A few of my friends have reached out to me recently and commented about how “pretty” the brown eggs are in the pictures from this week’s Egg Series.
This made me smile. They are pretty with their shades of brown. Some have little spots that look like freckles.
They are so fun.
And I am kind of proud of them.
I would love to show them off on the counter. They would look totally cute in my Tuscan, farmhouse inspired, Pottery Barn-ish kitchen. (… Technical interior design terms. Trust me.)
But, to make sure eggs stay fresh and safe I keep them in the refrigerator. It best this way. Plus, if eggs are in the fridge they can keep up to five weeks.
It is also best to keep eggs stored in egg cartons with the pointed side down to ensure they maintain their natural moisture and keep their yolks centered. Smells from other food items in your fridge could potentially enter the eggs due to their pourous shells. Egg cartons also protect the eggs from these smells. In addition to the cartons, freshly laid eggs have a protective coating on the outside of the shell, called the cuticle or bloom. (I didn’t know this when I started this blog. Ironic, right!?)
We have asked friends and family to help us out and save their egg cartons to store all the eggs.
The bloom helps to seal the pores, keeping odors and bacteria out. To protect the bloom on our hen’s eggs we do not wash our eggs until we are about to use them. Commercial eggs from the grocery store are washed and then coated with an oil to reseal the pores.
Eggs are most typically thought of as a breakfast food, but Adam and I gave it a try for dinner last night and made a frittata. It was easy, cheap and did not disappoint. It even had Adam asking, “Where has this been all my life?!”
Paleo/Low Carb/Gluten Free friends? This is great for you!
Spicy Frittata
13 ounces sausage, chopped (We used turkey sausage… I am going for lean meats these days and it was in the fridge. Chorizo would be really good.)
½ Yellow Onion, finely diced
2 jalapenos, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
About two cups sliced plum or roma tomatoes (I used a 14 ounce can of plum tomatoes… because it’s January. Womp. Womp.)
Two cups eggs, whisked together (Took us eleven eggs to get two cups; Egg beaters or just egg whites would work fine.)
4 ounce package of crumbled feta
Chopped Parsley for toppings
Heat olive oil in cast iron skillet or other oven proof skillet. Add chopped sausage and cook until lightly browned over medium heat.
Add the peppers, garlic, and onions and saute for about three minutes. Stir in spices and salt, cook for one more minute.
Spread sausage and veggie mixture around the bottom of the pan. This will serve as a “crust” for the frittata.
Add sliced tomatoes to the top of the meat and veggies. It can look as pretty as you want it to.
Pour in whisked eggs. Let cook for thirty seconds then lower heat to low. The warm thirty seconds will set the bottom of the frittata. Then you want it to cook slowly.
Continue to cook on low for ten minutes. While cooking, turn on broiler to high.
Add feta to the top and cook for another three minutes. The sides should be set, but the top should still be a little runny.
Carefully place skillet into the broiler. Cook for three minutes. The frittata will puff up and become lightly brown.
Cover with chopped parsley.
Cut like a pizza and enjoy!
Rattling great info can be found on web site. “Wealth may be an ancient thing, for it means power, it means leisure, it means liberty.” by James Russell Lowell.