Pamela Toman

Not-A-Main

Deviled Eggs

Somewhat fussy, but a great appetizer or side dish for a vegetarian meal.

A quintessential make-ahead recipe. Buy the eggs a week ahead of time, hardboil them 1-2 days ahead of time, slice and mix the filling 24 hours ahead of time, then pipe and serve on the desired day.

It can be easiest to peel the eggs if you shake them around in a mug while still a bit warm.

White eggs are the least likely to have blood spots.

I keep buying Sir Kensington's mayo because it doesn't use soybean oil -- but it also doesn't smell very appetizing. Next time let's look for another option.

Ingredients Step
12 white eggs At least 24 hours before hardboiling, set the eggs on their sides in the fridge. (This will help the yolks be in the center of each egg.)
ice water Steam cold-from-the-fridge eggs for ~14 minutes, then plunge them directly into a well-established ice water bath. If the ice bath has not been established for 10+ minutes, steam the eggs 1-2 minutes less. (Boiling water goes in the pan before the steamer basket full of eggs,because pouring boiling water on top of the eggs will crack the shells.)
Peel and slice eggs in half, separating the yolks into a medium bowl. Place the whites on a paper towel.
4 T. pickles Chop finely.
egg yolks
⅓ c. mayonnaise (or part Greek yogurt)
diced pickles, from above
? 1 T. pickle juice
? 1 T. dijon
? 1 T. white vinegar
black pepper
salt		 Mash together with fork until smooth consistency. Taste and re-season as needed. When delicious, spoon into a corner of a plastic bag. (The bag can be stored overnight in the fridge to let flavors meld and/or as make-ahead.)
Dry the whites.
Snip off the very corner of the egg yolk mixture bag. Pipe filling into whites.
paprika Garnish.

Deviled Eggs was published on 3 October 2025.

Recipe uses: eggs, dijon, mayo

Pasta Salad

Jess brought this delicious pasta salad to us early in the summer. It reminds me of one that Luke would make, whose recipe I seem to have lost, and given when the recipe first appeared, it may well be exactly the same recipe. The fresh basil and feta make the salad.

Ingredients Step
¼ c. red wine vinegar
½ c. olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 t. honey
salt
pepper		 Blitz into an emulsified vinaigrette.
6 c. broth
1 lb. orzo		 Bring broth to boil. Add orzo, reduce heat, cover partially, cook until al dente, then drain. Move to large bowl and toss frequently to cool.
2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
7 oz. feta, cubed
1 c. basil, chopped
1 c. green onion, chopped		 Mix in, then add vinaigrette. Let stand a few hours before serving.
½ c. slivered almonds, toasted Add at time of serving. Serve at room temperature.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis in Bon Appétit (April 2006)

Pasta Salad was published on 5 August 2025.

Recipe uses: feta, orzo, lemon, basil, tomatoes-cherry, stock, almonds

Alternative Pizza Sauce

An alternative pizza sauce recipe to Mom's pizza sauce.

Ingredients Step
head of garlic Roast by rubbing with olive oil, sprinkling with salt, then wrapping in aluminum foil and baking at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.
2 T. olive oil
2 twigs fresh oregano
¼ white onion, finely minced
¼ yellow onion, finely minced
2-3 squished roasted garlic cloves
up to 1 T of combined salt, black pepper, red pepper		 Cook in a saucepan over medium-high heat until onions are translucent.
28 oz. can peeled San Marzano tomatoes (avoid tomatoes packed with calcium chloride) Add to saucepan. Stir intermittently until sauce develops a deep red color.
Source: dannyphantom

Alternative Pizza Sauce was published on 8 January 2025.

Recipe uses: tomato-canned

Latkes

Serve with cranberry sauce, applesauce, and/or sour cream.

Can fry in morning & leave on paper towels at room temperature, then reheat on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees or under a broiler.

1½ pounds of potato serves 4 people.

Ingredients Step
2 onions Grate on a box grater. Squeeze excess juices out over sink.
3 lb. boiling potatoes Grate on a box grater. Rinse & squeeze excess juices out over sink.
oil Start heating oil in a skillet.
6 T. flour
1 t. salt
3 eggs		 Combine, then mix in onions and potato.
Fry.

Source: Aaron's Aunt Leah

Latkes was published on 7 December 2023.

Recipe uses: eggs, potato, onion

Sauerkraut Fritters

Sounds ridiculous, but it isn't. Goes well with Breton Beans, or with pierogi.

Ingredients Step
10.5 oz. / 2 c. sauerkraut Drain and finely chop.
¾ c. milk
1 egg
1 t. caraway
1 t. savory (opt.)		 Mix wet ingredients together in a large bowl.
oil Start heating oil in a skillet
1 c. (130 g.) flour Add flour to the wet ingredients. Then add chopped sauerkraut.
When a drop of batter sizzles in the hot oil, pour by 2T-fuls and spread to 3-inch rounds. Cook until the bottoms brown (about 5 minutes), then turn and repeat. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Source: Michal Korkosz (Fresh from Poland)

Sauerkraut Fritters was published on 6 December 2023.

Recipe uses: sauerkraut, milk