From colorful gift baskets to decorating parties to Easter egg hunts around the house and across the lawn, ‘tis the season for having a lot of eggs around. Once the parties have come and gone, there’s bound to be plenty of leftovers and one major question: What can be done with all those Easter eggs? After all, there’s only so much egg salad any human can consume.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Read on for easy ideas to get rid of those raw or hard-boiled Easter eggs.
More from Best of NJ
Breakfast
Breakfast Biscuit Quiches
After a busy holiday weekend, this simple quiche, developed by the experts at the American Egg Board, can be a healthy, stress-free way to get breakfast ready for the whole family. For quick and easy prep, use refrigerated buttermilk biscuits from the supermarket. Feeling a little more ambitious? Whip up a batch of Chef Caroline Schiff’s Sweet Eggy Biscuits (recipe below).
Ingredients:
(Serves 10)
2/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped ham
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 (Easter) eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
12-oz package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups in a standard muffin pan. Leave 2 cups in the center of the pan empty.
- Combine the cheese, ham, and green onions in small bowl and mix well, then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until blended. Set aside until ready to use.
- Separate the prepared biscuits; press or roll each into a 5-inch round on lightly floured surface.
- Place one biscuit in each of 10 greased muffin cups, pressing them firmly against bottom and sides of cups, and forming a rim at top.
- Spoon 2 T of the cheese mixture into each cup. Next, pour in the egg mixture, dividing evenly.
- Place the muffin pan in the center of the oven and allow the quiches to bake until the filling is set and the biscuits are deep golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove the quiches from the pan and serve warm.
Brunch
Sweet Eggy Biscuits
There’s something glorious about biscuits with brunch. Served warm, topped with jam, savory sausage and cheese, or paired with Southern-fried chicken, and you’ve got a brunch menu dream come true. “They’re just so fluffy and yummy,” said Caroline Schiff, Head Pastry Chef at Greene Grape Scoops & Sweets, a bakery and ice-cream shop in Brooklyn. “They’re perfect for brunch.”
Ingredients:
(Makes 15 biscuits)
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
6 ounces cold butter
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
4 crumbled, hard-boiled egg yolks
1 raw (Easter) egg
1 tablespoon water
Method:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- With your hands or a pastry blender, pinch in the cold, cubed butter and crumbled egg yolks, creating a sandy-looking mixture with small bits of butter and yolk still visible.
- Mix in heavy cream with your hands or a wooden spoon, adding a little more if necessary, until the dough is just combined.
- Turn out onto a floured surface, and with a rolling pin gently roll the dough to about 2 inches thick.
- With a round or square biscuit cutter, cut out your biscuits and place on a parchment lined baking sheet spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- In a small bowl, whisk together one raw egg with 1 T of water to make an egg wash. Gently brush the top of each biscuit with a pastry brush.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until fluffy and golden brown.
Lunch
Baked Eggs & Spinach
This recipe is fast – total prep time is 30 minutes – and healthy, combining nutrient-rich spinach, eggs and cheese for a savory meal that’s perfect for weekend lunches. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and salsa. To add an extra Garden State twist, try it with Frank’s Pickled Peppers Sweet & Spicy Salsa, available online and at local markets. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheese. (Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Egg Board.)
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, squeezed dry
4 (Easter) eggs
1/4 cup chunky salsa
1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Method:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease four 6-oz ramekins or custard cups and set aside.
- Divide the spinach evenly among the ramekins.
- Press an indentation (about 2-inch diameter) into center of the spinach with back of spoon. Place the ramekins on baking sheet.
- Break and slip an egg into each indentation. Top evenly with salsa, then cheese.
- Place the backing sheet into the oven and allow to cook until the egg whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 20-25 minutes. If desired, garnish with a dollop of sour cream.
Dinner
Ravioli Omelet Frittata
At just 350 calories and containing 18 g protein, this recipe is impressive in multiple ways. It looks gorgeous, and presents an ingenious way of using leftover pasta AND uncooked eggs. This recipe was developed for the Egg Nutrition Center by Weichen Yan @peachonomics.
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
1/4 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 (Easter) eggs, beaten and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
2-4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3-4 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn OR your favorite herb/spice seasoning
5 large ravioli OR leftover pasta of your choice
Method:
- In a non-stick pan, sauté some diced onion in extra virgin olive oil.
- Once fragrant, about 2 minutes, place the ravioli (or whatever pasta you’re using) in the pan and cook till they’re slightly golden.
- Pour in the beaten eggs, let cook for 1 minute, covered.
- Sprinkle cherry tomato and herbs on top, continue cooking (covering makes the cooking process faster) until the eggs are done. Slice and serve.
Happy Hour
The Pink Lady
You didn’t really think we’d skip happy hour, did you? Many cocktails can be made with egg, including this pastel-colored, brightly flavored classic. Pair with a great book on a Spring day.
Ingredients:
(Serves 1)
1½ ounces Great Notch Distillery Dry Gin
1/2 ounce Laird & Co. Applejack
1/4 ounce grenadine
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 egg white
Brandied cherry or slice of lime, for garnish (optional)
Method:
- Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
- Shake vigorously to emulsify the egg white, at least 1 minute. This technique is called a “dry shake.”
- Add ice to the cocktail shaker, then shake the mixture again until it is fully chilled.
- Strain the mixture into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish, if desired.
Hero (Top) Feature Image: © chas53 / Adobe Stock
Additional Images (in Order) Courtesy:
The Incredible Edible Egg / Website
Egg Nutrition Center / Website
