Tips: eggs

It's been awhile since I last updated, but things have been very busy! I thought we'd jump back in with a tip segment on cooking eggs. There's quite a few tricks I've learned over the years.

*Cook your eggs thoroughly. For those of you who like overeasy eggs, or sunny side up, NO runny whites. My dad still hasn't figured this out, and is convinced I only like scrambled eggs to spare his feelings.
*Wash your hands after handling raw eggs, even the shells. Eggs can carry salmonella, which can make even the healthiest person sick. It's especially dangerous for people with compromised immune systems, the elderly, and young children.

Nearly everyone knows the basics of scrambled eggs. Next to milk and cereal, it's the easiest breakfast a mom can make that's healthy, and gets everyone fed and out the door in time for school and work. But there are some tricks to perfect scrambled eggs.

*Crack your eggs into a bowl, and scramble them with milk and a fork before adding them to a hot skillet. Don't use a wisk. It adds too much air to the eggs.
*Never use more than one tablespoon of milk per egg. Any more than that weighs them down.
*Don't add salt or pepper to the eggs until they're cooked and being served. Salt does something freaky to the eggs and causes them to dry out in the pan.
*Scrambled eggs cook quickly. Watch them to make sure they aren't overcooked.

Overeasy eggs were the souffle of my early married days. No matter what I tried, the yellows busted while cooking. My grandad had the same problem, and chucked the skillet out the back door. I decided to take a calmer approach, and practiced. A lot. I can't guarantee that your yolks will never break, but try some of these tips for yummy overeasy eggs.

*A wide open, stainless steel skillet works best for me. I don't like nonstick cookware, since the nonstick surface wears quickly, and more studies are linking the chemicals in it to disease. Stainless isn't nearly as expensive as copper, and cleans fairly easily.
*Use a slotted spatula with a curved handle for easy access to your eggs, and a thin tip to easily slide under your egg.
*Heat your skillet first, then add butter or margarine. The butter should sizzle when it touches the pan. Add about 2 tablespoons.
*This is important. TURN THE SKILLET DOWN. See? It's so important, I capitalized it. A hot skillet causes your eggs to stick and your yolks will break. So heat it, add butter, then turn it down to medium and wait a few seconds before adding your eggs.
*Until you are very practiced, only cook one egg at a time. It sounds tedious, but not nearly as bad as everyone getting weird eggs.
*Watch your egg to know when to flip it. The whites should have turned white instead of clear, and the edges will be gently frying. When you flip, don't be slow! Quickly slide the spatula under it with downward pressure, and flip.

Your yolks are going to break sometimes. And your scrambled eggs will be overcooked and rubbery. Eggs seem so easy, but there is a lot of little things to perfect before you make a delicious breakfast. Don't give up! Once you get the basics of cooking down, everything else comes easily.

Good luck and good cooking!