Make Easter Egg-ceptionally Easy

PARK RIDGE, Ill., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether coloring and decorating eggs for baskets, hiding them for hunts or cooking them for family and friends, the incredible edible egg calculates that most moms typically purchase at least two dozen eggs every Easter. Interestingly, nearly eight out of 10 moms rate their knowledge of hard-cooking eggs as excellent or good, but when quizzed on the proper preparation method, less than three in 10 moms are actually cooking their eggs correctly.(1)

This Easter, the incredible edible egg has enlisted two eggsperts, Howard Helmer, Guinness World Record holder for omelet-making, and "Next Food Network Star" runner-up Chef Jeffrey Saad, to share their top tips on foolproof hard-cooking along with some tasty, affordable recipes for entertaining family and friends.

Hard-Cooked Eggs the Easy Way

Howard Helmer travels the world preparing eggs and often hears home cooks incorrectly refer to this cooking method as hard-boiled. "If you let the water boil while hard-cooking eggs, it's time to change your routine," Helmer advises. "Boiling can leave eggs rubbery and give you that green ring around the yolk, so it's important to cook them – NOT boil them," Helmer adds.

Helmer recommends these THREE SIMPLE STEPS for perfect hard-cooked eggs:

1. Place eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling.
2. Remove from burner. Cover pan. Let eggs stand in hot water about 15 minutes for Large eggs (12 minutes for Medium eggs; 18 for Extra Large).
3. Cool completely under cold running water or in a bowl of ice water. Peel and eat, or store unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Affordable Easter Entertaining

Chef Jeffrey Saad, "Next Food Network Star" runner-up and father of two kids, appreciates the importance of convenient, affordable meals for entertaining family and friends. "We love to entertain in our home, and I often turn to eggs because they are versatile and deceptively easy," says Saad. "In addition, eggs are a great value which is very important."

In fact, at an average retail cost of 15 cents apiece, eggs are one of the most affordable sources of high-quality protein per serving in today's marketplace.(2) This Easter, it will cost approximately $1.80 per standard dozen of eggs, which is a good value as many families are sticking to a budget.

If you're entertaining this holiday, Saad and Helmer recommend their personal favorites, which are easy and affordable:

• Saad enjoys these Mini Orange-Maple French Toast Breakfast Casseroles, a dish he calls a "no-brainer" because it can be made in advance and yet it is elegant and perfect for entertaining ($1.01 per serving).(3)
• One of Helmer's favorite dishes for entertaining is Ham and Asparagus Strata, a tasty casserole he says is synonymous with spring ($1.34 per serving).(3)

Incredible Leftovers

According to PAAS, Americans purchase more than 10 million Easter Egg Color Kits during the Easter season, decorating as many as 180 million eggs. Once the holiday is over, hold on to those eggs for leftovers to get even more bang for your buck. Saad recommends getting kids to help turn hard-cooked leftovers into a Classic Egg Salad or Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs.

While hard-cooked eggs are an Easter staple, they are a versatile and tasty option to add to the meal rotation any time of the year. "In our home, I cook a dozen eggs on Sunday and keep them on hand for a fast breakfast or snack," says Saad. "I love that the high-quality protein in eggs gives them the natural energy they need for their minds and bodies throughout the day."

Visit IncredibleEgg.org for more hard-cooked egg recipes, tips, egg nutrition information and more.

About the American Egg Board (AEB)

AEB is the U.S. egg producer's link to the consumer in communicating the value of The incredible edible egg™ and is funded from a national legislative checkoff on all egg production from companies with greater than 75,000 layers, in the continental United States. The board consists of 18 members and 18 alternates from all regions of the country who are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The AEB staff carries out the programs under the board direction. AEB is located in Park Ridge, Ill. Visit www.IncredibleEgg.org for more information.

(1) Impulse Research for American Egg Board. Survey conducted online with random sample of 1,074 mothers aged 18 and older. Research was conducted in February 2010. Overall sampling error for survey is +/- 3% at the 95% level of confidence.

(2) United States Department of Agriculture. Economic Research Service. Retail data for beef, pork, poultry cuts, eggs, and dairy products (February 19, 2010). Retrieved on February 19, 2010 from http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/MeatPriceSpreads/.

(3) Approximate price per serving based on competitive, pre-taxed market prices in Chicago, IL.

For more information, contact:

Egg Media Hotline:

312-233-1211

SOURCE American Egg Board