You might say I come by it naturally, my love of eggs. After all, I was born on an egg ranch and was gathering eggs before I started school. This photo is a picture of the barn my Dad and Grandpa built in the 1950s.
But that's a story for another time, right now I wanted to share my latest source of eggs here in Petaluma, Skippy's Egg Store. https://www.skippyseggstore.com/ . Skippy's is a retail outlet for Petaluma Egg Farm, a third-generation family farm here in Petaluma run by Steve and Judy Mahrt. For a tour of their egg farm, check out this video.
Being that Petaluma used to be the Egg Basket of the World, it's no surprise there are still local farmers and that they would have a retail outlet in town that sells not just eggs, but a variety of other products. While I've lived in Petaluma for over 30 years and had heard about Skippy's from friends, I never found the time to look them up. But I'm glad I did. Not only is the selection awesome, but the prices are great!
So why am I so "egg-cited"? Well, not only are they good for you, especially the Omega-3 ones from Judy's Family Farm (a brand produced by Petaluma Farms). My doctor clued me in that this is a good way to get more Omega-3's in my diet, since I don't like many of the typical sources. They're pretty expensive when you buy them places like Whole Foods, but they are much more affordable at Skippy's.
Growing up on an egg ranch, we always had plenty of eggs. We used to have a rule that we couldn't go to school until we ate our eggs in the morning. That shows how much we liked school, that it was used as a bribe!
But we enjoyed them in many other ways than as a breakfast food. My favorite quote: "How do I enjoy my eggs? Ummm, in a cake!" One of the ways my Mom would use up eggs was to make angel food cake on a regular basis. Little did we know how healthy it was! We also used to get tapioca for dessert regularly, after all she had to use up not just eggs but all that milk. Warm, with chocolate chips...yum!
But other than dessert, one of my favorite snacks to have around the house is deviled eggs. I didn't grow up liking them, so this wasn't a recipe I bothered to learn when I had the chance at home. So I had to rely on my old friend Betty Crocker!
With Betty's help, I make them on a regular basis, and always for parties where people gobble them up! Here's the recipe:
Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
6 hard cooked eggs
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp pepper
3 T salad dressing, vinegar, or light cream (I use light mayo)
Paprika (optional)
There are many variations (bacon, cheese, herbs, olives, pickle relish), but I say "why mess with a good thing?" so just make mine plain as above.
Directions:
Cut peeled eggs in half lengthwise. Slip out yokes and mash with fork. Mix in seasonings and mayo. Fill whites with egg yolk mixture, heaping it up lightly. I sprinkle on paprika and add fresh parsley as a garnish. Makes 6 servings.
It helps to have one of the special dishes that is used to hold deviled eggs, but if you don't have one of those you can fill a platter with leaf lettuce and balance the eggs on that.
Tip for peeling eggs: Since I didn't like hard-boiled eggs as a kid (except for decorating at Easter time) I never learned this trick while at home. But I read this tip in my "Cuisine at Home" magazine and I've been using it ever since. To be able to peel hard-boil eggs reliably, put them in ice-water after cooking but before you've cracked them. The cold water makes the insides shrink away. Once they've cooled a bit, pour off the water, swirl them around in the pan to crack them, and they should peel easily.
Another family favorite is Chile Relleno Squares. This recipe was served at a student gathering when I attended Cal Poly and I was delighted to get the recipe from the professor's wife. I served it at a family gathering shortly after that and everyone asked for the recipe, so it has now spread far and wide in my family. In fact, when my sister completed a family cookbook a number of years ago, she got this recipe from a bunch of us when we were asked to submit our favorites. Warning: it's not eggs-actly healthy! But all that butter and cheese make it oh-so-yummy!
Chile Relleno Squares
Ingredients:
½ c butter, melted
10 eggs, beaten
½ c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 pt cottage cheese (I substitute plain yogurt)
To make it easier - I'll convert this for you. 1 pt = 16 oz = 2 c
1 lb shredded jack cheese or jack/cheddar mix
8 oz diced green chiles
Salt to taste
Directions:
Save out half of the cheese for the top. Beat all other ingredients together. Grease a 13x9” pan and pour in the mixture. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top. Bake 45-60 minutes at 350° or until eggs are set. Cut in squares to serve. (Note: this recipe works as an appetizer as well as a breakfast main dish).
One last egg story before I close for the day. My son was invited to the wedding of a friend whose family owns Petaluma Egg Farm. One of the many decisions a bride and groom have to make for a wedding is the favor to give to each guest. Well, guess what Brian received at this wedding??? Customized eggs!!!
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