HAPPY EASTER
I love to browse through hundred-year-old cookbooks. Sometimes I flip through cookbooks looking for an inspiration about what to make; other times I’m looking for a certain type of recipe. Today, since I had hard-boiled Easter eggs, I knew that I wanted to make a recipe that called for hard-boiled eggs. I found several recipes which were candidates for this post, and then I read the ingredient list for Dandy Stuffed Eggs and saw that it called for dandelion greens. I immediately knew that I’d found the recipe that I was going to make for today’s post. .
I have memories of my grandfather foraging dandelion for my mother to prepare; and each year I carry-on the tradition. Maybe it is my imagination but eating dandelion always seems to restore my energy after a long winter. My mother always called dandelion greens her spring tonic.
Back in the days before modern supermarkets with produce sections filled with fresh fruits and vegetables year round, nutrient-rich dandelion was one of the first greens available in the spring, and people craved them. Dandelion greens contain lots of vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, folate, vitamin K, calcium, and potassium.
The Dandy Stuffed Eggs were wonderful The eggs are stuffed with a dandelion, bacon, onion, and vinegar mixture The stuffed eggs are served hot on top of a bed of wilted dandelion.
Here’s the original recipe:
One teaspoon of salt seemed like a lot, so when I made the recipe I only used half as much.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Dandy Stuffed Eggs (Stuffed Eggs with Dandelion)
6 hard-boiled eggs
1 pound dandelion greens (spinach, beet greens, or chard may be substituted for the dandelion greens)
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 4 tablespoons chopped onion)
1 slice fried bacon or salt pork, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vinegar
If desired, sugar and additional vinegar
Preheat oven to 375° F. Thoroughly wash dandelion greens, then take about 1/2 cup of the greens (reserve the remaining greens) and put in a small skillet. (No additional water is needed, since the dandelion greens should have some water clinging to it.) Using medium heat, wilt the greens while stirring constantly (about 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat and chop the wilted greens.
In the meantime, cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks and put in a bowl; then mash the yolks using a fork. Add the chopped wilted dandelion greens, onion, bacon, salt, and vinegar. Stir to combine; then stuff the egg whites with the egg yolk mixture.
Put the stuffed eggs in a baking dish. Cover and put in oven until the stuffs eggs are hot (about 15 minutes.)
In the meantime, put the remaining dandelion greens in the skillet. Using medium heat, wilt slightly while stirring constantly. If desired, sprinkle with sugar and add a splash of vinegar. Remove from heat.
To serve, put wilted dandelion greens on serving plate or bowl. Place the stuffed eggs on top of the greens.
A Hundred Years Ago 
That sounds really good – vibrant stuff!
It was tasty.
Wow I had never heard of this! How unique – looks amazing as well.
I was pleased with how this recipe turned out. It was yummy.
Nice recipe. We’re in autumn now, so too late for dandelions.
This may not be the right way to describe a “weed,” but dandelions are currently at their peak here.
So amazing and wasteful, that something so very nutritious is claimed a weed.
I agree – dandelions are an under-appreciated food.
Where do you get the dandelions? The ones that grow down here look different from the ones up north.
Where are you? There are a few different leaf shapes of dandelions here in Texas. Where I grew up there was only one that I noticed.
I’m in the Houston area. The dandelions look very different here than the ones in the NE states. I’ve heard them called Texas dandelions, but I have not researched them. I am not one to eat out of the backyard, unless it is a mainstream seed that I planted. Thanks for the comment. Just check out your blog and will be following.
I looked those up and yeah… those aren’t dandelions. Apparently they are still edible (https://www.foragingtexas.com/2011/10/texas-dandelion.html?m=1) but I understand your eating choices. I eat only wild edibles I know without a doubt are what I think they are. I’ll eat the dandelions I know, but wouldn’t trust a Texas dandelion identification of mine based off some pictures alone. I do hope to go to some foraging classes when they’re reopened.
Have you heard of this website http://www.foragingtexas.com? He also gives lectures.
I recently found that site and love reading it.
I get them from the fringes of my yard, where everything is pretty natural.
I’m gonna have to try out this dandelion thing when they start growing here.
I’m definitely a fan of eating foraged dandelions. They are such a nutritious and tasty green. You should give them a try.
Planning on it! Thanks for sharing this.
This sure is a different take on stuffed eggs! Sound intriguing, though I doubt my family will think so. Good thing they aren’t here for Easter dinner this year! 😂 Happy Easter, Sheryl!
I was pleased with how this recipe turned out – though I can understand why less adventuresome eaters might not be ready to try dandelion. Happy Easter!
Yum… we just had dandelion greens in our scrambled eggs this morning.
Wow, what an amazing coincidence! I may have to try putting dandelion greens in scrambled eggs. It sounds yummy.
They are yummy!
Sometimes my stick-in-the-mud tendencies reveal themselves, and this is one such time. One of the rules at Easter in my family was, “Thou shalt not mess with the stuffed egg recipe!” I had a cousin who tried it once, for a July 4th picnic, and the reaction wasn’t pretty. Happy Easter, however you do your eggs!
