Humpty Dumpty Eggs

Ready, Set, Cook! Special Edition Contest Entry: I wanted to adapt the recipe for Scotch Eggs to use mashed potatoes to enrobe the hard boiled eggs. Then adding the bacon in the form of a bow tie reminded me of childhood images of Humpty Dumpty.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 8 eggs

Ingredients

• 1 (24 ounce) package  Simply Potatoes Traditional Mashed Potatoes
• 1⁄4 cup  shredded carrot
• 4  green onions, green part only thinly sliced
• 8  hard-boiled eggs
• 8  slices bacon
• 2  eggs, whisked
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  cups cornmeal
• 8  pinches salt

Directions

1. In a 5 quart pot put 3 tablespoons of salt and 4 quarts of hot water. Stir to dissolve the salt and add the eggs. Bring to a boil and then boil for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs to a basin of cold water.
2. While eggs are boiling, prepare the potatoes according to the directions on the package. Mix the shredded carrots and thinly sliced green onions into the potatoes and set aside to cool.
3. Peel the eggs. Spread some of the cooled potato mixture in the palm of one hand, about 1/8 inch thick. Place an egg in the center of the hand and fold the potato mixture around the egg. Use additional potato as necessary to complete coating the egg with the potato mix.
4. Whisk two eggs with 1/4 tsp salt in a pie pan. Roll the coated egg in the whisked egg and roll in corn meal to coat. Set on a baking dish. Complete coating all the eggs.
5. Take a strip of bacon and wrap it around the middle of the coated egg. Let it overlap about an inch, and then fold the excess back and forth to make a bow. Secure with a toothpick. Do the same with all the eggs.
6. Heat vegetable oil to 375°F Fry the eggs 2 at a time until the bacon is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the eggs in the fryer.
7. Place the eggs on paper towels to drain and sprinkle each with a pinch of salt while hot.
8. Vegetarians can substitute soy bacon.