Easter Entertaining DIY

Skip the dye kits and head to your refrigerator and pantry instead. You can dye your Easter eggs with vegetables, fruits and spices! These natural dyes will give you a range of lovely colors that are all natural.

Common food items such as red cabbage, onion skins, beets and turmeric can be used to dye plain white eggs into a rainbow of colors. You can use blueberries, coffee, avocado skins, raspberries and more to naturally dye eggs.

Natural dye color chart used in this guide:

• Red cabbage: blue
• Yellow onion: orange
• Beets: light pink
• Turmeric: yellow
• Turmeric plus red cabbage: green

Using brown eggs will alter the color of the dyes as well. A brown egg in a red cabbage dye bath will result in green. Or, try over-dyeing eggs by dipping them in one dye bath for a while, then another, to achieve a new color.

Tip: You will also need to add vinegar to the dye bath. Vinegar helps the dye bind to the eggshell.

The ratio of vegetables/fruits to water is two cups of chopped produce with enough water to cover the produce by 1 inch. For the turmeric, 1 tablespoon turmeric to two cups of water. Add the produce/spice and water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it sit until it reaches room temperature. Then, strain out the shredded vegetables or fruit into a glass jar. Add one tablespoon of white vinegar to each jar and stir.

Add boiled eggs into the dye bath. Place the jars in the fridge until the desired color is reached. Leaving the eggs in the dye bath overnight will give you stronger colors. Once the egg reaches the right color, pull them out of the dye bath and let them dry.

Tip: Room temperature eggs soak up the dye better than cold eggs.

Deviled eggs are an easy appetizer and a great way to use up your naturally dyed Easter eggs. Using spring herbs like chives, parsley and thyme will give them a garden-fresh taste your guests will love.

You will need eight large hard-boiled eggs, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2-cup of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon each of chopped chives, parsley and thyme. A piping bag fitted with an open-star tip will make it easier to fill the eggs later, but that’s optional.

Peel the hard-boiled eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and put them in a bowl. Set the egg whites aside. With a fork, mash up the yolks. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and stir in herbs.

Fill a piping bag with the yolk mixture. Pipe mixture into whites and garnish with more chopped herbs. You can just spoon the mixture into the eggs whites as well.