How to Perfectly Hard-Boil Eggs

One reader said of my technique: "That's actually pretty brilliant. Honestly, I basically already knew not to cook them for 15 minutes" - Andrea Anderson

Did you Andrea, did you?

After some other non-important words about me and my old ways she continued to say: "But I like how you have the specifics of it for if I want to do it and have it come out perfect."

Well you're welcome Andrea, feel free to name your next child after me.

Who cares what others may think, boiling eggs is an art! Well maybe not an art, but it does require some serious skill!

If you're one of those many people who sit there pondering life's deepest questions, ask yourself these:

Am I letting my eggs crack before I take them off the burner? (Hint: that's not how they're supposed to be)

Are my eggs resembling that woman at Walmart who's zipper is about to burst...Exploding eggs are not as appetizing as you might believe.

Do my eggs have a gross greyish blue ring around the yolk? 

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be suffering from over-boiled egg syndrome. Don't worry, it's very common and I'm sure they'll set up a support group soon.

I used to think that you were supposed to bring your eggs up to the boil and then boil them for 15 minutes, followed by a good blanching. If dry over-cooked eggs that fit the descriptions above are your style, then by all means, follow those instructions. 

However, if you like a hard boiled egg that still has a creamy texture (not at all under-cooked, but not dry), then here's how it's done:

1. Fill a pot with cold water and eggs. Make sure that the eggs are completely covered, if they're not, the rolling boil can cause them to break. Leave the lid off to the side for now.

2. Put a Tablespoon of white distilled vinegar in the water. This will help keep the color of your eggs vibrant, eliminating the possibility of that gross multi-colored ring. It also makes peeling your eggs a breeze!

3. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, TURN OFF the heat, that's right, turn it off! Leave the pot on the hot burner and place the lid on top of it. The eggs will cook as the burner cools off (the lid traps more heat inside). When you boil for the full time, you overcook and crack your eggs.

 4. As soon as you put the lid on and turn off the heat, set a timer for 12 minutes. Not 10, not 15, 12!

This is crucial!! Too short and you have a soft boiled egg, too long and...well..you get the idea.

As soon as those 12 minutes are up, blanch the heck out of those baby chickens! Fill a bowl with water and ice and place the eggs inside gently (I use a spoon). The eggs will be hot and will probably melt your ice, so feel free to add more.

Well there you go! This recipe is idiot proof...unless you're a really really big idiot; In which case I'm sorry, that must be rough. Good luck, and let me know how yours turn out!

-Rachelle 

Wintry Days and Homemade Bread

That first day of snow is always the best! Honestly, I love snow just as long as I don't have to be out in it...and usually by the time January 3 comes around, I'm cursing it to hell. But for now, life is beautiful. We got Bruno back in February so it snowed some then, but today it was as if he had seen snow for the first time ever! 

He pranced around in it for a while, biffed it at one point, and then started eating it. Pretty entertaining.

I love the peacefulness of falling snow and can admire it from behind a window. 

I've been meaning to bake bread for the longest time and there's nothing better on a day like this. Throw some corn or clam chowder in with the mix and you're golden. I've been telling Cam for two weeks now that I was going to bake bread and I finally got around to it. I'll post the recipe below. 

Homemade Bread

2.5 tsp yeast* 

1 Tbs sugar

1/4 cup lukewarm water (105-115F)

Mix these ingredients in a small bowl and let sit and "bloom" (rise) for 5 min. If it does rise and bubble, great, if not, discard and start over.

In a standing mixer combine:

3 cups All-purpose flour

1/2 Tbs kosher salt

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 3/4 cups of lukewarm water

Mix. Once smooth, add the yeast mixture and mix. Add more flour a cup at a time until the dough forms. Drizzle 1 Tbs of olive oil around the dough as it's forming. 

When the dough is just about formed but still sticky, dump it onto a floured surface and knead the rest of the flour in by hand. It should shape an elastic ball. 

Heat oven to 175F and then TURN OFF. Place dough into a greased bowl making sure to coat all sides of the dough in the PAM and let rise in warm oven for an hour or until doubled in size. 

Take out, punch down, and knead again. Once back to it's elasticky self, divide in half and form into a round loaf or fold and form into a bread pan.

Bake at 375F for 15-20 min. Watch carefully. Once you take it out coat the top with butter. Makes 2 loaves.