Sunday, May 30, 2010

Basic Scones

The other night I wanted to bake something, and on a whim decided on scones. The last time I made scones they were delicious, but used a whole stick of butter and sour cream. This go around I was looking for something lighter and found the perfect (highly reviewed) recipe, courtesy of Alton Brown. Of course I had to make a few changes, anyways!

2 1/2 cups flour
4 tsps baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
3/4 cup skim milk
1 egg
filling of choice (dried fruit, nuts, etc.)

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the butter and shortening using a pastry cutter or two knives. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk and egg, then add to dry ingredients until incorporated. Stir in a large handful of your choice of filling. I used Craisins with orange flavor, which gave a delicious citrus taste to the dough. I'd suggest adding zest in addition to your choice of dried fruit or nuts. You could also add cinnamon or nutmeg for a spiced version.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Using floured hands, pat out into a circle about 1" thick. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife slice the dough into 6 or 8 equal sized wedges. Bake for about 15 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Remove and let cool a few minutes before separating the wedges.


Mmm these hit the spot! Not only did they smell delicious baking, but they were simple and fast to whip up! These scones are so fluffy, but still have the heartiness and hint of sweetness you look for in a "real" scone. I love that they used drastically less butter than other recipes, and were ok with just skim milk. The craisins with orange flavor were like little gems hidden in each bite, such a pop of flavor.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Friday Firsts - Fire Starters

Friday Firsts

Happy Friday everybody! I hope you enjoy your Memorial Day weekends! For those of you who will be grilling out, my first for this week is making eco-friendly fire starters! My mom used to make these, but this was the first time I've made them myself!



Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!



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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Eco-Friendly Fire Starters

With grilling season upon us, I thought I'd show you how to make these eco-friendly fire starters. My mom used to make these for personal and Girl Scout use when I was little. It reuses a lot of headed-for-the-trash items to make something useful.

You will need:
cardboard egg cartons
paraffin unscented wax
dryer lint
shredded paper scraps
sawdust

Melt the wax using a double boiler. *Do not melt wax over an open flame because it is flammable!* Use unscented paraffin wax so it burns cleanly. Do not use leftover candles or crayons because they may have scents or chemicals you don't want burning near food.

Using flammable items such as dryer lint, shredded paper scraps, or sawdust distribute them into the cups of cardboard egg cartons. I used dryer lint from cotton loads, such as towels, sheets, and jeans. Cotton is a natural fiber and will burn cleanly, so avoid using lint from man-made fabrics. Also be careful in choosing your paper scraps, selecting those without glossy finish or harsh dyes and inks.

Once the wax has melted, carefully pour just enough to cover the material in the egg cups. Allow to set for a few hours and then rip the egg cups to separate. You can now use one or two of these to start a fire safely without the use of harmful chemicals that are bad for the environment!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Christinafied Chicken Salad

Remember earlier last week I showed you how to butterfly a whole 3 1/2 pound chicken? Well, the day after eating said chicken for dinner Johnny got sick (unrelated to my food thankyouverymuch). So, that left little ole me with a little more than half a bird of leftovers to eat by myself the days he was out of commission. The first few days there was a lot of dark meat left (which I prefer) and I was happy just eating it as is, cold or heated up.

Then I got to the last breast (Johnny had eaten the other, he prefers white meat) and I wasn't so inspired to eat it anymore. I had a few nibbles and became disinterested, but didn't have the heart to waste it.

I did the next best thing and decided on making chicken salad with it. It was a last minute cold dinner late at night after finishing some homework. I had zero intention of telling anybody I ate a cold chicken sandwich for dinner, let alone blogging about it. But one thing lead to another and before I knew it I had created this really tasty chicken salad that was interesting enough to snap some photos of and share!

1 cooked chicken breast, cut into pieces
1 rib of celery, chopped fine
1 scallion/green onion chopped fine
1 hard boiled egg, sliced both ways with an egg slicer
~1 inch from a block of sharp cheddar cheese, cubed in 1/4" pieces
~2 Tbsp mayonnaise (I used the olive oil kind)
large dash of black pepper
dash of paprika

Mix the ingredients together well until the egg yolk is incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. My chicken had been marinated in a jerk style seasoning so it was really tasty to begin with, you might need to add salt or other flavors for your tastes. Yields enough for 2 sandwiches.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Friday Firsts - Pixie Tangerines

Friday Firsts

Happy Friday everybody! I've had a bit of a stressful week due to a difficult teacher assignment and Johnny being sick. Like really, really sick. I had to take him to the ER Wednesday night for fluids and meds, but he seems to be a little better although he's still busy sleeping it off. Thanks for your well wishes on Twitter the past few days!

