How to Make the Perfect Hard-Boiled, Easy-to-Peel Egg

You know when you get in a relationship and one person takes on certain jobs and they are just theirs to be had from that point on. It's almost as if they claim that duty. For the first 7 years of our marriage, making hard-boiled eggs was Paul's job. Strange as it may be, he seemed to have the magic touch when it came to eggs. Too often, mine would come out a little raw in the middle or the yolk would start to turn grayish on the outside from cooking too long. For some reason, hard-boiled eggs were my nemesis!

When I started staying home with the kids, I decided it was time to take a few duties off of Paul's hands. Since I am such a generous and giving wife, I decided I would do the hard-boiled eggs! What a doll, hey?!

I did still have the occasional oops here and there, but after awhile, I got it dialed in! With a few tricks, my eggs are now 100% delicious 100% of the time. They come out fluffy and perfectly done every time. Never raw, never too hard, never cracked in the pot and always easy-to-peel!!

Since it is prime hard-boiled egg time with Easter just around the corner, I figured it was time to share the secret! And, if you do plan on dyeing some this year, it is so easy (and I think much more fun) to make your own naturally dyed easter eggs!

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

1. Fill a pot with water and add in your eggs right away. Make sure that they are completely submerged. By adding your eggs before the water is hot, it prevents a cold egg from cracking from the shock of boiling water.

2. Set your timer for 18 minutes.

3. Bring the water to a small rolling boil. I leave the pot uncovered so it doesn't boil over.

4. Once your 18 minutes is up, drain the water and put the eggs into a ice water bath. The more ice the better. By cooling them fast, they will shrink ever so slightly and separate from the shell.

5. After at least 5 minutes, I start to peel them. They should no longer be hot to the touch. I roll them around, cracking them on every side. The peel should fall right off.

6. Eat up! I love eating them right away because the center is just a tad warm and the yolk is deliciously fluffy!

As a little side note, always try to buy organic eggs. Even though the cage-free, vegetarian fed 'natural' eggs sounds yummy and healthy they can still be fed with GMO seed and hormones can 'sneak' in. If you buy organic you are certified to be free from GMOs and hormones. Yes, I know they are slightly more expensive, but think about it the next time you buy a coffee or one more cocktail when you're out. That one extra dollar you spend on 12 eggs for your family is sure to be worth it!