Hard boiling an egg. Sounds simple, right? It is, but ask ten people how to do it and you’ll get ten different answers, most of which will likely end up giving you an over done egg with that awful grey yolk. No thanks. Here’s a fail-safe way to get a perfect product every time.

1. Carefully place eggs in a sauce pot. Cover the eggs by an inch or so with room temperature water.
2. Over high heat on the stove bring the water to a boil and then turn the flame off. Let the eggs sit in the water for ten minutes (or 9 minutes if you want a slightly softer yolk; sooooo good this way). Remove the eggs and transfer them to an ice bath (a bowl with water and a few ice cubes) and let the eggs sit for a couple of minutes to cool. An easy way to peel them is to do it under a faucet letting the water rinse away pieces of shell.

Now What?

Peel and eat as a quick snack.

Cut into quarters and toss into salads for an extra dose of protein.

Make a light curried egg salad: mix yolks with non-fat plain yogurt, Dijon mustard, celery, parsley, scallions, curry powder, salt and pepper. Stir in chopped egg whites.

Make a B(and egg)LT sandwhich: combine chopped garlic and light mayo, spread onto toasted bread. Stack turkey bacon, sliced eggs, crisp iceburg lettuce, sliced tomato salt and pepper onto bread.

Serve with slices of smoked salmon, red onion, capers and dill.

Finding a Good Egg:

Don’t forget to look at the expiration date on the carton.

Make sure none of the shells are cracked.

Don’t pay more for the brown ones; there’s really no difference between those and white ones.

Organic is always a good idea.

Local farms are always best because it’s less travel time giving you a fresher egg.