A huge shift has taken place in our kitchen in the last few months. Once upon a time, every egg was cherished. I had a good source for farm fresh eggs from my parents and two neighbors who sold eggs. But even though I'd pick up two or three dozen at a time, I always seemed to be low on eggs. Baking day began with an egg inventory and recipes were chosen accordingly. ("If I use two eggs in the cookies, and one in the bread, I'll still have one egg left for waffles tomorrow morning...") My children love hard boiled eggs and deviled eggs but I rarely made them.Not anymore! Our chickens are giving us about 8 eggs a day. We have had as high as 11 in one day and as low as 6, but 8 is about our average. In a week, that is a LOT of eggs. And I LOVE it! No longer do I start my morning, looking into the egg carton to see if scrambled eggs is an option. At least once a week I hard boil a dozen eggs for my delighted children. I love that their growing bodies can enjoy this high protein food.
But after several weeks of doing very little baking, the egg situation is getting a little out of hand! Now I'm evaluating recipes for how many eggs they can use, instead of how few eggs I can get away with! My sister was here for a day last week and she helped me make noodles and angel food cake. We also discovered a custard recipe that took 6 eggs and was delicious!
Can you give me some other ideas? Or do you have a favorite egg heavy recipe? I'd love to try it!
And here is the custard we made.
Custard
6 eggs, beaten slightly
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
4 cup hot milk
nutmeg
Mix eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add milk very slowly, while stirring rapidly. Pour into baking dish and sprinkle liberally with nutmeg. For best results, place baking dish into a pan of water, as deep as the custard if possible. Place in oven and bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. (I baked it at 375 degrees for shorter time.) Custard is finished when knife inserted into center comes out clean.
We have chickens, too, so I understand the feast/famine cycle. One recipe I use when I have a surplus is from a culinary mystery by Diane Mott Davidson called "Dying for Chocolate"
ReplyDeleteUsing mild taco/picante sauce keeps it from being too spicy for my youngest.
Chili Relleno Torta
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound Monterey jack cheese, grated
5 eggs
1/3 cup flour, all-purpose
1 2/3 cups half and half (I use milk)
4 ounces diced green chiles (1 can), drained
1/4 cup picante sauce
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix grated cheeses and spread evenly in buttered 10-inch pie plate. Beat eggs, add flour slowly, and then beat in half-and-half. If mixture is lumpy, strain it.(shh-I don't-) Pour egg mixture over cheeses in pie plate. Carefully spoon chiles over the surface, then spoon picante sauce over all.
2. Bake about 45 minutes or until center is set. Makes 8-10 servings.
Our family really enjoys this.
I wanted to get me a few chickens but gosh I don't think I could use that many eggs up that fast. Wish I knew a recipe but I come get some from you...hehehe...loved the apple peeler...we don't eat to many apples in my home except just peel and eat...We don't do a lot of desserts with them.
ReplyDeleteWe have the same thing here, I have about 5 dozen eggs in the fridge on any given day! Lots of double yolkers, too.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful though.
We get three duck eggs a day. We used to get 5, but "culled the herd". We had to hire someone to do that... (Shudder)
ReplyDeleteHere is a very egg heavy recipe. And versatile with any meat, cheese and veggie you want.
Supper Goody
12 eggs
1 tsp salt (optional)
2 cups meat, cooked
1 cup grits
2 cups milk
Pepper to taste
2 cups cooked vegetable
2 cups shredded cheese
You can either mix in a bowl and bake in a 9x13 at 350 until set, or cook in a skillet. Top with cheese and let melt.
I always do mine in a skillet. It's faster that way. Ham and broccoli is our favourite, but have used sausage and ground beef too. We use either colby jack cheese or mozzarella.