Homespun
by Judy Henderson

October 11, 2000

Eggs-ceptional Eggs!

Let's get cracking... and take the whole month of October to celebrate World Egg Day (October 13). With hens around the world laying about 820 billion eggs in 1998 - and production on the rise this year - there will be more than enough inspiration for great egg dishes every day of the month.

Eggs fit in any time of day, from breakfast on the run (scrambled tucked into a pita pocket) to a quiche or make-ahead strata for dinner. Before heading into the kitchen, though, here are a few facts about eggs, some of which may surprise you:

• Leaner than you thought.
  
  
  As a result of new testing technology and modern egg industry feeding and production practices, eggs have been bound to contain 22% less cholesterol and 10% less fat than previously recorded before 1989.

  Back on the menu.
  
  

  Although eggs do contain cholesterol, recent research shows that dietary cholesterol has only a small effect on the cholesterol levels in blood, and very little to do with heart disease. The research indicates that healthy people can enjoy eggs!

  Keeping quality.
  
  

  Without significant quality loss, eggs can be refrigerated in their cartons for about 4 to 5 weeks from the pack date (a three-digit number with 001 standing for January 1 and 365 for December 31) or about 3 weeks from the time you bring them home from the store. Properly handled and stored, eggs rarely "spoil". If you keep them long enough, they're more likely to simply dry up! For added convenience, eggs are packed by nature in handy cooking and serving portions.

  Still a bargain after all these years.
  
  

  Between 1979 and 1999, the average retail price for large eggs increased only 19.2 cents per dozen, just a penny a year. What other foods, particularly protein sources, can make that claim?

Eggs are no strangers to people around the globe. We've counted on eggs for centuries, making them the heart of dishes from Cantonese Egg Foo Yung to Scotch Eggs to French omelets. Spanish-speaking areas of the world have inspired Pimientos Rellenos Horneados, or Baked Stuffed Peppers, a dish that makes the most of late-harvested sweet red, yellow or green peppers.

"Easy" is the word for this dish, which goes together in a snap and bakes for about an hour. Four peppers are filled with a mixture of corn, chopped chilies, cilantro and garlic powder, then beaten eggs are poured into each. If your family's tastebuds prefer to pass on the chilies, it is fine to remove them; just add ¼ cup non-fat milk to the eggs. Do keep in the garlic, though. It is a signature seasoning in many Spanish- inspired dishes.


PIMIENTOS RELLENOS HORNEADOS (BAKED STUFFED PEPPERS)

4 medium sweet red, yellow or green peppers (about 4 oz. each)

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies

1 can (7 oz.) vacuum-packed kernel corn, drained or 1 cup frozen kernel corn, thawed

1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro or parsley

¾ teaspoon garlic powder

4 eggs

Cut tops off peppers. Remove seeds. Stand peppers upright in muffin-pan cups or custard cups.

Reserving liquid, drain chilies well. In small bowl, stir together drained chilies, corn, cilantro and garlic powder. Spoon about ¼ cup of the mixture into each pepper. Beat together eggs and reserved chili liquid until well blended. Pour over corn mixture.

Bake in preheated 325° oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes.

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