Dirty eggs
Dear Heloise : I buy my eggs from a farm where the chickens, geese and turkeys run free. The eggs are sold in cardboard egg cartons, ungraded, and they have not been cleaned, at least not much. They have no straw on them, but they appear to sometimes have smears of feces and other materials, which mostly wash off in warm water and dishwashing liquid.
Although I usually wash them, I want to know if it’s safe to use them without washing. I assume that if washed, they should not be put back in the egg carton they came in. Is this so? — Joann H., Yellow Springs, Ohio
Joann, you are correct about freshly washed eggs not being placed back in the egg carton they came in. Put them in a bowl or some other clean container.
Since you never really know what is smeared on the eggshell, wash the eggs before use. This is the safest and cleanest way to ensure your eggs will not cross-contaminate what you are preparing. — Heloise
Baked Italian Chicken
Dear Heloise: You have a recipe for Italian Chicken that I absolutely loved. It was tasty and so easy to make. My boyfriend is having a birthday in late September, and I offered to make dinner for him. Would you reprint the Italian Chicken recipe so I can make it for him? I know he’ll like it as much as I do. — Casey L., Little Rock, Ark.
Casey, this is a favorite of mine, too. Here it is:
Heloise’s Italian Chicken
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray. Place the chicken in the casserole and cover with the Italian dressing. Top with the onion and potatoes. Bake for about 1 hour or until done.
Do you like simple, tasty meals without all the fuss? Then you need my pamphlet “Heloise’s All-time Favorite Recipes.” To get a copy, just go to www.heloise.com, or send $5 along with a stamped (75cents), self-addressed, long envelope to: All-time Fav, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. You’ll be glad you have these handy recipes at your finger- tips. —
Leftover veggies
Dear Readers: Got any leftover potatoes? Cut them up and brown in butter, adding chopped onions and mushrooms for a tasty side dish. You can season with salt, pepper and maybe a touch of garlic.
Leftover carrots? Add some sliced zucchini, onions, red bell peppers and pecans (or walnuts), and stir-fry in olive oil, add- ing the precooked carrots last. Use salt and pepper and any other seasoning you like.
Got a week’s worth of leftover vegetables? Try a little butter in a pan and add all of them at once. Stir-fry quickly with a little soy sauce and serve warm. If you have some leftover meats, such as chicken, pork or beef, you can toss that into the mix as well. —