol' YouTube. It's the music video to my favorite "put this on and dance 'til you feel better" song -- "Happy" by Pharrell. It melts my cares away every time I hear it. And I think it also makes for a great theme song for this Little Happies link up. What do you think?

A Scripture verse and a theme song all in one week! Love!

--three--

And perhaps the Cookie Monster could be our mascot? I take you now to the GIF corner of the internet, where I found the happiest and most hilarious GIF ever created! COOKIES?!? Nom nom nom nom nom nom.

--four--

This wouldn't be a proper internet tour without an internet quiz. I give you my new favorite: Which Saint Are You Most Like? The results make me happy every time. Check it out for yourself and tell me which saint you get! ;)

--five--



We continue our tour in Meme Country, where many giggles and occasional sass are often found. Babyless life can be lame sometimes, but cute babies, like this Business Baby, keep us cheerful as we patiently wait our turn.

Warning: Foul language and a little bit of inappropriateness will be found upon link clickage.

--six--



As our Little Happy internet tour draws to a close, we stop at our final destination, RUSSIA!, for a more humorous and less glamorous looks at Olympic figure skating. Fast cameras + high speed spinning = this comedic gold. Enjoy!



PS - I hope you'll join us for this second-ever Little Happies link-up! If you'd like to know more about our Little Happies and how they started, click here or here.

Also, I'm sorry my link-up isn't as cool this time around. Turns out you can only have thumbnails (AKA cute little pics along with your links) on your first link-up. After that, it's $20 a year to have thumbnails. Which I'm thinking isn't exactly worth it. But maybe it is worth it if I'm going to be doing this every week? Hrmmmm. Anyway, for now, we're just gonna go old school and have a plain old list of links. Boring, I know, but once you clickity click on others' Little Happies links, boring no more will it be! Go see what fun they're having over on their little bloggies. I promise you won't be disappointed!