Red White & Blue Deviled Eggs
I kicked up my usual deviled egg recipe with delicious beets. These Red White & Blue Deviled Eggs are tasty and fun for your Fourth of July!
Happy Birthday, America! Well, in a few days at least. They’re already started making arrangements, setting up barricades, bandstands, and port-a-potties downtown. It’s funny. Sometimes, after getting off the train, there’s three or four of us that can catch the bus. This is awesome because the bus is free. If I miss the bus, I must pay to ride Metro rail. That’s never fun.
The last few days we’ve caught the train and drive down 14th Street past the Washington Monument and the National Mall. That’s where most of the preparations are visible. Every C has comment on setting up for some event or something. D and I just look at each other and say, “Um..yeah. The FOURTH OF THE JULY!” Yes. It does take quite a few days to get everything in place the biggest party on the planet. There is NOTHING like the Fourth of July in the Nation’s capital.
But I’ve talked about this before. I truly was spoiled growing up in this area when I did. The security wasn’t as tight as it is now. You could show up at any time with several coolers and spend the whole day sitting on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capital Building. You could easily wander the National Mall and not have to worry about the wristband you have and if you are allowed access.
Don’t get me wrong! If you want an amazing experience for the Fourth of July, there’s nothing like sitting on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capital Building lawn listening to pop stars sing and hearing symphonies play quintessential patriotic tunes like the Star-Spangled Banner and God Bless America. All the while, the Washington Monument is in the background.
By the time sun sets, you’ve become besties with the people on the lawn next to you. You’re more than likely sharing food and drink, playing games, and having a great time. Then, my absolute favorite song starts to play. That’s the cue that the fireworks are about to start. If it’s a good concert, they play the lesser known intro the 1812 Overture. And if it’s a REALLY good concert, they have a chorus to sing the words. Yes. There’s words.
By that time, I have a lump in my throat and chicken skin. The crown listens intently as the song progresses. The crescendo grows, the chorus sings, and now it’s time for the cannons! The first boom of the cannon and the night sky lights up with HUGE fireworks that look like they will eat the whole monument. Applause and cheers ensue. Oohs and ahs continue as shapes, colors, and combinations show up like the best slide projector show of all time.
I’ve seen stars, hearts, circles with rings, bows (in honor of Operation Desert Storm), ribbons, and a myriad of other shapes. Colors from red, blue and purple to yellow and green amaze the crowd. I saw Faith Hill before she was a super star and married to Tim McGraw. Epic stars like Patti LaBelle, Frankie Valli, John Williams, Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, Gloria Estefan, Tony Bennet, and Aaron Neville have performed at this concert. Not to mention the three decades worth of hosts like Steve Martin, Tom Bergeron, and Barry Bostwick.
It truly is an amazing concert that’s like no other. Currently, the “gates” open at 3pm on the evening of the Fourth of July. Just giving you a heads up! Coolers are allowed, but alcohol has ALWAYS been prohibited. It’s National Park Service property, I do believe. It’s very family friendly, and perfect for a Fourth of July picnic with a recipe like this one!
We pack everything from cards and radios to snacks, dinner, and dessert. There’s always sunscreen because there’s not a lot of shade and plenty of water to drink. And iced tea to have with dinner. We have cheese and crackers for nibbles, deviled eggs, and chips with dip. Dinner is usually cold fried chicken, macaroni or potato salad, and cole slaw. There’s nothing like cold fried chicken for a Fourth of July picnic. I should make that next year.
I’m going to make these again next year! They’re fun and very delicious. I love the earthy sweetness the beets bring to the celebration. And the color they bring to the filling. It’ll make your guests wonder what you put in there to make them such an interesting color. They will go back for seconds, so I’d recommend doubling this batch if you’re taking it to a picnic or Fourth of July party.
Have you celebrated the Fourth of July in Washington, DC before? Where do you like to celebrate Independence Day?
Red White & Blue Deviled Eggs
I kicked up my usual deviled egg recipe with delicious beets. These Red White & Blue Deviled Eggs are tasty and fun for your Fourth of July!
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 1/4 teaspoon blue gel food coloring
- 3 cups water, divided
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup chopped beets
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
- Fill a medium saucepan to within 1 1/2 inches to the rim. Bring to a boil over high heat. Using a heat resistant spoon, carefully drop the eggs one at a time into the boiling water.
- Boil the eggs 12 minutes. Remove the eggs from the boiling water and place in a bowl filled with ice water. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
- While the eggs are cooling, place 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon gel food coloring and 1 1/2 cups water in each of two jars; one for the red dye, and one for the blue dye. Set aside.
- Place the eggs back in the saucepan, place the lid on top, and shake the eggs to crack the shells. Carefully peel the eggs under running water. Place two of the eggs in the red jar, two of the eggs in the blue jar, and the other two in a plastic container and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Remove the eggs from the jars. Rinse and dry them thoroughly before handling. Carefully slice each egg in half. Remove the yolks and place in the bowl of a mini food processor. Keep the whites separated so the colors do not bleed.
- Place the remaining ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and process until smooth. Place the filling in a piping back and pipe into the egg whites and serve.
Patriotic Picnic Picks
- Baked Blueberry Pancake with Cherry Syrup by Pies and Plots
- Boozy Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad by Food Lust People Love
- Patriotic Slaw by Our Good Life
- Red, White and Blue Deviled Eggs by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Tomato, Cucumber and Bleu Cheese Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Liberating Desserts
- Blueberry Strawberry Swirl Sherbet by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Star Spangled Cookies by The Freshman Cook
A perfect touch for the 4th! Thanks for hosting!
Thank you for participating! Your sherbet looks so refreshing!
I can never resist a deviled egg, no matter what the holiday, but your Fourth of July ones are special for sure, Christie.
Thank you, Stacy!
OH my gosh, I can only imagine the excitement of celebrating this holiday at our Nations Capitol. Only thing that would make it better is sharing a blanket and these delicious eggs with you and your family.
Awww, thank you, Wendy! You’re always welcome in my house.
Deviled eggs are always a huge hit at our house. Thanks!
Same here! I don’t know many who can resist them.
We stay home to celebrate and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. 🙂 BUT for a bite of those eggs I might venture further! They look great. 🙂
Thank you! We’ve done that the last few years. The hubs used to have to work so I always watched the Capital Fourth on PBS. It’s still a great concert.
We always seem to have deviled eggs on the 4th. I need to jazz them up like you did—what a fun idea!!!
Thank you! Since it’s usually just the two of us, we don’t have them. We stick with steak.
What a fun idea! My family would love these!
Thank you! They are super fun and taste delicious.
Your 4th of July sounds wonderful! Ours is much less exciting….much less. 🙂 Anyway, those eggs look scrumptious! I love deviled eggs and that was such a good idea to dye them for the celebration.
Thank you! There were always fun times to have during those Fourth of July celebrations.
We LOVE deviled eggs at my house! What a festive addition to the July 4th table! Hope you have a safe a fun holiday with loved ones!
We do, too! Thank you and I hope you and your family do the same.