Russian Easter "Kulich" Dessert ♥

This is a traditional russian easter sweet bread. Here's my low fat version of my Grandma Katrina's recipe enjoy! ♥

Ingredients  ♥

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water 
1/4 cup low fat margarine, softened 
1/4 cup sugar 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/4 cup milk, scalded 
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 
1 egg, slightly beaten 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 
1/4 cup chopped candied red cherries 
1/4 cup chopped candied green cherries 
2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds 
3/4 cup confectioners sugar 

4 teaspoons milk

Directions ♥
Soften yeast in the warm water.
Put butter, sugar, and salt into a bowl; add the scalded milk and stir until butter is melted.
Cool to lukewarm.
Beat 1/2 cup of the flour into milk mixture.
Stir in the yeast, then beat in egg, extract, and cardamom.
Add remaining flour gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition.
Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Punch down dough; let rise again until almost doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Distribute cherries and almonds evenly over dough; knead about 15 times.
Shape dough into a ball and put into a well-greased 1-pound coffee can.
Cover; let rise again until doubled, 30 to 40 minutes.
Place can on a baking sheet, if desired.
Bake at 350°F 45 minutes, or until bread is well browned.
Cool in can 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Blend the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth.
Spoon icing over Kulich and allow it to drip down sides. I like to add little multi-colored sprinkles to the tops. enjoy! ♥

Russian Easter Recipes ♥

Today is the Russian Orthodox Easter, here is a collaboration of traditional Russian Easter dishes that I ate growing up,  Easter or Paskha is the most important religious observance of the year in the Russian Orthodox Church. Easter in Russia is a lot more than just a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

      In Russia Easter is usually celebrated later than in the West. This happens because Easter dates are determined by different calendars. When the Catholic and Orthodox churches separated in the 11th century, they both calculated the date of Easter in the same way. However, the Catholic church adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, and the Orthodox church continued to use the old Julian calendar. Because the two calendars had a difference of 13 days by the 21st century, and because both churches use March 21 for the date of the vernal equinox instead of the observed equinox, the date of Easter is different in both churches. Preceding Easter is a 40-day long Lenten fast during which no meat and dairy products, fish, eggs, or alcohol are allowed.  The fasting begins with Maslenitsa or Pancake week which is celebrated during the last week before the Great Lent. Though meat is already forbidden, Maslenitsa represents the last chance to partake of dairy products (russian pancakes, blini) and those social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful and introspective Lenten season. Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday is a busy time in Russian families, when houses are cleaned and Easter food is prepared. On Holy Thursday, Russians paint Easter eggs using their traditional method of boiling them in onion peels or other natural dyes. Painted eggs are a universal symbol of Easter, but in Russia they take on even greater significance.

On Holy Saturday, a strict day of fasting in which no food at all is allowed, families are nonetheless busy preparing for the Easter feast. The feast served to break the fast after the midnight mass, includes the Paskha cake and Easter eggs which are blessed by the priest on Holy Saturday. Sunrise services in Russia are not common on Easter morning, instead, Orthodox churches hold a midnight mass, with a procession around the church.  When the clock strikes 12, church bells announce the resurrection of Christ.

Here is a medley of Russian dishes and recipes I hope everyone has a blessed, safe, and Happy Easter!♥ 

Russian Piroshki ♥ 

Russian Vinegret (Beet Salad) 

Russian Easter Ham "Buzhenina"

Russian Easter "Pascha" Dessert

Russian Easter "Kulich" Dessert 

Russian Easter Eggs 

And here is a little flashback of me as a child at Easter! ♥

Russian Onion Peel Easter Eggs ♥

This is a traditional Russian Easter Egg dying process.The design on the eggs I have here is so beautiful yet so simple to achieve and what is even better is completely natural, no chemicals involved! ♥

Here is what you will need:
Onion peels(red or yellow) from about 10 onions
White Eggs
Any leaves you like e.g. rose leaves, parsley, dill, anything interesting you can find in your back yard!
Salt -1 tsp.
Pantyhose
Thread
Take the onion peels and put them in a pot. The next step is quite simple but a teensy bit fiddly. Place a leaf of your choice on the egg and slide it inside a pantyhose, tie a thread on each side of the egg to prevent the leaf from sliding. Repeat the process until all the eggs are “dressed” in pantyhose. I learned that very stiff leaves don’t work as well because they don’t “hug” the egg too tightly and produce an unclear print. Fill your pot with water and boil the eggs for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the heat is not set on very high as you don’t want your eggs knocking around in the pot and cracking. Cool the eggs, remove the panty hose and the leaves, wipe any leaf remnants with a cloth. The last step is to make them shiny! Simply rub each egg with a little bit of oil.
Use food colouring pastes and a tablespoon of vinegar per each cup of colour, top up with boiling water. Drop a cooked egg and let it sit for 5 minutes. I recommend using gel colours as they produce more vivid hues than their liquid counterparts.

