Don’t Limit Yourself To Frying, Scrambling Eggs; Pickle Them

Dear Laura: Years ago I had a recipe for pickled eggs. I have misplaced my recipe and can’t seem to find a replacement. Could you please help me locate a recipe? Thank you. - Nancy, Spokane

Dear Nancy: Here’s your recipe, just in time to take advantage of those Easter-season egg sales. It originated in an American Egg Board pamphlet, “Diamonds in the Rough.”

Orange Spice Pickled Eggs

8 eggs

1-1/2 cups white (distilled) vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

1 cinnamon stick, broken

8 whole cloves

Place eggs in single layer in saucepan. Add enough tap water to come at least 1 inch above eggs. Cover and quickly bring just to boiling; turn off heat. If necessary, remove pan from burner to prevent further boiling.

Let eggs stand, covered, about 15 to 17 minutes for large eggs. (Adjust time up or down by about 3 minutes for each size larger or smaller.) Immediately run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water until completely cooled.

To remove shell, crackle it by tapping gently all over. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell, then peel, starting at large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in bowl of water to help ease off shell. Arrange peeled eggs in a 1-quart jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Meanwhile, stir together all remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pour hot mixture over eggs and cover tightly. Allow to cool at room temperature 1 hour, then refrigerate to blend flavors. Allow to steep at least several hours or up to several weeks.

After uncovering, refrigerate any eggs that aren’t eaten immediately and use within 1 week.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition information per serving (may vary, depending on how long eggs are steeped): 82 calories, 14 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fat (55 percent fat calories), 213 milligrams cholesterol, 62 milligrams sodium.

Dear Laura: Please, do you have a recipe for a dog cookie or biscuit and some kind of cat tidbit? - Vivian, Osburn, Idaho

Dear Vivian: This dog biscuit originated with Joan Jackson and the Knight-Ridder news service. Consider substituting canned tuna juice for the water and making thinner, very small pieces for your kitty; decrease the baking time for the smaller size.

Rover’s Rewards

3/4 cup hot water or meat juices

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup powdered milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 egg, beaten

3 cups whole-wheat flour

In large bowl, pour hot water over margarine. Stir in powdered milk, salt, sugar and egg. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Knead 3 to 4 minutes, adding more flour if necessary to make a very stiff dough.

Pat or roll to 1/2-inch thickness and cut out with dog biscuit cutter or other small cookie cutters. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Allow to cool and dry out until hard.

Dear Laura: I am looking for a huckleberry fudge recipe. Would you have one in your file? I’d like to have a copy if you do. Thank you. - Margaret, Spokane.

Dear Margaret: I didn’t have a recipe in my file, but my Aunt Doris did. So here’s her recipe.

Huckleberry Fudge

2 cups sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup huckleberry jam

Combine sugar, salt, cream, milk and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the mixture begins to boil. Cook to 236 degrees (soft ball stage), stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

Remove from heat and pour mixture into a clean pan. Cool to 110 degrees (lukewarm) without stirring.

Add vanilla and beat until a small amount of fudge dropped from a spoon will hold its shape. Immediately pour about half the fudge into a lightly oiled 9-inch-square pan. Quickly stir huckleberry jam into the remaining fudge to form swirls and pour over white fudge layer.

Yield: About 1-1/2 pounds.

, DataTimes MEMO: Have a food question? Looking for a recipe? Write to Cook’s Notebook, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. As many letters as possible will be answered in the newspaper; sorry, no individual replies.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Laura Carnie The Spokesman-Review