Archives for March 2016

Fresh Eggs are the Best Eggs!

March 9, 2016 Leave a Comment

There are two types of people in the world: those who keep their eggs in the fridge and those who think room temperature is best. Those that believe that eggs should be stored at room temperature will tell you that chilling eggs is similar to chilling fresh tomatoes. It changes their flavor – and not for the better.

What follows is info that may help you keep your little cackleberries fresher longer.

Farm fresh eggs will remain fresh for at least a week at room temperature if unwashed. They can be stored safely at temperatures between 55-70 degrees for several weeks. Commercially raised eggs stored in the refrigerator should last several weeks. Farm fresh eggs, refrigerated, should be good for a great deal longer.

Mother Earth News ran a test using 60 dozen eggs – 30 dozen purchased from the supermarket and 30 dozen farm-fresh, fertile, unwashed eggs. They used multiple methods of storage to find the best method of storage for longevity. Each month they tested several eggs to see how they were handling solitary confinement. At seven months, they tested the eggs that had been stored in air-tight containers in the refrigerator at temperatures between 38 and 40 degrees. The unwashed fertile eggs were still very fresh. The whites were a little runny, but overall the quality was good. The store-bought eggs were still edible, but suffered in quality. The secret, fresh, unwashed eggs, air-tight containers and consistent temperatures.

How to tell if eggs are fresh

So, those eggs that have been in your fridge for a very long time. . . .are they still good or should you toss them. Here is how to check for freshness:

A fresh egg will sink in water while an older egg will float. A very fresh egg will not only sink, but it will lay on it’s side. As an egg ages, the size of the air cell inside of the egg increases. In time it will enlarge to the point of causing the egg to float. Cracks in the shell will also cause an excess of air in the eggshell. To check for freshness – place eggs, one at a time, into a container of water and watch how they respond. Rule of thumb: If it floats, toss it out.

In a fresh egg, the yolk should sit up high, and the white should be thick and closely surround the yolk. Older eggs have flat yolks that break very easily – and thin, watery whites. See the difference in the two eggs in the picture below.

A cloudy egg white is a sign of freshness (the egg on the right). The cloudiness is the result of the high carbon dioxide content that is preset when the egg is laid.

• A fresh, Grade A egg will have a firm white, a small air cell at the wide end of the egg and a centered yolk. You will notice these differences most when you hard-boil eggs. Those eggs that you boil and find upon peeling that one end is flat or has a large cupping shape – that was an older egg.
Properly storing your eggs will add to their quality and longevity. Eggs should be stored pointed end (small end) down – so that the air sack is at the top of the egg. Sometimes it is difficult to tell which end is which, but there is always a pointed or smaller side. You can always candle your eggs to check.

Kathy

‘Eggsactly’ Perfect!

March 8, 2016 Leave a Comment

Few things are as versatile and yet basic as hard-boiled eggs. Egg salad, deviled eggs, sliced on a bed of greens, or eaten with a sprinkling of salt and pepper – The hard-boiled egg is a champ! Packed with protein and flavor, eggs, although the victim of bad press in the past, are very good for you. One of the world’s near-perfect foods.

As basic as a boiled egg may be, most of the people I know have a very difficult time cooking them properly. They tend to be either over-done – with a gray- green ring around the yolk – or underdone and runny in the center.

This method is the only one I use – because it is foolproof! If you have extra-large or jumbo eggs, you will want to let the eggs sit for 2-3 minutes longer, but for most every size, this method and it’s timing is just right. The eggs in this picture, although different sizes, were cooked at the same time – with perfect results. I also let the eggs come to room temperature – or close to it – before I cook them.

The eggs here at the Homestead are very fresh! The hardest part of making these eggs for me, is finding an egg that is old enough to boil! If you use farm fresh eggs, you will need to let them age in the refrigerator for a week to ten days before you boil them. When eggs are very fresh, the protective membrane that lines the inside of the shell is very strong. As the eggs age, the membrane begins to release from the inside of the shell. This will make it much easier to peel the cooked eggs. Otherwise, you end up with an egg that is nearly impossible to peel!

With the onset of spring, eggs will be at their best. And – boiled eggs, whether eaten as a snack, or colored for the annual egg hunt – are going to be on your to-do list – aren’t they!

