Eggs...Glorious Eggs...

John has 30 chickens. Which means we get 30 fresh eggs every single day. HUGE brown eggs -- many of them with double yolks. SUCH WONDERFUL BOUNTY. 

He carefully washes the eggs and sorts them in his recycled cartons (each dozen gets one or two double-yolkers). He sells them for $2.50 a dozen...so they have provided a nice retirement income and activity for him....lol...

The thing is -- there is NOTHING like fresh eggs. When you break the hard shells, they stand up high in the pan -- the yolks are bright yellow....They are sooo delicious.

Eggs are nearly the perfect food. Dr. Oz says that for years they got an undeserved bad rap -- and they are nature's gift -- a wonderful, cheap source of protein...

There are so many delicious, wonderful ways to cook eggs -- they have always been part of my favorite go-to menus.

And here some of my favorite egg dishes...

Eggs In The Basket. Enough said...This was the first thing I remember cooking for myself as a child. 

Egg Dish #2: Frittata

The fritatta has turned into a verb at my house. When I realize it's 5:00 and I forgot to get anything out of the freezer -- it's TIME TO FRITATTA...

The BEST thing about a fritatta is that you start with leftovers. You can (and should) use anything that's already in your refrigerator. Whenever I make spaghetti, I make EXTRA -- knowing there could be a fritatta in my future.

Making a fritatta is more of an approach than a recipe.

1.  Beat six eggs in a large bowl.

2.  Add your leftovers.  Cold leftover spaghetti, chunks of cheese, cut up meat.  Really -- the ingredients are all about what you have on hand...

One example: cubed Pepperjack cheese, sliced salami, black and green olives, diced green onion, celery, radishes.

Another example: leftover rotisserie chicken, grated cheddar cheese and Parmesan, mushrooms,
green beans, cherry tomatoes and parsley...

3. When you're mixing up your fritatta -- you'll be heating your well seasoned iron skillet (my favorite -- but you choose)...When the skillet is medium hot, add 1 tbl of oil and swirl it to cover the pan -- then pour in the fritatta. Do not stir....turn the heat down to medium low and let it cook until it's brown and set. (about 8 minutes on my stove)

To finish it off -- put the skillet into your preheated oven. (350). You want the center set and the top brown. (maybe 15 minutes?)

Feel free to add another cup of cheese right at the end.  (I sometimes do the last 2 minutes under the broiler to make the cheese bubbly.)

If your iron skillet is well-seasoned -- you simply flip the entire fritatta out of the pan onto a serving platter. DELICIOUS...

Because it goes together so quickly, a fritatta is the perfect last minute family supper.

And, because it's actually best when served at room temperature -- it's AN EXCELLENT dish to serve at a special luncheon or when you have company coming.