Eggs to Dye For - Fiery Foods & Barbecue Central

About the only nutrient that eggs are only lacking is Vitamin C and that’s because chickens are able to produce the ascorbic acid they need from their feed. A large egg contains only 75 calories and 5 grams of fat. The biggest misconception I hear about eggs is that the brown eggs are more nutritious and have more flavor than the white ones. The only difference between the two is that white feathered chickens lay eggs with white shells and brown hens lay brown eggs.

I do love eggs. I like them so much that I raise a few chickens, just to enjoy fresh eggs with bright orange tasty yolks. So although I won’t be cooking and dyeing big batches of them at this time of year, I always have a number of eggs in my refrigerator at all times. The following recipes will give you some suggestions and ideas for enjoying hard-cooked eggs if you find yourself, as many do, with a number eggs after the Easter “hunt” is over.

Egg Trivia

Europe has had domesticated hens since 600 B.C.
Chickens came to the New World with Columbus on his second voyage in 1493.
About 280 million laying hens produce some 60 billion eggs each year in the United States. That’s roughly one hen for every man, women, and child in the country.
An average hen lays 300 to 325 eggs a year.
To produce one egg, it takes a hen 24-26 hours, and to do so, she requires 5 ounces of food and 10 ounces of water. Thirty minutes later she starts all over again.
A mother hen turns over her egg about fifty times per day (so the yolk won’t stick to the sides of the shell.)

Source: Egg Nutrition Center

Caribbean Crab-Stuffed Deviled Eggs

Stuffed eggs are the most obvious ways to use up left-over Easter eggs and deviled eggs are also one my favorite ways to eat them. There are any number of variations of the old standard and these are special enough for an hors d’oeuvre party table. Since older eggs are easier to peel, be sure to use them when you need a smooth, clean egg. Use a pastry bag and pipe in the filling for a fancy presentation.

8 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon habanero hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon Dijon-type mustard
6 ounces flaked crabmeat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: Finely chopped fresh parsley

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Put the yolks from 5 of the eggs in a bowl and mash with a fork. Sprinkle the vinegar over the yolks and toss the yolks so that the vinegar is distributed.

Add the mayonnaise, thyme, hot sauce, and mustard and mix to combined. Mix in the crab and

season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow the filling to sit for 15 minutes for the flavors to blend. Adjust the seasonings before filling the eggs.

Mound about 1 tablespoon crab mixture in cavity of each egg-white half. At this point, the eggs can be covered and refrigerated for future use. To serve, arrange the filled eggs on a platter and garnish with the parsley.

Yield: 16 halves

Heat Scale: Mild to Medium