Try this method – you won’t be disappointed!

Kathy

How to Cook the Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg. If you follow these instructions, you will have eggs with bright yellow centers- perfectly cooked. None of those dark gray/green rings around the yolk from over-cooking!

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Cook Time 1

Total Time 13

Servings 12 eggs

Ingredients

1 dozen Eggs - farm fresh if possible! If they are truly farm fresh, let them age in the fridge for a week to ten days before boiling them.

Instructions

Place eggs in a single layer in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Do not add more eggs than a single layer or they will not produce the perfect egg.
Cover the eggs with water, making sure that the water covers the eggs by 1 – 2 inches.
Place the saucepan over medium to medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Boil, uncovered, for 1 minute.
Cover the pan, remove from heat and let stand for 12 minutes.
Remove the eggs from the hot water and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Allow the eggs to cool.
To peel the eggs, simply tap them on a hard surface and carefully peel away the shell.
If they seem hard to peel, try peeling them under a slight stream of cold water. It helps to separate the membrane from the egg.
Peeled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5 days.
If your eggs are too fresh, they will be difficult to peel. If this is the case, place the unpeeled eggs in an airtight container and let them sit in the fridge for 3-5 days. Then, try peeling again.

Notes

If you are using farm fresh eggs, let them age in the refrigerator for 5-10 days before boiling – it will make them so much easier to peel! You can also use ¼ to ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the water as you cook them. This will cause your eggs to have more of a smell when cooked, but will make them easier to peel.

Peeled hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week by placing them in a bowl of cold water to cover (you will need to change the water daily) - or in an air-tight container (without water) - covering the eggs with damp paper towels before sealing.

Unpeeled hard-boiled eggs - still in their shells - can be safely stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. Be sure to mark the shells.

To center the yolks perfectly - in anticipation of making deviled eggs, scotch eggs. . . Place a rubber band around a carton of eggs and set the carton on it's side - in the refrigerator - for 24 hours before boiling them. The yolks will be centered!

It is not safe to leave hard-boiled eggs - including those in their shells - out at room temperature for long. If they need to be out of the refrigerator, keep them cool while they are being served. If they have been out long, toss them.

The Mug Shots

March 7, 2016 Leave a Comment

Innocent looking faces – aren’t they.

These are the mug shots taken after these two were booked for causing great problems – on leap day of all days.

The little bird on the left – one of our most recent heritage breed turkeys to hatch (2 weeks old) – was found guilty of pooping all over the clean and folded laundry – in the laundry basket – in the incubation room (sometimes used for laundry).

In addition, the charges of pooping on wood floors -all the way down the hall and jumping into an open base cabinet in the kitchen were filed. The culprit was found guilty as charged. All of these offenses took place while ‘Mother-the-Goose’ was being incarcerated for her part in attempted murder. . . .

You heard me right. Murder! You see, late on the afternoon of February 29, 2016, Mother-the-Goose (that’s her mob name – we just call her Mother) intentionally pushed Christmas and Thanksgiving (two bronze turkeys) – head first into a pond from which they could not escape. These birds were only attempting to get a drink – when they were rear-ended by the assailant. We found them at the scene, semi-submerged in the pond- shivering with cold, and exhausted from their futile attempts to escape certain death.

The culprit had not yet left the scene of the crime -and was found in a state of near hysteria – hissing and snickering at the plight of the victims.

The goose was booked and charged with attempted murder, laughing at the plight of the unfortunate, and harassing of first responders. She has been warned, and released, with the understanding that continuance of this behavior will result in the death penalty. The only question that remains is how to serve her. . . . literally.

So, for those who may romanticize about the life on the Homestead, imagining us relaxing on the porch, or in the backyard, or under the trees – enjoying our beautiful surroundings, this is how things really are! After Dave and I spent more than two hours blow-drying two very wet, nearly frozen turkeys, being beat by the wings of an ungrateful bird, fixing a secluded warm area of their enclosure (to keep them from freezing during the night) we returned to the house – to change into clean, dry clothes and fix dinner- only to find ourselves in the middle of ‘poop-gate’ – and trying to apprehend the little perpetrator in the kitchen. More cleaning, more incarceration – more reading of the riot act. By about 9:30 p.m., the crime scene was cleared, evidence removed and things were back to normal. This is really how we roll here.

