The "incredible edible egg" can be the most inexpensive and easy meal to prepare, not only for breakfast, but for lunch and dinner as well.
There are multiple ways to prepare an egg after it is cracked. Depending on the way it is cooked results in many different tastes.
1. Start with the fried egg, sunny-side up. Begin by heating some butter in the skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl without breaking the yolk (easier to remove the shells) and then gently pour them into a skillet. Reduce the heat to low and allow them to cook slowly while you spoon the heated butter over the top of the egg. Once the egg white becomes bright white and the yolk is set (a film will form over it), the eggs are done.
"My favorite way to cook an egg is fried over medium in a frying pan," said Andrea Hartis, senior in exercise science.
For a basic fried egg, follow the same directions, except instead of spooning the butter over the eggs, flip them over when the whites become white. You can then cook them over-easy, over-medium and over-hard -- varying the length of time you allow them to set.
2. "Frustrata is an Italian-style omelette and you don't have to flip it or anything," said Malcom Sanz, executive chef at The Hotel at Auburn University. "You basically cook everything in a pan and you put the whole pan in the oven and finish cooking. It usually will have potatoes and cheese on top. Start cooking the eggs with all of the ingredients inside and put it in the oven. That is typically the way they cook omelettes."
3. Poached eggs are prepared in a completely different method.
Water is brought to a boil, then reduced to a simmer before the egg is cracked into the heated liquid. Cover the skillet and allow the eggs to simmer for anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes (the longer you cook, the harder the yolk). Lift them out with a slotted spoon and serve.
4. Shirred eggs are basically oven-baked eggs. Crack each egg into a three-inch custard or tart cup and top with one teaspoon of butter. Salt and pepper to taste and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes (the longer they bake, the harder the yolk).
5. Boiled eggs are heated right in the shell. Varying the cooking time will make them either soft or hard. Bring water to a boil and then add eggs. Once submerged, reduce the heat to a simmer. For soft-boiled eggs, allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes. For hard-boiled eggs, keep them in a lot longer, 18 to 20 minutes.
"Bring the water boiling with a pinch of salt, because it helps keep the temperature of the water, and drop three or four eggs in there for 13 minutes," Sanz said. "You need to be gentle when dropping the eggs, that is when they usually crack."
6. Scrambled eggs are also popular. Brad French, sophomore in political science, agrees and said he prefers his eggs scrambled with cheese.
In a bowl, beat together one tablespoon of milk for every egg.
Heat about one tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture and reduce the heat to low. As soon as the bottom sets, stir. Continue stirring until eggs are cooked evenly.
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