Have you ever noticed that the size of eggs can vary in the same carton?

When I find a deal on medium-size eggs, I go ahead and buy them, even though many recipes specifically call for Large eggs. When I get them home, I sort out the largest of the Medium eggs and set them aside in the fridge. I then can use these larger eggs in recipes that specifically call for Large eggs and use the rest where size of egg is not so critical (like quiche, frittata, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, or even pancakes).

Here are some of the Medium eggs that came in a 5-dozen pack from WinCo recently. Can you see the difference in sizes here?

Here are 2 large and 1 small of these Medium eggs for comparison all from the same tray. Can you see the difference in sizes here? The size of the largest could really pass for a regular Large egg and not Medium. While the smallest might pass for a Small egg, again not a Medium.

When eggs are packed in cartons or trays for consumer purchase, they aren't all the same size. USDA regulations stipulate that a carton or tray of eggs must meet a minimum weight based on sizing, regardless of what each individual egg weighs. So, you may find a few larger as well as smaller eggs in the same carton.

If this interests you for price comparing eggs, in the US Jumbo eggs must weigh 30 oz per dozen, Extra Large eggs must weigh 27 oz per dozen, Large eggs must weigh 24 oz per dozen, Medium eggs must weigh 21 oz per dozen, and Small eggs must weigh 18 oz per dozen. Knowing this required weight per carton and size can help determine cost per ounce, which in turn can help you determine when those Medium eggs are a deal or simply priced the same per ounce as the more-convenient-for-recipes Large eggs.

Anyway, size will matter with what I'm preparing tomorrow. I'll save this largest of the eggs for that recipe while using the smaller eggs in tonight's dinner frittata.

How was your Thanksgiving?

Did you get together with extended family? Did you host or were you a guest? What was on your menu? Do you have any family Thanksgiving traditions? Did you try anything new?

For my household, as I mentioned before, we hosted my son and daughter-in-law. 

Here was our menu:

• roasted marinated pork loin (the kind that comes pre-marinated)
• roasted whole chicken (made the day before), glazed with cranberry sauce/orange juice/sage/onion powder/salt/pepper inspired by Southern Living magazine 
• gravy made with roasted chicken drippings
• cranberry mustard -- cranberry sauce blended with yellow mustard
• green bean casserole (prepared by one daughter)
• sweet potato casserole (prepared by other daughter)
• oven-roasted broccoli -- Asian-inspired, frozen broccoli tossed with garlic and sesame oil, then oven-roasted (both daughters)
• casserole dish of bread/herb dressing

From son and daughter-in-law:

• maple-roasted Brussel sprouts with pumpkin seeds
• cooked shrimp and cocktail sauce
• bottled cranberry juice plus Sprite

Dessert:

• an apple crumb pie and a pumpkin pie
• My son and daughter-in-law brought some chocolates (something they did last year, too) and some persimmons.

After the big meal, the six of us decorated the Christmas tree. I'm not sure if we'll see them again before Christmas Day, so like last year, we took the opportunity to decorate the tree as a whole family. This has become a new Thanksgiving tradition for our family. 

I tried to spread the work out over a few days, cleaning and cooking beginning on Monday. My daughters took care of setting the table and cooking a few dishes. My husband helped with cleaning both before and after. I simplified our menu and cooked what I could in advance. I like how this holiday went for us. Everyone pitched in to some degree, and while I was tired the next day, I was not nearly as tired if I had tried to do it all myself, or if I had waited until Thursday to do all of the cooking. And there was plenty of variety so everyone had something that really hit the spot.

We finished the leftovers on Sunday. And today I finished all of the clean up -- table cloth and napkins in the laundry and all of the sheets of used foil washed to use another time.

So, tell me, how was your Thanksgiving?