Easter 2020 Menu ♥

The American Easter is this Sunday.  This year my Easter I celebrate,  Russian Orthodox Easter is not until April 19th.  I thought I would share both the American and Russian Easter Menus you may incorporate  with the American Easter ♥

 Old Fashioned Ham ♥

Ingredients ♥

3/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup light brown sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 (14-pound) cooked and smoked cured ham, shank end

3/4 cup pineapple juice

20 canned pineapple rings

1/2 cup maraschino cherries

Directions ♥

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put oven rack in the middle of the oven.

In a small bowl, mix together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and thyme.

Put the ham in a large roasting pan, fat side up. Rub the ham with mustard glaze. Pour the pineapple juice into the bottom of the pan. Put the ham in the oven and bake for 2 hours, brushing every 20 minutes with the pineapple juice. Remove the ham from the oven.

Turn oven to 400 degrees F.

Using toothpicks, decoratively adhere the pineapple rings around the ham and put a cherry in the center of the pineapple ring. Sprinkle the pineapple rings lightly with brown sugar. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake until the pineapples turn a light golden brown. Remove from the oven to a serving platter and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

 Skinny Hot Cross Buns ♥

Hot Cross Buns! Hot Cross Buns! One a penny, two a penny… Remember the childhood rhyme? 

(makes 24 buns)

Ingredients ♥

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup dried currants

1/4 cup warm orange juice

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. grated whole nutmeg

1 package quick-rise yeast

1 cup warm fat-free milk

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup unsalted light butter, melted

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

1 Tbsp water

1 large egg white

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp fat-free milk

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions ♥

To prepare rolls, combine raisins, currants and orange juice in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Drain fruit in a colander over a bowl, reserving fruit and juice. Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup of warm water and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Lightly spoon 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and your 1 cup of pastry flour into dry measuring cups. Combine flours, salt, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached; mix until combined. Combine reserved orange juice, milk, honey, butter and eggs in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. With mixer on, slowly add in milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix at medium-low speed for about 7 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and add reserved fruit.

Knead dough for about 2 minutes until smooth and elastic; add enough of the remaining 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent sticking. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide dough into 24 equal portions; roll each portion into a ball and place rolls in muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white and stir with a whisk. Gently brush rolls with egg white mixture. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown, rotating pans once during baking. Remove from pans and cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk and 1 tsp. lemon juice, stirring well with a whisk. Microwave on high 20 seconds or until warm. Spoon glaze into a sealed zip-lock baggy and snip a tiny hole in one corner of the bag. Pipe a cross on top of each warm roll. Enjoy! ♥

Side Dishes ♥

Click on the highlighted recipes below and it will take you to my recipe! 

 Italian Roasted Brussel Sprouts  

Grandma Katrina's Deviled Eggs 

Mimosas

Ingredients ♥

     Sparkling Wine, Cava, Moet, Prosecco or Champagne (1 bottle)

     Orange Juice (1 carton)

     Triple Sec (optional)

Preparation ♥

Fill half of a champagne flute with chilled sparkling wine or Champagne (about an ounce) and top off with chilled orange juice (again about 2 ounces), gently stir. If you'd like to add triple sec, just a splash to taste works out fine. For added flare, slice up a strawberry to decorate the rim of each flute. Enjoy!

* Also delightful over ice in a larger white wine glass as I did above!

Now for the link to my Russian Easter  

Have a blessed Easter! 

Grandma Katrina's Russian Pancakes"Blini" ♥

Happy Saturday! Here is a special recipe that is near and dear to me...
My Grandma Katrina used to make the best blini, (these are russian pancakes), they can be served for breakfast, or for lunch or dinner, with a dollap of jelly, or sour cream, with salmon or caviar. enjoy! ♥

Ingredients ♥

3 large eggs
3 1/4 cups milk
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2.5 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2-2.5 tsp dry yeast
Oil to grease the skillet
1 stick margarine to oil ready blini ( I use Smart Balance for a healthier approach)

Makes about 18-20 blini

Tools needed...
1/2 small raw unpeeled potato and a fork for greasing tool
3 quart covered pot (better enameled or at least stainless steel)
Non-stick skillet, 8-9" diameter
Ladle or a big spoon
Wooden spatula
Heat-proof dish to stack ready blini

Garnishes ♥
Salted herring, thinly sliced 
Caviar
Melted butter
Soft boiled eggs, chopped
Sour cream
jelly

Directions ♥

1. Scald 1.25 cup of milk in a pot. Separate 1/4 cup and mix it with yeast until dissolved. Beat eggs, stir them in milk, along with yeast, salt and sugar. The mixture must be lukewarm, so if it cooled down, warm it up on very low heat constantly stirring.