As a follow up – the two turkeys warmed up nicely (no, not in the oven) and are doing fine.

The pooper flew the brooder coop 3 more times while we were cleaning up – resulting in he and the remainder of his little flock being moved into a maximum security facility. Luther – now two months old and the size of a small pterodactyl – and his little buddy have been moved into their quarters in ‘the big house’ – where they will continue to eat, and eat, and eat.

The soiled laundry -Well, thanks to Oxy-Clean, most of it survived.

As for Leap-Day – I was so looking forward to having an extra day – a gift. . . . .

Let’s just say, I am grateful it only happens once every four years! I don’t think I could handle them any more frequently!

Kathy

Remember

March 6, 2016 Leave a Comment

Remember. . . . something we often forget to do.

Exodus 20:8-11

Hope this Sabbath finds you remembering –

and in a place of worship.

Happy Sabbath,

Kathy

So – Your Recipe Calls for Raw Eggs . . . .Hmmmm

March 2, 2016 Leave a Comment

Do you shy away from a recipe that calls for raw eggs – out of fear of salmonella contamination? Some of my favorite, and most requested recipes, call for raw eggs. Homemade ice cream, eggnog, mayonnaise, salad dressings. . . and how about that snitch of cookie dough – a lick of the beater when making cake batter. . . .Poached eggs, eggs over-easy or soft-boiled – all with delicious golden streams of runny yellow yolk. And then there is the infamous ‘orange-julius’ beverage. All of these can have raw egg in them.

The FDA reports that fewer than 1 in 20,000 eggs are contaminated with salmonella bacteria. Most salmonella outbreaks dealing with eggs occur in large commercial production facilities – which, if you have ever been to one, or have done any research on them – could make you decide that you will never eat another egg! Chickens can carry the disease internally – and contract it by living in unsanitary conditions.

Having raised our own eggs for decades, this has never been an issue for us. In the nearly 40 years that we have been raising chickens – and eggs, we have never had a problem with any of our eggs. That being said, if I am cooking for company, or for someone with a compromised immune system, the elderly, someone who is undergoing chemotherapy, or pregnant, or very young children – I pasteurize my eggs before using them in any recipe that calls for raw eggs – just to be on the safe side.

The process is quite simple, but it does require a very accurate thermometer – preferably an instant-read thermometer – and exactness.

Pasteurization is simply a process of heating a food to a specific temperature, for a specific amount of time – designed to kill specific bacteria. It is known that salmonella bacteria are killed at 140 degrees in about 3 1/2 minutes. Eggs begin to cook at about 160 degrees – and will be “scrambled eggs” at 180 – but – by holding the eggs at about 142 degrees, the result is a safe egg that will act like a raw egg in recipes.

I have pasteurized eggs at a higher temperature – just to see what would happen – and at 150 degrees, the whites begin to turn opaque – but the recipe still turned out just fine. The eggs in the picture below were put into water that was 145 degrees. Although the whites began to turn opaque, they were not cooked and the recipe turned out just fine.

You will find, from time to time, that I will post a recipe that calls for raw eggs. These are recipes that I have used for many, many years. . . .with rave reviews and never a problem. But, for those who may not have access to farm fresh eggs, or may be squeamish at the thought of raw eggs, or if you are cooking for someone who falls into any of the categories I have mentioned, this process may be helpful.

That snitch of raw cookie dough is calling!

Kathy

As a disclaimer: Although most salmonella bacteria, if present, is most often found on the exterior of the shell, an infected hen can pass the bacteria to the yolk of the egg – while it is in the oviduct. If you are pregnant, elderly, or cooking for the very young or someone with a compromised immune system – use wisdom. Know your source. Know your options.

How to Pasteurize Eggs at Home

Submerging eggs in water that is the right temperature, and for the right amount of time can take the worry out of using raw eggs. It takes about 3 1/2 minutes at 140 degrees to kill Salmonella bacteria. This can easily be done at home. Just be sure you have an instant-read thermometer and follow the directions carefully.

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Cook Time 3

Total Time 3