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13 Ways to Lose a Good Customer

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My friend, Yvonne Russell, wrote a great article on customer service, 13 Ways to Lose a Good Customer. I couldn’t have said it better, Yvonne!

In her article, Yvonne explains that customers can change their minds often, and may be in a hurry. Customers expect to have their needs met, or to receive their product or service on their time schedule, not yours! You must be sensitive to your customers’ sense of urgency when providing customer service. Yvonne says, “It doesn’t take much to lose a good customer. They expect you to deliver on your business value proposition - what your business says they offer, in a timely and professional fashion.”

Yvonne gives a list of 13 ways to lose good customers, all of which can be avoided by planning, organization, and an accommodating attiude by you and your staff. Here is Yvonne’s list:

impolite or unconcerned staff

mistakes with regard to supply, delivery, or order fulfillment

company changes its focus - problem not addressed

price gouging

disagreements or miscommunications

inconsistent hours or customer service department availability

uncaring or disinterested customer service reps

rude phone manners

not feeling important as a customer

phone inquiried not responded to quickly

emails not answered quickly

unprofessional email etiquette

not keeping customers informed about special orders

In summary, I would like to add that successful business owners operate their businesses using the golden rule - treat your customer the way you would like to be treated as a customer.

This goes along with consumer advocate Clark Howard’s mantra, “Customers vote with their feet, their mouse, and their wallet.” In other words, they may not complain, but will walk out of your establishment, click away from your website, and put their wallet away. Remember, without your customers, you have nothing!

Suzanne Wells

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Favorite Ingredient Friday–Casserole Edition (Western Meal)

Favorite Ingredient Friday is sponsored by Overwhelmed With Joy. Visit her blog for more taste-tempting recipes.

This is one of my families favorite meals. We like to eat it in various ways.

Western Meal
(Taken from Homemade Gourmet Casserole Cookbook)

Ingredients:
* 1 pound (2 cups) Homemade Gourmet Taco Soup Seasoned ground beef, cooked
* 1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
* 1 15-ounce can Ranch Style beans, undrained
* 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
* 3/4 cup Minute Rice, uncooked
* 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine all ingredients, except for 1 cup cheese, in a greased 3 quart (13 x 9 x 2) baking dish
3. Bake, coved for 45 minutes. Sprinkle wiht remaining cheese; bake, uncovered for an additional 5 minutes.
Serves 8

One thing I like to do is prepare two of these casseroles at the same time. One for the family to eat that night. Another one to put in the freezer for another night. This way when I need a fast meal and I don’t have time to prepare one that day, I can put this in the oven and we have a tasty meal.
We like to eat our Western Casserole by itself or with chips. Sometimes we put it in flour tortillas like a burrito. We like to add sour cream and onions to it. Salsa is great on it as well.

It is really tasty!
Let me know if you try it or if you have a similar recipe.

Sincerely,
Stacey

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Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe–Easy to make with Kids

I looked on the web for an EASY child friendly pancake recipe that did not have a lot of ingredients. The reason being is that I teach a cooking class for kids. I have 1 hour to cook and clean with about 7 children from 2nd to 5th grade. This can be a challenge. I am in a school classroom and not in a “real kitchen.”

My solution to this challenging problem was to use a pancake mix and add the pumpkin to it. I looked up the recipe on Bisquick. I found a recipe that I liked there that would work. I altered it a bit as I was not using the Bisquick mix itself. Here is a link to the recipe that I used.
I did not use oil or add the pumpkin spice seasoning, mainly because of the children I was working with. They were shocked that we were going to add pumpkin to the pancakes.

So here is my recipe in a nutshell.
1 prepared pancake mix–follow instructions on box
1/3 cup canned pumpkin

This added flavor and color without being over powering. (However as an adult, I think the pumpkin spice would have added more excitement to the pancake.)
I broke the children into two teams. I allowed them each to take part in the preparing, cooking, eating, and cleaning processes. The children got to put the ingredients in the bowl and mix it. They got to measure the milk and the pumpkin. One student got to add the egg. They each got a turn stirring the batter.