2. Add flour and mix well until you get the batter/dough of rather thick consistency, like thick sour cream. Cover the pot, and let the dough rise in a warm place.  About 1 hour.

3. While the dough is rising, prepare garnishes (caviar and herring should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated) and lay the table. Blini are served hot, so later you will have no time for this. Leave boiling of eggs to the end though - it's nice when they are served warm, just take then out of the fridge to acquire room temperature before boiling.

4. When the dough rises and at least triples in size, scald the remaining milk, and mix it in the dough in small portions (about 1/2 cup each), stirring well every time. Small portions of hot milk will not kill the yeast, but will keep the mass very warm. After all milk is in, leave the dough to foam for about 30 minutes, covered.  Don't mix the foam!

5. Prepare your baking tools. Pour some olive oil in a small bowl - for greasing your skillet. Make a greasing tool with a half of potato and a fork.
5. Your dough/batter will look like a thick foam when ready to bake. Heat the skillet on high heat, grease it with the potato dipped in oil, scoop a ladle of dough on the skillet, and smear it around. The thick foam will not spread easily just by tilting and turning the skillet. 

6. Bake on one side until bubbles form and the surface becomes mat, check if it's nicely browned by lifting the edge a little, then flip over with the spatula and bake on the other side. Adjust the heat so your blini don't burn, but bake through and are beautifully browned. Grease the skillet before each blin, otherwise your blini will not get a nice pattern.

7. Stack blini on the heat-proof dish, second side up (it is smoother and easier to oil), and gently oil each blini with the butter stick. Butter will prevent blini from sticking to one another.

8. When all blini are ready, loosely cover the dish with foil, and toss it into the 175 F oven to keep warm. At this point boil soft eggs. 

Serve everything with favorite garnishes. Herring, eggs, caviar, sour cream, jelly.enjoy! ♥

Leftover blini, if any, should be refrigerated. Blini will stick all together, so don't try to separate one blini - it will break. Warm them up all together in a microwave or an oven at 325 F, loosely covered with foil.

Russian Holy Friday Salmon Pie (Kulebyaka) ♥

In Orhtodox culture today is Holy Friday, Easter for orthodox is this Sunday, Here is a perfect russian fish recipe for today! 

The Russians call it kulebyaka,, the more general Russian word for pie. Inside the flaky crust, wild salmon from Alaskan waters is layered with rice and cabbage, crops introduced to the 18th-century natives of Kodiak Island by fur traders from across the strait. Long after the Russians gave up the hunt for sea otter pelts and sold their claim to the territory to the United States, the frontier fish-camp dish remained a staple of the Russian dinner table.

I made a low fat version of my grandmothers "Kulebyaka" salmon pie recipe but I think that this version is much more healthier and still very tasty! Usually Kulebyaka is made from yeast based dough, but puff pastry or fresh dough also can be used. For an easy version on the crust you can buy low fat puff pastry pre made. My  grandma Katrina traditionally made the crust from scratch I remember her tiny hands kneading away in the kitchen. 

serves 8 - 10

Ingredients ♥
1 1/2 lb. skinned salmon fillet
4-5 hard boiled eggs sliced
1 beaten egg
(1 lb) puff pastry - defrosted if frozen
Flour for rolling surface
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. dry white wine

1 tsp thyme
1 cup cooked rice
1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 handful  chopped fresh dill ( if you are not a dill fan you may substitute spinach) 
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 medium chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 lb. mushrooms (of your choice), brushed clean and thinly sliced
Flour for rolling surface

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions ♥

The oven should be pre-heated to 400F. Lightly oil a baking tray.

To poach salmon: fill medium shallow saucepan or skillet with enough water to cover about two-thirds of the salmon fillet. Bring water to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the wine, thyme, salt, pepper and salmon, cook 10 minutes or until salmon just begins to flake. Remove salmon from poaching water and cool. Flake into bite-sized pieces.

To make a  rice and mushroom stuffing: In a deep, ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add chopped onion, garlic, the salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté a little more, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the fresh dill.

