Mix Up Your Eggs with These Easy Cooking Methods

Eggs don't have to be plain. In fact, eggs are more versatile than any other food and can be used for any meal of the day. They are the perfect protein, are easily digested and come quite inexpensively. No matter what your taste, eggs can be prepared to please even the most discriminating palate.

Boiled Eggs

You can avoid the green yolk by bringing your eggs to a boil and then removing them from heat. Bringing the water to a boil prior to placing the eggs in the pot will make your boiled eggs much easier to peel when finished. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place eggs in the pot, being very careful not to break the shells. Using a pot large enough to keep your eggs in a single layer helps to avoid cracks while boiling. Allow eggs to boil gently for 5-10 minutes depending upon how firm you like your eggs. Then cover the pot and remove it from heat. Let stand approximately 10-15 minutes for hard-boiled. Pour hot water from pot and add ice water to the pot. This will prevent the yolk from turning green from overcooking and will also help when peeling. Let the boiled eggs stand in ice water for 10 minutes, then crack by gently pressing the egg against a hard surface and peel.

With properly boiled eggs, you can make Deviled Eggs, Egg Salad Sandwiches, Hard-Boiled Egg Sandwiches, Egg Salad, Potato Salad with Eggs or Chef Salad.

Scrambled Eggs

I grew up thinking that scrambled eggs were rubbery fare that only stuck to your ribs because they were indigestible. Then I grew up and had good scrambled eggs one day. The key to making fluffy scrambled eggs is to use a whisk and beat the eggs briskly until the yolks and whites are well mixed. This process adds a bit of air to the eggs. When cooking, use a nonstick pan over medium heat. Be sure to coat the pan with nonstick spray. Yes, cooking on medium heat will take a little longer than cooking your eggs on a high heat, but it will be well worth the extra few minutes! Use a spatula to gently rotate the cooked eggs toward the center of the pan. When the eggs are almost set (no more runny parts, scramble them gently by turning them over a few times.

With a good batch of scrambled eggs, you can add bacon and toast for a classic American breakfast or place them on tortillas with diced fresh peppers, onions and salsa for a great breakfast burrito.

Fried Eggs

Preheat a medium nonstick pan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add nonstick spray. Carefully break the eggs into the pan so as not to break the yolks. Cook until whites are set. For eggs over easy, carefully turn the eggs once the whites are set and cook for another 30 seconds. For eggs over hard, carefully turn the eggs once the whites are set and cook until the yolk has set.

I used to believe that fried eggs could only be served one way. That just isn't true. You can serve them sunnyside up with toast for dipping into the yolks. You can cook them inside a piece of toast by cutting a circle from the center of untoasted bread. (Use an upside down drinking glass to stamp and remove the circle easily, then place the bread in the frying pan, break the egg into the circle and cook.) You can also make great sandwiches either on toast, an English muffin or croissant by adding sausage or bacon and cheese.

Poached Eggs

The secret to poached eggs is adding vinegar to the poaching water to prevent the whites from spreading out.

Bring a large saucepan of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer so that the water isn't rough when you add the eggs. Break one egg at a time into a very small bowl. Then slightly immerse the bowl in the simmering water and slide the egg into the water. After you have added all the eggs, cover the post and turn off the heat. Let the pot of eggs stand on the burner for 2 to 3 minutes. To serve, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs in the order they were added. You may want to gently set the spoon on a paper towel to drain any excess water. A poached egg on a plate with water is a very elusive breakfast! If you plan on poaching eggs for a crowd, you can make them ahead of time and chill in an ice-water bath in a covered container. These may be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Simply reheat by dropping them into simmering water for a minute.

With properly poached eggs, you can create Eggs Benedict or a simple Poached Eggs on Toast.

Omelet

To make a great omelet, whisk the eggs immediately before you pour them into the hot skillet. Just like scrambled eggs, you'll want plenty of air in an omelet to keep it from being rubbery. Make sure your pan is hot (not burning) and coated with nonstick spray. Add eggs to the pan. Shake the pan back and forth over the heat for about 1 minute so as to make sure the eggs are evenly spread and cook evenly. Once the eggs have set, add your fillings to one side and then gently fold the other side over the fillings. Press down lightly on the top of the omelet to seal it. To serve, lift the pan and tilt it so as to slide the omelet onto the plate.

Frittata

A Frittata is an Italian version of the omelet and has fillings mixed into the eggs before cooking. To make an easy Frittata, preheat your oven to 350 and then spray a baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk your eggs as you would to scramble them. Pour them into your baking pan and then add your fillings. When you are done adding the fillings, gently press them down so that they are covered with egg. Bake until the center of your Frittata has set and a knife stuck in the middle comes out clean (approximately 30 minutes). Then switch your oven over to Broil to lightly brown the top.

Frittatas make great brunch items as they can be served warm or at room temperature. The different varieties of Frittatas are as endless as one's imagination. Experiment with both traditional and non-traditional filling combinations such as bacon, sausage, onion, mushroom, bell pepper, tomato, potato, asparagus, spinach, ham...the combinations and possibilities are endless! Leftover Frittata can make a great meal reheated or made into a sandwich or burrito.

With these six methods of preparation and the many combinations available to each, you should be able to mix up your menu in literally hundreds of ways! Enjoy your eggs!