When it came time to cook, I let them take a 1/4 measuring cup to measure out the right amount for their pancake. I watched and guided them on where to place their batter for their pancake on the electric skillet. (The kids were so excited to do this. They loved it.) Then as it was cooking, we discussed when the pancake was ready. One student pointed out that there were two bubbles on that pancake and that it was ready. I let her know that it is best to have a few more than two bubbles. We discussed how to check to see if your pancake is ready to flip.

Ways to check if your pancake is ready to flip:
1) Watch for the bubbles on the top of your pancake. If you have about 8 to 10 bubbles, your pancake is ready to flip.
2) Take your spatula or flipper and gently lift your pancake. Check to see if the bottom of your pancake is a nice golden brown color. If it is, flip the pancake.

When flipping the pancake, make sure that your flipper or spatula is more than half way underneath your pancake. If it is not, your pancake will not flip well. (We had a few pancakes that did not make it nicely and neatly to the other side.) I helped one student flip her pancake. Everyone else was so excited to do it on their own. All the pancakes were flipped and made it successfully back into the skillet when flipped. Yeah!

While some of the students were waiting to cook their pancakes, I had them wash the measuring cups and bowls. They were excited to help clean up the dishes as well. (I was a bit surprised.)

Eating was another exciting part. The student’s really liked eating their pumpkin pancake when they finished making it. They all seemed to have a great time. So overall, it was a successful class with lots of happy students.

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Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com

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Pecan Cranberry Biscotti, Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti, Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Biscotti (plural of Italian biscotto, roughly meaning “twice baked”) are crisp Italian cookies often containing nuts or flavored with almond or anise. Traditionally, biscotti are made by baking cookie dough in two long slabs, cutting these into slices, and reheating them to dry them out. A basic recipe is a mix two parts flour with one part sugar with enough eggs to create a stiff batter. To the mixture baking powder and flavorings such as anise, chocolate, or nuts are added. The slabs are baked once for about twenty-five minutes. They are then cut up into individual cookies and baked again for a shorter period. The longer this second baking is, the harder the cookies will be. Originally the cookies were twice-baked so they could be stored for long periods of time; because of this storage potential, they historically have been used widely by explorers and soldiers.

In the United States biscotti are considered an essential part of the espresso bar experience. The generally hard texture of biscotti makes the cookie ideal for dipping in coffee, tea, hot chocolate or wine.

Pecan Cranberry Biscotti

1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla Extract
1 cup dried cranberries
Zest of 1 lemon

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Finely chop half the pecans, and leave remaining ones in halves; set aside.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine baking powder, flour, sugar, and salt. In a bowl, beat eggs, yolks, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients; mix on medium low until sticky dough is formed. Stir in pecans, cranberries, and zest.
Turn dough out onto well-floured board; sprinkle with flour, and knead slightly. Shape into 9-by-3 1/2-inch logs. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 275 degrees F.
On cutting board, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Return pieces cut side down to baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes. Turn over. Bake until slightly dry, about 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Store in airtight container. Makes 24.

Other flavors of extracts, dried fruits, and nuts can be substituted in this recipe.

After biscotti are cool they can be dipped in melted dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate coating half of each cookie.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

4 ounces (125 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (215 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 3/4 (250 grams) cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed
1 tablespoon (4 grams) instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) Watkins Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Hazelnut Extract
1 cup (150 grams) hazelnuts (toasted and coarsely chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). To toast hazelnuts: spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and the skins begin to flake. Remove from the oven and place nuts in a dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts ’steam’ for 5 minutes and then briskly rub the towel (with nuts inside) to remove the skins from the nuts. Cool and then chop coarsely. Set aside while you prepare the dough.

Reduce temperature of oven to 300 degree F (150 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the coarsely chopped chocolate and brown sugar and process until the chocolate is very fine; set aside.

Sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl; set aside. In the bowl of your electric mixer combine the eggs and vanilla and hazelnut extracts and beat to blend, about 30 seconds. On low speed mix in the chocolate/sugar and flour mixtures until a stiff dough forms, adding the hazelnuts about half way through mixing.

