Natural Easter Eggs
For one quart of dye per color, enough for 10-12 eggs.
Hard-boiled eggs
6 quarts water
4 cups red beets, chopped (pink/red)
4 cups yellow onions skins (peach/orange)
8 tablespoons ground turmeric (yellow)*
4 cups red cabbage, shredded (blue)
4 cups red onion skins (plum/brick)
4 bags hibiscus tea (like Red Zinger) (lavender)
1½ cups white vinegar
For each dye, add 1 quart of water to a saucepan with the coloring agent and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour dye through a mesh strainer into another saucepan. Stir 4 tablespoons of vinegar into the liquid.
*The turmeric does not require heat or straining. For the yellow dye, simply stir it into a quart of warm water then add the vinegar.
Arrange eggs in a single layer in a baking dish, or into separate glass jars, and pour dye over them until covered completely. Move the dish or jars to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The longer they stay submerged, the darker the resulting color. After the designated soak, carefully remove the eggs with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack.
If you are not going to eat them within the hour, store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Leslie Meredith