Â鶹´«Ã½

This basket was deep with a heavy-duty handle, and the bottom of the basket was slightly raised in the center. The eggs would sit in the basket perfectly without moving around.

This basket was always stored in the large kitchen closet, not exposed to weather, and was stored each morning after the egg pick-up.

When the eggs were brought in the kitchen, Mom would remove the eggs, placing them in a big white rectangular shaped basin to be wiped individually and placed in cartons or another lighter basket for storage. The number of eggs varied each morning from a dozen to maybe three dozen or more.

Each morning, Mom would place leftover eggs from the day before on top of the fresh eggs. When there was an overabundance of eggs, they were given to family members or sold very cheap to neighbors who did not have “laying hens.�

The egg basket was retired forever in November 1997 with the farm wife who proudly wore her country bonnet while doing her chores for over 70 years.

The hen house was a special small building on the farm behind the storage shed. This house was just for the hens, with their boxes mounted in rows on the wall with small ladders going up for the hens to climb in and out.

Keeping the boxes off the floor kept the eggs safe from intruders. These “hen boxes� were partially filled with clean straw when needed. There was a set of three windows across the front covered with wire and one side door that opened to a wired poultry yard to keep the hens safe from predators.

First, I got the eggs from the empty nests, and then there were about five more nests with hens still sitting on them, but mom said I had to get them all. Have you ever heard of the saying “madder than a wet hen?� Well, I proceeded to lift the hen up to get the eggs, and she pecked at my hand, and the party was on — hens squawking and me screaming.

I reach over and get the old broom I kept in the chicken house and start trying to get her off the nest. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it did not work. When I thought I had enough eggs, I went into the house looking “madder than a wet hen.�

BRUSSELS SPROUTS HASH

6 slices bacon (cut into 1-inch pieces), 1/2 onion (chopped), 1 lb Brussels sprouts (trimmed and quartered), Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 4 large eggs.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Turn off heat and transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but about 1 tbsp bacon fat. Turn heat back to medium and add onion and Brussels sprouts to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften and turn golden. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add 2 tbsps of water and cover the skillet. Cook until Brussels sprouts are tender and water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. (If all the water evaporates before the Brussels sprouts are tender, add more water to the skillet and cover for a couple minutes more.) Add garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Using a wooden spoon, make four holes in the hash to reveal the bottom of the skillet. Crack an egg into each hole and season each egg with salt and pepper. Replace lid and cook until eggs are cooked to your liking, about 5 minutes for a just-runny egg. Sprinkle cooked bacon bits over the entire skillet and serve warm.

COWBOY BREAKFAST BOWL

8 slices bacon, 2 medium russet potatoes (cubed), 1/4 cup sliced green onions plus more for garnish, 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tbsp paprika, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, 2 cups shredded Cheddar, 10 eggs (scrambled), 1 avocado (sliced), hot sauce for serving.

In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool, then chop. Add potatoes to bacon fat and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes, then flip and move around to get all sides golden. Add green onions and cook until potatoes are tender, 10 minutes more. Once tender, add garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Add cheddar to potatoes and cover to melt. Build bowls: Top cheesy potatoes with scrambled eggs, sliced avocado, cooked bacon, more scallions and a drizzle of hot sauce.

HAM AND CHEESE EGG CUPS

Cooking spray for pan, 12 slices ham, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 12 large eggs, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Line each cup with a slice of ham and sprinkle with cheddar. Crack an egg into each ham cup and season with salt and pepper. Bake until eggs are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on how runny you like your yolks).

PHILLY CHEESESTEAK OMELET

2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, 1 onion (thinly sliced), 2 bell peppers (thinly sliced), 8 oz button mushrooms (thinly sliced), Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 lb sirloin steak (thinly sliced), 6 large eggs, 3 tbsps milk, 1 cup shredded provolone, 1 tbsp butter.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add onions, peppers and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper, then cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Move veggies to one side of the skillet and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add steak to the empty side of the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until undersides develop a crust, about 2 minutes, then flip steak and cook 1 minute more for medium. Stir steak together with vegetables, then transfer to a plate.

Make omelet: In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper, then pour half the egg mixture into the skillet. Cook until eggs begin to set around edges, about 30 seconds, then use a spatula to gently lift around edges, allowing uncooked egg to flow to center. Once set, add a layer of provolone to one side of the omelet, then top cheese with half the steak mixture. Top with another layer of provolone, then cover the skillet with a lid and cook until melted, 1 minute. Use a spatula to flip the untopped side over to cover. Repeat with remaining ingredients for the second omelet.

EGG CUSTARD

5 eggs, ½ cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsps vanilla, ½ tsp salt, 4 cups 2% or whole milk, Nutmeg for topping.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the milk to about 180 degrees or just before it starts to simmer (do not boil). Very slowly pour a stream of the hot milk into the egg mixture while continuously whisking until fully combined. Whisk the final mixture for one additional minute. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle nutmeg over the top if desired. Fill a larger baking dish with water until it is about 1 inch deep. Place the dish of custard into the larger dish of water, careful not to splash. Place the doubled dishes in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean, custard will still jiggle. Be careful not to overbake as the custard will curdle. Serve warm or chilled, and top with whipped cream, fruit, or additional spices. Refrigerate any leftovers.