Assembling the Kulebyaka

On a lightly floured surface roll out the puff pastry, to make a 30 cm (12 in) square.
Spread the rice and mushroom mixture  over the pastry, but leave a border all round of about 1 cm ( inch).
Arrange the salmon pieces on top of the rice,Then layer with remaining dill, scatter the sliced eggs over the salmon, and sprinkle with fish seasoning.
Brush pastry edges with beaten egg.
Fold the pastry twice to form a rectangle. Press the edges together to seal in the contents.
Carefully lift the pastry roll onto the oiled baking tray and glaze with beaten egg.
Pierce the pastry case in several places to allow steam to escape.
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for approximately 40 minutes. After 30 minutes cover the roll with foil.

Leave on baking tray to cool.  Slice and Serve.♥

Russian Easter Recipes 2015 ♥

I have been so busy with Easter on Sunday and getting together recipes! 

Here is a collaboration of traditional Russian Easter dishes that I ate growing up, this year Easter falls next Sunday.
  I am lucky I get to celebrate both American and Russian Easters! Easter or Paskha is the most important religious observance of the year in the Russian Orthodox Church. Easter in Russia is a lot more than just a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ♥  

  In Russia Easter is usually celebrated later than in the West. This happens because Easter dates are determined by different calendars. When the Catholic and Orthodox churches separated in the 11th century, they both calculated the date of Easter in the same way. However, the Catholic church adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, and the Orthodox church continued to use the old Julian calendar. Because the two calendars had a difference of 13 days by the 21st century, and because both churches use March 21 for the date of the vernal equinox instead of the observed equinox, the date of Easter is different in both churches.Preceding Easter is a 40 days long Lenten fast during which no meat and dairy products, fish, eggs, alcohol are allowed.  The fasting begins with Maslenitsa or Pancake week which is celebrated during the last week before the Great Lent. Though meat is already forbidden, Maslenitsa represents the last chance to partake of dairy products (russian pancakes, blini) and those social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful and introspective Lenten season. Holy week, beginning with Palm Sunday is a busy time in Russian families, when houses are cleaned and Easter food is prepared. On Holy Thursday, Russians paint Easter eggs using their traditional method of boiling them in onion peels or other natural dyes. Painted eggs are a universal symbol of Easter, but in Russia they take on even greater significance.

On Holy Saturday, a strict day fasting in which no food at all is allowed, families are nonetheless busy preparing for the Easter feast. The feast, served to break the fast after the midnight mass, includes the Paskha cake and Easter eggs which are blessed by the priest on Holy Saturday.Sunrise services in Russia are not common on Easter morning, instead Orthodox churches hold a midnight mass, with a procession around the church.  When the clock strikes 12, church bells announce the resurrection of Christ.

Here is a medley of Russian dishes and recipes I hope everyone has a blessed, safe and Happy Easter!♥ 

Russian Piroshki ♥ 

Russian Vinegret (Beet Salad) 

Russian Easter Ham "Buzhenina"

Russian Easter "Pascha" Dessert

Russian Easter "Kulich" Dessert 

Russian Easter Eggs 

And here is a little flashback me as a child at Easter! ♥

Russian Sauerkraut "Kapusta" ♥

Here is a tasty homemade russian sauerkraut recipe, you can use it as a topping on brats, sandwiches, or alone as a side salad. It's tangy and tasty! enjoy! ♥ 

Ingredients ♥ 

2 medium/large cabbages ( about 5½ lbs)
2 Tbsp sea salt

1 Tbsp sugar


Directions ♥ 
Remove the outermost leaves of the cabbage, cut it into quarters and shred cabbage finely  Grate the carrots.
1. In a large silver bowl, place cabbage, carrots, 2 Tbsp sea salt and 1 Tbsp sugar and scrunch and knead it together really well for the juice to be released from the cabbage. Now scrunch it together.
2. Fill a glass jar with the cabbage mixture and pack it in very tightly so that the juice from the cabbage covers the cabbage completely. You want a jar big enough to be filled only about 2/3 full so it has room to expand.( tip I use the big sams club pickle jars ) 
3. Make a press over the top of the cabbage by pushing down with a plate (or the lid from a large sour cream container). Top with a small jar of water, a super clean rock or whatever else would make a good weight.  Place the lid on the jar but do not tighten (this is just to keep bugs out). Its a good idea to keep the bottle in the sink or over a dish since there is risk of it overflowing (this is also why we only fill it 2/3 full; it grows!). Let stand at room temp for 4 days or until sour. It will stop fermenting/rising when it’s done.
3. While it sits at room temperature, once each day: poke a few holes through the cabbage with the back of a wooden mixing spoon to release the gas that this process produces and pack the cabbage down tightly. 
4. After 4 days, refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be stored for a few weeks if kept very cold
To serve, drain the amount of cabbage that you would like to eat by firmly squeezing out the excess juice with your hands. enjoy! ♥ 

