No Fail Hard Boiled Eggs

Ok, I realize that I am probably the last person on Earth to learn how to properly hard cook an egg.  In the past, I always felt like it was a guessing game...were my eggs going to still be runny? Were they going to have that extremely unappealing green ring around them?  It felt like such a head game.  On the off chance that maybe others, too, have been stymied by a such seemingly simple task (And if that's so, don't feel badly--I'll share with you that it wasn't until a few years ago that I was successfully able to make Jell-O, for Pete's sake!), I thought I would share this technique.  

To give credit where credit is due, my husband was actually the one who taught me (thanks, Honey!).  Now, I have it down to a science and hard boiled (really, the appropriate term is supposed to be "hard cooked" because you don't actually want to "boil" your eggs, per say) eggs are pretty much a staple in our house.  They come out creamy and golden every time.  Not runny nor a hint of green and no strong smell (that comes from overcooking which is why the yolk turns green in the first place).  My boys will eat multiple in a sitting (if I let them).  Sprinkled with salt and pepper, they're a cheap, nutritious snack that can also be used to bulk up a salad, treated a bit devilishly or whipped into a sandwich filling, pronto. 

No Fail Hard Boiled Eggs
Place raw eggs in a pot just big enough to hold them in a single layer.  Add water to cover eggs completely.  Over high heat, bring water to a rolling boil.  Immediately, turn off heat, cover pot and let eggs sit off heat and covered for 12 minutes.  After 12 minutes, carefully drain water and cover eggs with cold water, allowing to sit until cool enough to handle.  Store in their shells in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Tips:
- Older eggs are easier to peel.  Hard boiling is a great way to use up eggs that are nearing their expiration date (you might notice the one in the picture above is a little jagged around the edges, that's because they were pretty fresh eggs).

- Peel eggs under running water for easier removal and to make sure you don't crunch on any little egg shell bits (that totally ruins things for me).

- Eggs once they're boiled will keep in the fridge for up to one week.