On a floured surface divide the dough in half. Form each half into a log 12 inches (30 cm) long. Do this by rolling the dough back and forth into a cylinder shape with floured hands. Transfer the logs to the baking sheet, spacing them well apart (width-wise on the pan), and pat to even the shapes. Bake until almost firm to the touch, about 35 - 40 minutes (logs will spread during baking). Remove from the oven, place on wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes.

Using a long spatula transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife cut the dough into slices 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick on the diagonal. Arrange the slices cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake until crisp and dry, about 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

3/4 cup (110 grams) blanched whole almonds, toasted and chopped coarsely
2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Almond Extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (245 grams) all-purpose flour
4 ounces (110 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped in 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Toast almonds for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the sugar and eggs on high speed until thick, pale, and fluffy (about 5 minutes). (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) At this point beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture and beat until combined. Fold in the chopped almonds and chocolate.

Transfer the dough to your parchment lined baking sheet and form into a log, about 12 inches (30 cm) long and 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) wide. You may have to dampen your hands to form the log as the dough is quite sticky. Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Transfer log to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, cut log into slices 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick on the diagonal. Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake 10 - 15 minutes, turn slices over, and bake another 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 16 biscotti.

Cappuccino Biscotti

3/4 cup (100 grams) hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 grams) Watkins Vanilla Extract
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Ground Cloves
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder (optional)
1/2 cup (85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Toast hazelnuts for 10 - 15 minutes or until the skins start to blister. Remove from oven and place hazelnuts in a clean towel and let steam for about 5 minutes. Briskly rub the towel back and forth to remove the skins of the hazelnuts. Let cool and then coarsely chop. Set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) beat the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, spices, and espresso powder until combined. Gradually add the egg mixture and beat until a dough forms, adding the chopped nuts and chocolate chips about halfway through. With floured hands divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface roll each half of dough into a log about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Transfer logs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart, and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until firm to the touch (logs will spread during baking). Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

On a cutting board, with a serrated knife, cut each log crosswise, on the diagonal, into 3/4 inch (2 cm) slices. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and bake 10 minutes, turn slices over, and bake another 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 24 biscotti.

Almond Biscotti

1 cup (145 grams) blanched whole almonds, toasted and chopped coarsely
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Almond Extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Toast almonds for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely. Set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl lightly beat the eggs and extracts together. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until blended (about 30 seconds). Gradually add the egg mixture and beat until a dough forms, adding almonds about halfway through. With floured hands divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface roll each half of dough into a log about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Transfer logs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing the logs about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until firm to the touch (logs will spread during baking). Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Transfer logs to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, cut log into slices 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick on the diagonal. Arrange evenly on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, turn slices over, and bake another 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla Extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (245 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 grams) shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (75 grams) dried cranberries or cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the sugar and eggs on high speed until thick, pale, and fluffy (about 5 minutes). (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) At this point beat in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture and beat until combined. Fold in the chopped pistachios and cranberries.

Transfer the dough to your parchment lined baking sheet and form into a log, about 12 inches (30 cm) long and 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) wide. You may have to dampen your hands to form the log as the dough is quite sticky. Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Transfer the log to a cutting board and cut into 3/4 inch (2 cm) slices, on the diagonal. Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, turn slices over, and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 16 - 20 biscotti.

Recipes and photos from Martha Stewart Living Online.com and The Joy of Cooking.com.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/nov15-07newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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FRIDAY FEAST

Your feast is prepared by Stacey today.
Enjoy!

Appetizer
What is your favorite carnival/amusement park ride?

“It’s a Small World” that the kids created in my house for my birthday. It was so sweet and cute. I enjoyed the ride a great deal. The kids were the small world characters moving slowly like the mechanical ones on the ride. The boat was a small mattess. I was pushed around my home as the kids sang and performed “It’s a Small World” for me. What a wonderful birthday treat.

Soup
How do you react in uncomfortable social situations?

I get really quiet and try to avoid them. If I am home, I will go clean the kitchen.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy discussing deep, philosophical topics?

8–I like to discuss matters and concepts of the Bible. I think that is very deep.

