Easter Eggs

Coloring Easter Eggs may be on your agenda this week. While many will purchase a package of dye and cups here on the farm, we must go a natural direction as there are many products in our refrigerators that will result in beautiful colors. Let us take an inventory: 2 tsp of ground turmeric (yellow), 1 cup of shredded beets (Pink), 1 cup of chopped purple or red cabbage (blue), 1 cup of blueberries (blue), 1 cup of chopped red onion skins (red or purple), 1 cup of chopped yellow onion skins (orange), 1 bag of black tea (brown). Now how do you make these products work for your coloring endeavor? First, you will need to make a brine for each color. The ingredients are as follows: 1 cup water, 1-2 tsp white vinegar (which will help the egg absorb the color), the ingredient listed above for the dye color, 1 tbs. salt, and 1 tsp. white sugar. Bring your water, salt, sugar and dye ingredient to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Let it cool and then add the vinegar. When it is warm you add your hard-boiled egg and let it set for 8 hours. Dry your egg and massage a little vegetable oil on it and polish with a towel.