One of the most popular Easter traditions involves dyeing and decorating eggs. Colorful Easter eggs are displayed for their beauty and consumed because of their unique goodness.

Hard-cooked Easter eggs are also used in popular children's games such as egg hunts, egg tosses, egg rolling and egg tapping (striking).

The egg, regarded as a natural wonder, is associated with the renewal of life. For Christians, the egg represents Christ's Resurrection from the tomb, which is observed on Easter Sunday.

Eggs are important to a healthy diet. They contain 13 essential nutrients, including protein, choline, folate, iron and zinc. When consumed in moderation, eggs contribute to muscle strength, eye health and brain function.

A versatile food, eggs are easy to prepare. In addition to hard-cooked, eggs can be fried, scrambled or poached. Eggs are used in the preparation of omelets, deviled eggs, souffles, cakes, pies, puddings and more. Hard-cooked egg slices make an attractive garnish for salads and other dishes.

This year, Easter will be celebrated March 23, and colorful hard-cooked eggs and egg dishes will become a focal point during family gatherings and social events. For safety purposes, be sure to purchase clean, uncracked, fresh eggs and store them in their original carton in the refrigerator. Hard-cooked eggs should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. If eggs become cracked during cooking, don't dye them, and should eggs become cracked during handling or while playing games, discard them.

If you plan to serve hard-cooked eggs this Easter or for any other occasion, cooking them properly will make a noticeable difference. To improve the texture, taste and appearance of hard-cooked eggs, do not boil them. Boiling the eggs will result in a greenish ring around the cooked egg yolk, the egg white will be tough, and the egg yolk will be dry.

Use the following method for perfect hard-cooked eggs:

* Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover eggs at least 1 inch above the eggs.

* Put a lid on the pot, and quickly bring the water just to boiling.

* Turn off the heat, and remove pan from the stove if necessary to prevent further boiling.

* Leave eggs covered in the pan of hot water about 12 minutes for medium eggs, 15 minutes for large eggs and 18 minutes for extra-large eggs.

* Run cold water over the cooked eggs, or carefully place them in ice water to cool completely. Eggs are now ready to dye or peel.

To remove the shell from hard-cooked eggs:

* Tap eggs gently all over to crackle. Roll each egg in your hands to loosen the shell.

* Begin peeling the shell by starting at the large end of the egg. Holding the egg under running water or dipping it into a bowl of water will help the shell come off easier.

Dyeing and decorating hard-cooked eggs

There are many types of food-dye kits available today for safely coloring Easter eggs. Be sure to select a product that's safe and recommended for egg-dyeing purposes. Easy-to-use food coloring tablets and special pastes come in an array of colors for dyeing hard-boiled eggs. Follow the directions on the kit. When using paste, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of paste in 3/4 cup of warm water and add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.

Eggs can also be dyed using natural materials such as grape, blueberry, raspberry or cranberry juices or strong brewed coffee. Apple, orange and lemon peelings can be boiled to produce delicate, yellow liquid used to dye eggs. Usually 3/4 cup of natural liquids combined with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar is appropriate for coloring eggs.

For easy clean up, use plastic, disposable cups for each different color when dyeing eggs. Place the cups on a few layers of newspaper to adsorb drips and spills, and wear inexpensive food preparation gloves to prevent the dyes from staining fingers. Store dyed eggs in the egg carton in the refrigerator.

There are also colorful stickers and wrappers available for adding designs to dyed eggs. These range in style from popular cartoon characters to religious motifs. Special paints and glitter can also be used in creating unique Easter eggs.

Creating colorful egg shells

Empty egg shells are widely used for decorating at Easter time. To empty egg shells, wash and dry an uncooked egg. Holding the egg over a bowl, prick the shell with a long needle to make a small hole in the small end of it and a hole that is just a little larger in the large end of the egg. Push the needle inside the egg to break the yolk.

Shake the egg gently to start the contents flowing from the shell. Re-insert needle if necessary. A baster is sometimes effective in emptying shells. Rinse the shells under cool, running water, and allow them to thoroughly dry before decorating.

Cook the expelled eggs immediately.

T&D Features Writer Sonja Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at sgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

Facts about chickens and eggs 



* Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Many people say the answer can be found in the Bible in Genesis 1:20-21 (New International Version) — “And God said, ‘Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.’ So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”

Based on this information, it is believed that the chicken came first.

* The majority of laying hens in the United States are single-combed white leghorns. 

* A large egg has fewer than 80 calories. 

* Can’t tell if an egg is raw or hard-cooked? Spin the egg on the kitchen counter. If it spins easily, it is hard-cooked. If the egg wobbles, it is raw. 

* Yolk color depends on the hen’s diet. Marigold petals and other natural yellow-orange substances are often added to light-colored chicken feed to enhance the color of egg yolks. 

* It takes 24 to 26 hours for a hen to produce and egg, and 30 minutes later, the process starts all over again. 

* The breed of the hen determines the color of the egg shell. Eggs with white shells are produced by hens with white feathers and ear lobes, and hens with red feathers and red ear lobes produce brown-shelled eggs. Araucanas lay eggs that range from blue to green to brown in color.

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