Russian Easter Recipes 2014 ♥

Here is a collaboration of traditional Russian Easter dishes that I ate growing up, this year Easter falls on the same day. Easter or Paskha is the most important religious observance of the year in the Russian Orthodox Church. Easter in Russia is a lot more than just a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

      In Russia Easter is usually celebrated later than in the West. This happens because Easter dates are determined by different calendars. When the Catholic and Orthodox churches separated in the 11th century, they both calculated the date of Easter in the same way. However, the Catholic church adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, and the Orthodox church continued to use the old Julian calendar. Because the two calendars had a difference of 13 days by the 21st century, and because both churches use March 21 for the date of the vernal equinox instead of the observed equinox, the date of Easter is different in both churches.Preceding Easter is a 40 days long Lenten fast during which no meat and dairy products, fish, eggs, alcohol are allowed.  The fasting begins with Maslenitsa or Pancake week which is celebrated during the last week before the Great Lent. Though meat is already forbidden, Maslenitsa represents the last chance to partake of dairy products (russian pancakes, blini) and those social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful and introspective Lenten season. Holy week, beginning with Palm Sunday is a busy time in Russian families, when houses are cleaned and Easter food is prepared. On Holy Thursday, Russians paint Easter eggs using their traditional method of boiling them in onion peels or other natural dyes. Painted eggs are a universal symbol of Easter, but in Russia they take on even greater significance.

On Holy Saturday, a strict day fasting in which no food at all is allowed, families are nonetheless busy preparing for the Easter feast. The feast, served to break the fast after the midnight mass, includes the Paskha cake and Easter eggs which are blessed by the priest on Holy Saturday.Sunrise services in Russia are not common on Easter morning, instead Orthodox churches hold a midnight mass, with a procession around the church.  When the clock strikes 12, church bells announce the resurrection of Christ.

Here is a medley of Russian dishes and recipes I hope everyone has a blessed, safe and Happy Easter!♥ 

Russian Piroshki ♥ 

Russian Vinegret (Beet Salad) 

Russian Easter Ham "Buzhenina"

Russian Easter "Pascha" Dessert

Russian Easter "Kulich" Dessert 

Russian Easter Eggs 

And here is a little flashback me as a child at Easter! ♥

Russian Easter Eggs ♥

 It's almost Easter, here is a traditional dying russian style of easter eggs using onion peels!. On Holy Thursday, Russians paint Easter eggs using their traditional method of boiling them in onion peels or other natural dyes. Painted eggs are a universal symbol of Easter, but in Russia they take on even greater significance.♥

Ingredients ♥

-The dry outer peels from about 10 yellow onions
- a dozen white eggs.

Instructions ♥
1. Place eggs in a bowl with warm water. Eggs are more likely to crack if they are placed in boiling water when they’re cold.
2. Fill a small saucepan about 1/3 with water (or enough to cover the eggs). Add onion peel and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes until onion peels release their color.
3. Remove eggs from warm water and place them in the pot, making sure they are fully submerged in water. Add more boiling water if needed. Boil 7 minutes, turning the eggs occasionally.
4. Remove eggs to a bowl of cold water. Once they are cooled, dry with paper towels and Tada!! You can also rub some oil on the shell to give them a nice shine. ♥

Grandma Katrina's Deviled Eggs ♥

Easter is coming up and here is my recipe for my Grandma Katrina's deviled eggs, she used to make them every time my Uncle came to visit from Seattle. I use my favorite mayonaise Hellman's.  Here is the recipe enjoy! ♥

Ingredients ♥

1 dozen large eggs
2 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
2 & 1/2 tbsp. Hellman's light mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Paprika for garnish

Directions ♥

Place eggs in a large sauce pan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and place under running cold water for a few minutes.
The best way to peel the eggs is to roll them on the side of the sink, lightly breaking the shell, and then peeling them under the running water.Slice the eggs in half, lengthwise, and remove the yolks to a mixing bowl. Smash the yolks, then add relish, mayo, salt, and pepper. Use a fork to thoroughly smash and blend the mixture. You can use a mixer for this step, but I just like to do it the hard way.
Fill egg halves with mixture. You can spoon it in, or use a plastic sandwich bag. Just fill the bag, snip the corner, and squeeze filling into eggs.( I remember my mother's were perfect she used a pastry bag and tip)  It is easy and gives a nice finished look. Sprinkle with paprika, and chill in fridge and then serve and watch these little suckers disappear, I recommend make a double quantity for parties! enjoy! ♥