Last grocery trip I spotted this bag of pixie tangerines next to the other citrus and on a whim threw them in the cart for my first this week. I've been a little more adventurous grabbing new-to-me ingredients since starting Friday Firsts - how about you?

I think what intrigued me most was the promise of being sweet and juicy right on the packaging. I absolutely hate grabbing fruit of any kind and then realizing it's a dud. A beautiful red watermelon tasting like sour nothingness, or a promising orange peeled to reveal shriveled, dry tasteless wedges. It's such a let down!

After some quick googling I learned that these tangerines are grown in the concentrated area of Ojai, California. They were developed in the 1920s and have been available to the public since the 1960s. They're usually seen in stores late Spring and just have one crop a year, so I'm glad I snatched them up!

They were ridiculously sweet and juicy, some were almost like taking bites of a candy orange. They're easy to peel with a thin skin and are completely seedless, which is convenient. BUT let's not skip the most exciting part of these fruits...

They're itty bitty, adorable, and teeny tiny!!! That is one with a regular old quarter for perspective! Most were about the size of a ping pong or golf ball, a few were a little larger. I don't know about you, but their cuteness made me love them that much more! Also, I bet kids would have no problem getting in their suggested fruit servings if you had these around the house!


Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!



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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

How to Butterfly a Chicken

I'm a little ashamed to admit this, but last summer was the first time I bought a whole chicken because I had no idea what to do with it. Before that, I always just bought the neat little packages of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Now, don't get me wrong - I still buy chicken breasts, but I think when you only buy them you tend to disconnect that you are eating chicken. Since cutting my first whole chicken I realize the importance that we all need to know where our food is coming from.

Not even 100 years ago our predecessors didn't have a supermarket to go to. If they went to a general store it would have had very little offerings of flour, sugar, and some canned items. Advancements are great, but I do find it almost a pity that in just two generations we now give no thought to the idea of where our food comes from and the work that is put into it.

How many of us know how to cut down a chicken? How many of us know how to can and put away our own food? Centuries of human experience went into the knowledge of curing, salting, and canning food for preservation. In less than 100 years that knowledge is all but lost.

Your thoughts on the subject?



Buy a whole chicken. Preferably one that hasn't been pumped full of preservatives, hormones, or other funky stuff. You'll notice immediately that the price is a fraction of that charged for pre-cleaned breasts. This four and a half pound chicken was a little over $4 and is enough to feed a family of four.

Open the package and remove the little parcel of giblets from the cavity of the chicken. Usually the chicken's neck, heart, liver, and gizzards are included. These can be saved for other recipes such as stuffing, gravy, or stock. I usually cook mine up in a small skillet with a lid on for my pets to enjoy. This way no part of the chicken goes to waste.

Place the chicken on your cutting board with the spine facing up. Using a sharp knife cut along either side of the spine. When you get to the breast area, it will be a little tougher because of the rib cage. After making the initial cut through the meat, I actually prefer to use kitchen shears for the rest of the cutting. Once the spine is removed this can also be used for stock or gravy too.

Flip the chicken over after the spine is removed. Grab either side of the chicken, by the wings and pull outwards. This will pop the breastplate which can then be removed with a little tug. At this point your chicken is butterflied.

If you wish to separate the chicken in two halves, slice through the center of the chest between the two breasts. You can cook the chicken this way, or freeze half for later if you are a smaller household.

One of my favorite ways to prepare a whole chicken is on the grill (chicken under a brick). Because the chicken is butterflied, it only takes about 30 minutes! Another way to prepare it is under the broiler, for about 20 minutes on either side. Butterflying a chicken drastically reduces the time it takes to cook the chicken, which keeps it juicy and flavorful. If I were to bake this same chicken whole, it would take 20 minutes per pound at 350°, which means nearly an hour and a half in the oven!

Even if it scares you or grosses you out at first, give it a try. It really is easier than you think and practice will make it a breeze. Not only will your wallet thank you, but you will be proud of yourself for knowing how to tackle a whole chicken! The first time I did this by myself it must have taken 20 minutes with me pausing to look at directions to make sure I was doing it correctly. Now I can do it in 2 minutes flat and it's a great skill to know!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Smashed Green Onion Potatoes

I saw this last week on Fight the Fat Foodie and told Scott it called to me! I put the ingredients on the grocery list and made it immediately, despite not being a major potato fan.

5 medium red potatoes, cut in eighths
~10 stalks green onions (aka scallions)
~ 3 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450°. Spread the green onions on a baking sheet, brush with 1/3 of the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 10 minutes, turning once. Remove from oven and coarsely chop.