Main Course
Did you get a flu shot this year? If not, do you plan to?

No. I did not get a flu shot. I do not plan on getting a flu shot. I don’t think I will ever get a flu shot in the future.

Dessert
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend watching television?

1 hour per week at the most. That might be pushing it some weeks. We do not have television (cable, satelite) at our home. If we, Hubby and I, choose to watch “TV” we find the show on the internet and download and hope that it is not slower than molasses. That is how TV viewing is done in my home.
Have a GREAT WEEK!
Stacey

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New Trend in Kids Cooking Online

I have scanned many websites looking for information about kids in the kitchen, kids cooking, kids recipes, kids, kids, kids. One thing that I have been noticing more and more of are videos with kids teaching other kids how to cook, or videos designed for teaching kids how to cook.

I was amazed. Why should I be though? I shouldn’t be knowing what people can do and how easy it is to record yourself and/or your family and place a video on the internet.

Here are a few links to websites that have videos for kids cooking.

Kids Cooking Activities
On this website, there is a list of videos for kids to view.
The videos range from Kids Cooking Lessons to Seasonal cooking videos.
It is worth a look to see if you could use any of the videos with your children.
They seem very well made and interesting. There are even some videos with food facts.

Kids A Cookin
Watch videos that teach kids cooking techniques, healthy eating, using appliances, and more.
This is a great program offered in several speeds for best viewing on your computer.

Spatullata
This website has some great videos about some basic skills.
View here how to separate an egg, shred cheese, chop an onion, hard boil an egg, and more. These are all skills that children need to learn, but ocassionally parents over look them because we already know how to do them. Some of these “skills” are second nature to us.

There websites all have some video in which children and parents can watch and learn together. Isn’t that what cooking is all about–Family Togetherness!

If you know of any other websites that have cooking videos for kids, please let me know. I am ready and willing to check them out. I am so excited that learning new concepts for myself and teaching them to my children are so easy.

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Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com

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Slow Cooking Thursday–Italian Chicken

For more slow cooker recipes visit Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. If you are looking for some delicious slow cooker recipes visit the other cooks in this group.

This Slow Cooking recipe is prepared for you by Stacey.

Italian Chicken–Stacey’s Version

Ingredients:
6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (about 3 pounds)
1 can Stewed Tomatoes
4 tablespoons of Homemade Gourmet Homestyle Spaghetti Seasoning
1 zip top freezer bag

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS**Place all ingredients into the freezer bag. Seal the bag and smoosh the ingredients around. Before freezing, label as Italian Chicken and list cooking instructions on the bag.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: If raw–place contents in slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. If Frozen–Empty the contents of bag in slow cooker. Cook on low for about 8 hours. For easy clean up, use a slow cooker bag.

Serve your Italian Chicken with pasta or over pasta. Have a side dish of fresh green beans. Add a bit of margarine or butter to the green beans and about 1 tablespoon or less of the Homestyle Spaghetti Seasoning for Italian green beans.

Any ideas on what you would do with the left over Italian Chicken? Would you make another meal out of it? Please leave a comment letting me know what you would do, or share with me another slow cooking recipe.

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Pop-up Puppet

Surprise your friends with a pop-up puppet made from a cardboard tube, fabric, and a dowel.

These are so fun. I am going to make one to use with the kids at my church. I’ll introduce the puppet as my little friend who loves to listen to good singing and only comes out when they sing well. It should be a fun way to encourage them to sing. You can help your kids create their own pop-up puppets to play with.

Just gather these supplies:
scissors
cardboard or plastic cylinder
fabric or paper
glue
dowel or long stick
plastic-foam egg or ball
knee-high stocking
rubber band
paint
felt
cotton balls
ribbon

Then hop on over to HighlightsKids.com for the instructions.

After you’re done take a few pictures and then post them on your blog. Be sure to send us a comment with your link so we can check it out.

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Looking for a GREAT Kids Cookbook??–I am searching too!

As a writer for a blog, I am constantly looking for great recipes for kids. I look for them in cookbooks designed for children as well as on websites designed for kids cooking as well. I am going to be conducting reviews of websites and cookbooks for children.

