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The Economical Egg by Nikki Willhite What would we do without eggs? We boil, poach, and scramble them. We make omelets and served deviled eggs on special occasions; we put them in casseroles, and we use them in baking. When our soldiers (US) were overseas during the war, eggs were scarce, and it was one of the things they missed the most. Here's some trivia for you. A hen only requires 25 hours to produce an egg. As hard as the shell seems, it has up to 17,000 tiny pores on its surface. Through them the eggs can absorb flavors and odors. That is why we should keep them in their cartons and store them that way. - Eggs keep fresh longer in the refrigerator. One day in the fridge would be equal to one week at room temperature. You can tell if an egg is raw or hard cooked by spinning it. Raw eggs wobble. - Contrary to rumor, you can't tell if an egg is fresh by dropping it in salt water. - If you drop a raw egg on the floor, sprinkling it with salt is the best way to get it up. - Fresh shell eggs can be kept refrigerated in their carton for at least 4 - 5 weeks beyond the date they are packed. Hard cooked eggs will last up to one week. - Eggs are an economical, nutritious food. They supply lots of protein, vitamins and minerals at a low price. Here are some tips that may help you get the most from your eggs, and some recipes you may enjoy -  Be careful about adding eggs to a hot mixture all at once. They will form lumps. Stir a little of the hot mixture into the eggs first to warm them up, and then add them. - When a recipe calls for the eggs to be at room temperature, it is because cold eggs can affect the batter in a recipe with fat and sugar. The batter can become curdled and affect the texture of the finished product. It takes about 30 minutes to bring an egg to room temperature when put in a bowl of warm water. - Egg whites beat up fuller than whipped cream, but you need to add cream of tartar or lemon juice to stabilize them. Sugar will also stabilize them, and is always added slowly so as not to retard the foaming of the egg whites. - To keep your eggs fresh and safe, buy them only from refrigerated cases and refrigerate them in their cartons on an inside shelf as soon as possible after purchase. Never leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. For picnics, pack in a cooler with ice. Always discard dirty or broken eggs. Also avoid mixing the shell in the egg. Be sure and wash your counter if it has come into contact with a raw egg, the same as you would for meat. Now for the recipes. I have to admit I love omelets, and have them for dinner at least once a week. If you are trying to cook for a large family, you can make them up and keep them together in the oven so you can serve them all at once. Mexican Omelets 1 cup corn 2 Tbsps chopped green chilies 1/2 cup chopped tomato 1/8 tsp chili powder 1/4 cup water 1  tsp butter 1/4 cup (2 oz.) cheddar cheese, grated Sliced olives for garnish  6 large eggs Stir together corn, chilies, chili powder and tomatoes. Cover and cook until hot. Set aside. In small bowl, beat together eggs and water. For each omelet, pour 1/2 cup of the egg mixture into a heated teflon coated saucepan.  Add butter or spray the pan to make it more slippery so the omelet will easily slide out when done.  As soon as the egg starts to set sprinkle on the cheese and the ingredients (the corn mixture). Remember to lift the sides with a fork or spatula to keep the egg loose and distribute the eggs. When lightly brown, slide the omelet out of pan and fold in half on a plate. Country Quiche Here's another recipe that's a great catch all for leftovers and your creativity. Don't take these ingredients too seriously.  You can make lots of substitutions. 1 - 9" pie shell, baked, or - hash browns shell 1 Tbsp butter 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup diced ham 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated 6 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon paprika Salt to taste Cook celery, peppers, and onions in butter until tender. Put in pie shell, together with meat and cheese. Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and paprika until well blended. Pour over the ingredients in the pie shell. Bake at 375 º F oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. To make a shell out of hash browns, beat together 1 egg and 1/4 tsp celery salt. Blend with potatoes (thawed if frozen). Press potato mixture onto bottom and up sides of lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!  Article first published at www.allthingsfrugal.com

 

 

 

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