Toss the potatoes in the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning once. After the potatoes have cooked through and browned, remove from the oven and combine in a bowl with the green onions. With a potato masher, smash roughly to burst the potatoes, but not enough to turn them into mashed potatoes. Add more salt and pepper if desired.

This is one of those dishes with so few ingredients, but such a blast of flavor you won't believe it. I love dishes like these because I think it shows the art of appreciating an ingredient and coaxing the depth of its natural flavor out. Apparently, smashing potatoes with other ingredients is a favorite preparation method of Jacques Pepin - so you know you can trust it!

There is no butter or milk, but they still had such a fluffy, creamy texture. The outsides were crisp and browned and roasted, while the inside like clouds. Johnny and I thoroughly enjoyed them and the oniony bite from the scallions.

We had them with ham and frozen peas for a well-rounded dinner. I utilized the leftover potatoes and ham by making a frittata for another night's dinner. We still enjoyed the great roasted flavor profile, just in a different limelight.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Friday Firsts - Popchips!

Friday Firsts

Happy Friday everybody! Brrrr it is still cold in the Midwest! All of my relatives in North Carolina, Florida, and California are teasing me with Facebook posts and tweets about their weather! I don't think this week got above 50° most days! What's the weather like in your area?

My first for this week is trying a new product, Popchips! I received a "chipment" to try six of their flavors. I was generous and even let Johnny eat the ones that didn't have whey! We were really excited to try these after seeing them made on Unwrapped! (Video can be seen here.)

Cheddar = 5/5
Completely satisfying as a snack. Salty and cheesy and crunchy! Perfect! My favorite of all the flavors.

BBQ = 4.5/5
Hearty BBQ flavor with bold spices and a hint of sweet. My 2nd favorite!

Sour Cream & Onion = 3/5
Tasted most like a rice cake of all the options. Flavor was sort of muted and had a hint of a bitter after taste.

Original = 4.5/5
Lightly salted, crisp potato flavor. Satisfies that munchy snack fix.

Salt and Pepper = 3.5/5
Major pepper flavor! Great if you're a huge pepper fan, but eating the whole bag is almost too much.

Salt and Vinegar = 5/5
Johnny excitedly exclaimed he loved these. A big fan of salt and vinegar he loved their bold flavor that wasn't down played at all.



Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!



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The Popchips featured in this post were received complimentary for review. The review is my honest opinion of the product.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

How to Bake Bacon

I don't know about you, but on the rare occasion that I make bacon, I really regret it. Not because of all the fat or calories, but because of the mess.

My mom has this awesome CorningWare bacon tray she uses in the microwave that drains off all the fat and gives her perfect, flat strips every time. When I try to make bacon in the microwave I just end up with either burnt little tasteless crisps or soggy blobs.

For many years I've resorted to trying to make bacon on the stovetop. It splatters, it spits, the bacon curls up, and afterwards my entire kitchen seems to be covered in grease.

Then I watched an episode of Good Eats with the genius Alton Brown showing his method of cooking bacon. To bake it. Ah-ha! Why don't I ever think of these things?

Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet. Lay strips of bacon on the rack. (I happened to use turkey bacon this time, but any type of bacon will work.)

Place in a cold oven.
Turn the temperature to 400°.
Cook for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness and crisp preference.
Remove from oven and enjoy!

Oh, it was such a simple process! No babysitting it, turning it, and no mess. Just one step, pop it in the oven and come back when it's done! Such a great way to enjoy bacon!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Prize Winner and Award

I'm not sure if you caught it, but there was a surprise at the bottom of Friday Firsts last week! It was my 300th post, so one lucky contributor was going to win a gift from me!

There were nine contributors last week, but lucky #2 was the Queen of All herself, Laura who submitted her Portabello burgers!

Congratulations Laura!! You win an adorable little "secret mini wallet" hand sewn by a local craft club. They sell their goods at a local charity center and donate the proceeds. I love shopping there for unique, hand-made gifts that benefit the charity and my community!



Ally of Sweet & Savory gave me the Sunshine Award, naming me as a blogger that brings sunshine to her day! Awwww thank you Ally! :)

Some bloggers that always bring sunshine to my day are:

Sophia of Burp and Slurp, Laura at Hey What's for Dinner, Mom?, Amy of Please Don't Eat Me!, Mara at What's for Dinner?, Alisa of One Frugal Foodie, Biz at Biggest Diabetic Loser, Maggie at Maggie Walks, and Jessie of The Happiness in Health!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Cupcake and Cookie Bouquets

Happy Mother's Day!!!


