Basic Egg Considerations

I'm a "breakfast" kind of person. I love breakfast foods. There is a local family restaurant that has a menu choice that requires a pizza pan to hold it all. Yeah, I've ordered it and cleaned the pan. But when I'm cooking eggs, I don't always use the dozen before the expiration date, so I have to throw some away. Is like flushing money down the toilet. I found a simple solution about freezing eggs to increase their shelf and shell life.

Below is a summary from Incredible Edible Egg and Frugal Living. But some explanation is needed. You can't simply put the whole egg in the shell in the freezer. Why? Just like making ice cubes from water, as it freezes, it expands. So, guess what would happen if you did put a whole egg in the freezer? Right...it would expand, so it would break the shell. Now you ask "Okay, so what do I do?"

Whole Eggs
Mix the yolks and egg whites together. Pour the egg mixture into a container, seal tightly, and freeze. Using an ice cube tray (sealed in a freezer bag) is an AWESOME idea. 2 cubes = 1 whole egg.
 
Egg Yolks
To prevent thickening, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, if the eggs will be used for baking) for every one cup of yolks. Pour into a container, seal tightly, and freeze.  
If you use the ice cube tray suggestion from above, 1 cube = 2 egg yolks.

Egg Whites
No special prep is required. Just pour the whites into a container, seal tightly, and freeze. 
If you use the ice cube tray suggestion from above, 1 cube = 1 egg white.

Using Frozen Eggs 
Thaw in the refrigerator for a day/overnight or in the microwave before using. Eggs will keep in the freezer for up to a year. 

Observations 

• Sunny side up eggs disappear because you've mixed & frozen the whole eggs, but scrambled eggs or omelettes are tasty too
• Scrambled eggs (with bacon & cheese) or omelettes are delicious & simple when wrapped in a tortilla
• Freezing hard boiled eggs isn't recommended since the whites become tough & watery when thawed
• Labeling with a Sharpie & the date helps you keep the NEW expiration date in mind
• Frozen eggs should not be used in a recipe unless they are completely cooked

Computers

Computers have come a LONG way in the last 40 years. I started playing with computers back in the late 70s. My first experiences were on a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III/IV. That was when we had to use 5.25" floppy disks (and yes, they actually WERE floppy). I learned how to draw the flowchart of the programs I wrote and how to use an hole-punch to use both sides of the disks. I still have my disk carrying case with the old disks in them. Hmm... I wonder if they still work...

I was working as an apprentice to a master carpenter and saved my money to buy my first personal computer. I got a TI 99/4A even though a lot of my friends were going with the Commodore 64. I remember that I had to also purchase a small 13" black and white TV to use as a monitor and used an old Sears & Roebuck cassette tape recorder to store my data on. I actually think I still have that tucked away somewhere and all of the cassettes too. But, I don't have the TI99/4A anymore. It was chucked into the dumpster when I had to move, and didn't feel like carting it with me.

I went to college and actually minored in "computer technology" for a while. So, I lived through the 8086, 8088 and 80286 generations. And all of the chip mutations in between. I coded in PASCAL, COBOL, BASIC, and on the UNIX system. I drank a LOT of coffee back in those days. I relished when a meal consisted of a set of Pop-Tarts and a Jolt with a set of Vivarin in it. I miss Jolt...

Anyway... I spent nearly 20 years with a corporation working on an a PC system, and stuck in Windows. I still have the Windows 3.11 installation disks and several versions of DOS. I've suffered through all of the permutations that they've had, threw my last Toshiba against the wall and stomped on it in the driveway, and got a Mac. I'll never go back to PC.

I got to experience the Apple, the Apple II, the Apple IIc, and the Apple IIe... But they weren't "approved" at the company I was with. I currently own and use an Apple MacBook Pro, and will NEVER go back to PC.

Dumpster Diving

Living in an apartment complex right across from the mailboxes and the dumpster has been "interesting," informative, and good for my wallet. I didn't have a lot of furniture when I moved in, but by watching the dumpster towards the end of each month has helped me save a ton of money. Why the end of the month? Because that is typically when people are moving out and decide to get rid of all the things they don't want to take with them.

Because of my diligence, I've been able to rescue a working old-fashioned wooden radio, a kitchen table (pub style), an old-fashioned wooden rocking chair, a couple of lamps, a computer desk, an office chair, a 2 drawer file cabinet, a shelving system for the garage, an end table, a mirror for my dresser, a shelving system for the bathroom (that straddles the toilet & holds my towels), an antique steel cooler, various hand tools, a wall mirror for near the front door, a coffee table, and a CD bookcase. EVERYTHING I rescued is in mint condition, people just didn't want to pack them up and take with them when they moved out. Lucky me!!!

Don't get me wrong, there are a LOT of things that are disposed of that aren't worth rescuing or saving, but I've been lucky enough to find enough things to comfortably furnish my apartment without spending a lot of money. How is it that I've seen all of the things I've acquired? I have a dog that needs to go out several times per day, so I have a lot of opportunity to keep my eye on what people drop off.

I mention the CD bookcase because it is my suggestion to anyone that lives in an apartment and doesn't have a lot of room. If you are lucky enough to find or get one that has adjustable shelves, consider using it as a BOOK case (look at the image to the right). I had been thinking about getting an actual bookcase when I spotted this near the dumpster and thought "I might be able to make it work by adjusting the shelves," and I did. It holds a good selection of books and doesn't take up that much room. And the best part? Didn't cost me a dime.

A close friend of mine (thank you Elektra Q-Tion) suggested that I mention that I don't recommend that you rescue soft items (like blankets, sheets, towels, clothing, etc.). You NEVER know what they might contain and it isn't easy to "cleanse" them completely.

I've also been able to re-purpose a lot of moving pallets as firewood for my fire bowl on the back patio. So overall, just by keeping your eyes and mind open, you can acquire most things in life that you want...