I am really looking forward to reviewing these types of books (I love books) and websites because it is so much fun to see and discover what great information is out there waiting to be discovered and discussed.

If you know of any children’s cookbooks or websites designed for children’s cooking that you would like me to review, please let me know. I want to include as many great children’s cookbooks and websites as possible. They are out there and need to be shared among us all to enjoy.

Cooking and spending time in the kitchen with our families is something of a pasttime that we do not do any more. Our culture has gotten so busy that homecooked meals, let alone, eating together is something that we strive to do and is not the norm in many households. (Some households do sit together and eat together on a regular basis, but not all.)

Finding a great cookbook and making some of the recipes with your kids could be the start to spending more time with your family.

Please post your comments on some great cookbooks and websites for kids cookings for me to review. Thanks. I am looking forward to hearing from you all.
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Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com

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Teaching Kids to cook scrambled eggs

I was researching information about eggs because I was going to teach a Kids Cooking Class to some elementary students after school. I found some great websites that talk about eggs and some information that I found to be extremely helpful.

I have always wondered about eggs and different grades on eggs. Well, I now am an informed person. I can tell you about Grade AA, Grade A, and Grade B eggs. How did I learn? Let me share it with you.
There is a website called The American Egg Board. There is a lot of information on there about eggs. One thing that I found was an informational sheet about eggs. There is a question sheet and an answer sheet. This is where I found the information and a wonderful explanation about the different grades of eggs. Go check it out. Each grade of egg is better suited for a different way of cooking the egg.

There is also a FAQ’s sheet. Here is one of the most interesting FAQ’s that I read.
“3. Is there a difference between brown and white shelled eggs?
No. Shell color is determined by the breed of hen and is not related to quality, nutrients, flavor or cooking characteristics. Since brown egg layers are slightly larger birds and require more food, brown eggs are usually more expensive than white.” Taken from The American Egg Board FAQ’s page.

After sharing this information with the students. We then discussed different ways to cook eggs, prepare eggs, and make with eggs. The students were amazed at all the different types of ways you can use eggs and what you can make with eggs. If you continue to scroll down on the answer sheet, it goes to a section called “You Can Cook Up a Storm With Eggs.” In that section it lists several different ways to fry eggs, scramble eggs, bake, custard, and cook in a shell, to name a few. This list is quite extensive and very informative. I am amazed at how many different ways there are to prepare and eat eggs.

Here are a few scrambled egg recipes.

Scrambled eggs from The American Egg Board
Food you need:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon butter or cooking oil OR cooking spray
Kitchen items you need:
Small bowl
Fork
7- to 8-inch omelet pan OR skillet
Pancake turner
Plate
1. Break the eggs into the bowl. Add the milk. Beat with the fork until the eggs and milk are blended and you can’t see any streaks of egg white any more.

2. Put the butter or oil in the pan. OR coat the pan evenly with the spray. Put the pan on a burner. Turn the heat to medium. Let the butter melt and cook a little bit. Sprinkle a few drops of water into the pan. The pan is hot enough when the water sizzles and dances in the pan.

3. Pour the beaten eggs into the pan. The eggs will start to set. Turn the pancake turner upside down and gently pull it across the bottom and sides of the pan. Keep pulling the pancake turner through the eggs until they’re thick and you can’t see any more liquid in the pan. Don’t stir all the time or the eggs will break into tiny pieces.

4. Lift the eggs out of the pan onto the plate with the pancake turner when they’re done.

Scrambled Eggs from Kids A Cookin
Ingredients
*6 eggs
*1/3 cup milk
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon pepper
*2 tablesppons butter or margarine

1.Break 6 eggs into a medium-sized bowl.
2.Pour milk into bowl with eggs.
3.Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
4.Beat egg mixture with fork or wire whisk.
5.Place 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine in frying pan. Put pan on stove over low heat.
6.When butter is melted, add beaten egg mixture.
7.Stir eggs with spatula. Cook eggs until they are slightly firm.

This website also has helpful hints and tips too. It is worth checking out more than just the scrambled egg recipe.
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Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com.

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