Last Cute Food Saturday Mara posted a cupcake bouquet and I thought it looked so adorable! Unlike 99% of the other things she posts, this was something I might actually be able to make myself!

I invited Di (Johnny's sister and my friend) over for a Saturday play date. We baked and decorated Mother's Day gifts while our two puppies played tug-of-war and wrestled.

First we tackled the cupcake bouquet using zip bags to "pipe" and Smarties candies. I think it turned out so cute!

I just used store-bought cake mix and frosting, then put the cupcakes in the fridge to cool and firm up. I washed out an old planter and Johnny filled it with a block of styrofoam. He also cut a craft styrofoam ball in half, which I painted green. To affix the cupcakes, hold them against the ball to get a feeling of where you want them and mark with a pen. Place two toothpicks angled upwards and gently press the cupcakes onto them. For the bottom cupcakes I also had to put a diagonal toothpick angled from the top.

Next was the cookie bouquet. We made oatmeal spice cookies with raisins and nuts on a stick. I used oven-safe sticks found at a craft store. To stick them in the stryofoam ball I used an extra stick to make a hole first, and then stick the cookies into them. To cover the extra space I just bunched up some tissue paper and affixed a bow!

The cookie recipe came from an old Better Homes and Garden book of mine.

1 cup flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp milk

1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
(I used 1/4 cup pecans and 1/4 cup walnuts)

Mix the first list of ingredients until incorporated. Then stir in the second list of ingredients. Drop by teaspoonful onto greased baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes at 375°. Yields 40 cookies.

If you're going to be making them much larger, as we did, cook for 12-14 minutes at 375° and yields a dozen 3" cookies.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Friday Firsts - Hamburger Buns

Friday Firsts


Happy Friday everybody! This week flew by way too fast for me - funny how school deadlines will do that to you! Last week Mara shared her red mole with us, and if you haven't checked it out - you need to! Mara has been making some really awesome dishes every weekend that require a lot of time and love.

My first for this week did require some time, but luckily it was just rising time. I made my own hamburger buns from scratch using a recipe I adapted from Ally!

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or one pkg)
1 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus additional for bowl and topping
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
sesame seeds, optional

Combine the yeast and warm water in a measuring cup and set aside. In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Add the olive oil to the yeast mixture, stir to combine, and add to the flour mixture. Stir with a spoon just until combined and then using floured hands knead in the bowl for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Set the dough aside for a minute to wash out the bowl and put a little bit of olive oil in the bottom. Turn the dough in the oil to coat and set a damp kitchen towel overtop and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Punch down the risen dough a few times and divide into six even pieces. Form into rolls and place on a greased baking sheet. Using the tips of your fingers, dimple the tops of the rolls. Brush with olive oil and gently press on sesame seeds if using. Cover the rolls with the damp towel and let rise in a warm spot for a minimum of 30 minutes. Bake in a 375° oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool before slicing. Yields 6 rolls.

These were so much easier to make than I thought they would be! They left barely any mess since I used the same bowl to mix in, knead in, and rise in. I served my pulled pork barbeque on these buns and received high praises from Johnny!


Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!



If you would like to display the Friday Firsts button as a badge in your post or on your side bar, you can copy and paste the following code:



And don't go anywhere just yet because this is my 300th post! One randomly selected contributor to Friday Firsts this week will receive a special treat! You get one entry for each "first" shared and two entries if you refer a friend. Just have your friend leave a comment letting me know that you sent them over! Good luck and thanks for sharing each week!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Meatloaf Revisit and Stamp Out Hunger


Tonight's dinner was a revisit with my delicious meatloaf, which Johnny had a craving for. I also roasted a bunch of vegetables alongside the meatloaf while it baked for double oven duty. The brown rice was made using my home made vegetable stock instead of water for more flavor!

While chomping away at our dinner Johnny and I talked about those less fortunate who might not have the luxury of enjoying such a tasty dinner. Did you know that since our economy troubles food banks have had a 30% increase in customers?

Sponsors such as Campbells, United Way, Feeding America, and the U.S. Post Office have teamed together to "Stamp Out Hunger." This Saturday, May 8th if you leave a bag by your mail box your postal worker will collect the bag to go to a food bank in your local community.



So take just a few minutes to look through your cupboards and find a few non-perishable items you can spare. I found some duplicate soups and canned vegetables, along with salad dressing and a boxed dinner kit. It isn't much on its own, but paired with my neighbor's donations it will add up to a lot at the end of the day!


Visit the Stamp Out Hunger web site for more information. They only have two rules for the donations: no glass containers and no expired food. Easy enough, right?

