HARD BOILED EGGS

Eggs to be hard boiled should be carefully placed in boiling water and cooked 15 minutes from the time the water commences to boil again.  If cooked a longer time, the white of egg will look dark and the outer part of yolk will not be a clear yellow, as it should, to look appetizing when served.

SOFT BOILED EGGS

The quicker way to prepare eggs is to drop them in a stew-pan containing boiling water, and let boil 3-1/2 to 4 minutes, when the white part of the egg should be “set” and the yolk soft, but a soft boiled egg is said to be more easily digested if dropped into a stew-pan of rapidly boiling water; remove the stew-pan of boiling water the minute the eggs have been put in from the front part of the range to a place where the water will keep hot, but not allow the eggs to boil.  Let the eggs remain in the hot water from 8 to 10 minutes.  On breaking the egg open, the yolk will be found soft, and the white of the egg a soft, jelly-like consistency.  This latter is the way Aunt Sarah taught Mary.

AN EGG AND TOMATO OMELETTE

Beat the yolks of three eggs until light, then add three tablespoonfuls of water.  Beat the whites of the eggs separately.  Turn the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs into the bowl containing the yolks of eggs and water.  Stir lightly together and add a pinch of salt.  Turn all into a small fry-pan containing a generous tablespoonful of butter and cook on top of stove until the eggs are set, then place the pan containing omelette in a hot oven and finish cooking.  When cooked, turn out on a hot platter and spread over the top the following, which was prepared while the omelette was cooking.  In a small fry-pan place a tablespoonful of finely-chopped bacon.  When fried brown add half a small tomato, finely chopped, 1/4 of an onion, chopped fine, and a little chopped green pepper.  Cook all together for a short time and season with salt and pepper.  After spreading the mixture on the omelette, fold over and serve on a hot platter.  This recipe had been given Frau Schmidt years before by a friend and she used no other for making omelette.  Always make small omelettes.  They are more satisfactory.  Use a small pan no larger than a small tea plate, and, if wished, make two small, rather than one large one.  Always serve immediately.

MUSHROOM OMELETTE

Place the yolks of three eggs in a bowl and beat until light.  Add a teaspoonful of cream and 1/2 teaspoonful of flour mixed together; 1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper and a dust of baking powder.  Lastly, the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs.  Turn into a pan containing two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, stand on range a few minutes until eggs are set, then finish cooking in a hot oven.  Serve at once.