You comments made me smile. I made this recipe yesterday – and my usual deviled eggs recipe today for Easter dinner. As you said, sometimes you just can’t mess with tradition. 🙂
How unusual, but I’m sure it is quite tasty. I love dandelion greens in the spring as well, in fact, it was what I craved when I was carrying my daughter!
It’s fascinating that you craved dandelion greens when you were pregnant. I wonder if you body was trying to tell you something about a needed nutrient.
Oh, I’m sure that’s what it was, Sheryl, and they are filled with good nutrients.
I discovered dandelions recently, and love the flavor. Love this way of using them.
Dandelions are a wonderful, but often under-utilized, green. I was really pleased with how this recipe turned out. It was delicious and made a nice presentation.
I buy cultivated ones, and use them in many recipes. So good! 🙂
Great stuffed eggs..
They’re yummy.
Happy Easter, Sheryl!
Lock down or no, my buddy is coming to see you……
Happy Easter!
You did a wonderful job with your photo! I like dandelion and eggs just separate,and yes, you probably did feel good after eating dandelion. People should eat it more often.
The eggs and dandelion combined nicely in this dish. In my opinion dandelions are an under-utilized green. They are so tasty and nutritious.
This sounds delicious!
Many of my ancestors were German Mennonites, and they often made various dandelion dishes (especially in early spring when, like you said, there weren’t too many other fresh vegetables available).
I think it’s pretty cool that you found a recipe for dandelions. It must have been a very well-known food back in the day.
My general sense is that foraging dandelion was much more popular many years ago than what it is now. Many hundred-year-old cookbooks contain several dandelion recipes. And, a few years earlier, during the World War I years, there was an especially high interest in eating foraged foods (wild greens, berries, nuts, etc.). I can remember seeing several articles in 1918 magazines about “roadside foods.”
My mother told me if I couldn’t say something good, don’t say anything. Your photos is lovely — a photographic still life. That’s marvelous that you can take a nasty weed and turn it into meal that some people would eat. Bacon can redeem almost anything. What a novel idea to heat stuffed eggs!
I’m sure my mom would give me failing marks. She would approve my saying Happy Easter with a smile. I love your blog, and I love you. Happy Easter!
Your comment made me smile. You did just fine with your comment – and it even said something good about the photo. Your mother would have been pleased. Happy Easter!
We had stuffed eggs today but not at all like these. No dandelions in my yard, but maybe one year I will be able to try the greens.
I have mixed feelings about the dandelions in my yard. I enjoy harvesting them – but I definitely don’t have a picture-perfect lawn.
Very interesting and also wonderful that this is a part of some fond memories for you.
I drink roasted dandelion tea because of the antioxidants and health benefits. I can believe that you feel the health benefits from eating the greens. What a unique and healthy dish!
I’ve never tried roasted dandelion tea, but your comment makes we want to look for it and give it a try.
It is a pretty easy one to find, once you know what to look for. I am usually able to find it at WalMart and Trader Joe’s. I hope you give it a try. I quite like the roasted flavor. My daughter and grandkids like it as well.
Wow, never heard of these before. Though I don’t know where to get dandelions.
I’m into foraging dandelions from areas that are left in their natural state. In my case, that is the fringes of my yard. Additionally, in some areas cultivated dandelion can purchased in the produce section.
I’m a real purist about deviled eggs and stay away from anything other than the mainstream ingredients and chopped green olives, but this recipe reminds me of the scrambled eggs I sometimes make. I sprinkle crumbled bacon over them and stir in fresh spinach. The deviled version has to be very similar. Our dandelions here are not very good and if I have any at all that sprout they’ve been dug up and tossed as we consider them a weed! I only tried to make dandelion salad once :). I hope your Easter was very nice!
Dandelions are a more bitter green than spinach, but this recipe does sound very similar to scrambled eggs with bacon and spinach. We had a nice Easter. I wanted to make a ham slice, but couldn’t find any at the store, so made cornish hens which were lovely. I hope that you also had a nice Easter.
What a fun recipe! I’ve never eaten dandelion greens, but I know they are very nutritious and certainly plentiful.
You should give them a try. It is somewhat time consuming to gather and wash the dandelion greens, but I think that it’s worth the effort.
Dandelion recipes take me back to my childhood. Making me homesick and longing for simpler times. I will come back to this recipe next time I am home and walking among dandelions.
It’s nice to hear that this post brought back some good memories.
I have plenty of eggs colored no less , but no greens. Is it weird to wish for dandelions? I’ll have to talk to the groundskeeper – hubby- and tell him to leave me some.
It doesn’t sound weird to me to wish for dandelion. 🙂 It sounds like you have an excellent “groundskeeper”. I hope he finds some for you.
I’ve never eaten dandelion greens but I shall certainly give it a go now.xxx
If you like greens that have a slightly bitter flavor, you’ll like dandelions.
You come up with the most interesting recipes and this is one I would definitely enjoy trying.
I think that you’d enjoy this recipe. It’s yummy.
Hi Sheryl, Stuffed eggs is always a huge treat and somewhat labour intensive. You have really jazzed up the recipe. It looks beautiful and I am sure it tasted great!
The eggs were yummy. It can be a bit time-consuming and putzy to stuff eggs, though I always love the way they look once they are stuffed.
Sounds great. Will look to integrate dandelion in my diet.