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Sushi Style Ham Rolls

Wow, I started a new semester yesterday and I am worried about the next 8 weeks! My two professors this semester are both giving the impression of real hard-balls! Both have the strictest schedules I've seen since I started school again and huge research paper assignments on the syllabus. Yikes! At least it'll be nicer weather outside because it really helps me to be able to do a lot of reading on the patio or lounging in a lawn chair! It also helps my tan, too!

I got this recipe from the Philadelphia Cream Cheese web site because it looked really interesting. Of course I made some changes!

6 or 12 slices deli ham (*See notes below)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup leftover cooked rice
1/4 cup thin pepper strips
1/4 cup thin cucumber strips

Divide the cream cheese and rice into six even portions. Spread a slice of (*rectangle shaped) ham to the edge with the cream cheese. Top with the rice, gently pushing in to adhere it to the cream cheese. Place two or three strips of the peppers and cucumbers at the short end of the ham slice and roll up tightly. (*If your ham cracks or is sliced too thin, roll using 2 layers of ham.)

Cut each roll into 5 pieces and serve as an appetizer, lunch, or light dinner. We ate this as a light dinner since we had eaten a late lunch that day. It took only a few minutes to whip each one up with very little mess!

These actually reminded me of real sushi, surprisingly! The rice and crisp bite from the peppers and cucumbers were correct, while the saltiness from the ham was reminiscent of the saltiness of seafood and soy sauce.

Tips:
  • To make ahead and serve later, make each roll and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge and slice just before serving.
  • For brighter colors feel free to use red, orange, or yellow peppers. The green ones were on sale, so I chose those.
  • If you have kids, make sure you let them help out! The assembly of these is pretty straight forward and leaves little room for great mess or error!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

How to Hard Boil Easy-to-Peel Eggs

A few of you will remember my pretty humorous attempt at the Eggstractor, complete with video! Needless to say, I've been after the perfect hard boiled egg for awhile now.

After combining many tips, tried (and failed) techniques, and reading up on the subject I finally have it mastered. I know this is a common frustration for many cooks, so I thought I'd share what I've learned! This is how I boil eggs every time now, and it never fails me! The yolk is always perfectly done (see above) and they're sinfully easy to peel, coming smooth from the shell with none of the white ripping.

Start with store-bought eggs. Fresh eggs just have too firm of a membrane and usually a larger yolk, so they're not ideal for boiling. (But shhh don't tell Johnny's mom, our supplier of fresh eggs!)

Place the eggs gently in an empty pot that has a lid.

Sprinkle about 2 tsp. of baking soda in the pot. (The theory is that baking soda helps break down the membrane's attachment to the white of the egg. I loathe science related things, so I'm not sure if that's what actually happens, I just know something about it works!)

Fill with cold water, about 1/2" above the eggs.

Place the pot on a burner and turn the heat to high. Leave the lid off and let it come to a boil.

Once the water has reached a rapid boil turn the heat off (if using an electric stove remove the pot from the burner) and place the lid on.

Set the timer for 15 minutes. (I've read the time may vary ~3 minutes in either direction based on altitude - again, not sure if that's true! Again with the science!)

Once the timer has gone off, carefully pour the hot water off the eggs and fill the pan with cold water. Add a large handful of ice cubes and let sit about 15 minutes to cool.

Fold a few paper towels and place on your countertop.

Grab an egg and smack down on the wide, flatter bottom. This is where the air pocket is and it helps release the rest of the shell for peeling.

Gently tap the pointy tip of the egg, then turn on its side and with barely any pressure, roll the egg between your palm and the counter to loosen the shell everywhere.

Peel the loosest shell from the wide bottom area of the egg where the air pocket was, making sure the membrane comes with it, too.

With your thumb, gently edge between the shell and the white of the egg, lifting up as you go. The shell should peel off in large sections with the membrane keeping the pieces intact.

In just a few minutes you will have a dozen perfectly peeled eggs! Make egg salad, deviled eggs, put on salads, or eat for a snack as you please!

Additional tips/facts:
  • Peeling all of the eggs as soon as they're done cooking is easiest and fastest since they have just contracted.
  • Keeping pre-peeled eggs on hand is convenient for quicker access instead of peeling one or two as you need them.
  • Peeled hard boiled eggs will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one week.
  • The green film you sometimes see around the egg yolk occurs from overcooking and something to do with sulfur. (Damn if boiling eggs isn't one of the most scientific things I've encountered in the last 5 years!)
  • If storing hard boiled eggs in their shell mark them with a permanent marker to differentiate from raw eggs.
  • If raw and hard boiled eggs become confused test by spinning on the counter. A hard boiled egg will spin fast and smooth like a top while a raw egg will wobble slowly before stopping.