The Amazing Stuff

If you’ve ever wasted precious minutes trying to peel a hard-boiled egg, you know how frustrating it can be. Thankfully, we came across the ultimate secret that chefs employ when they’re in the kitchen preparing delicious orbs of protein-y goodness:

Say so long to that struggle…now on to more important things, like devouring deviled eggs!

In this fast-paced world, breakfast is often seen as a luxury more than a necessity. You don’t have time to eat it and you’ll wait for lunch. You woke up too late and have too much to do before you can actually sit down and enjoy a hearty meal. We’ve all been here before, and it almost never leads to a good rest of the day.

But eating breakfast prevents you from devouring more during other meals and generally promotes a healthy lifestyle. So if you’re stuck in the constant cycle where you avoid this ever-important first meal, fear not! All you need are some basic ingredients, a microwave, and a coffee cup for a breakfast that anyone could fit into their schedule.

To start this lightning-quick recipe, you’ll need an English muffin, one large egg, two tablespoons of grated cheese, salt and pepper, and a regular-sized coffee mug.

Macheesmo

You can also substitute the English muffin with another carb, like flatbread or a bagel.

You’ll also need one teaspoon of butter. Once you have the butter, lightly spread it on the inside of the mug.

Macheesmo

Next, whisk the egg and mix in salt and pepper to taste.

Macheesmo

Cook the egg for 30 to 35 seconds in the microwave on high heat.

Macheesmo

Once the egg is cooked, add your cheese. Cook again in the microwave for ten to 15 seconds.

Macheesmo

Once your cheese is melted, carefully take the egg/cheese mix out of your coffee cup…

Macheesmo

…and add it to your toasted English muffin. You’re all done!

Macheesmo

For some extra fun, you can add bacon to your egg mix.

Macheesmo

Because bacon makes every breakfast better.

(source Macheesmo)

If you enjoyed this delicious recipe — and it’s pretty impossible not to — then you’ll definitely want to check out the recipe’s creator and expert chef Nick Evans’ Love Your Leftovers. The awesome book helps you optimize your cooking time with stupid-simple recipes using what you already have in your kitchen.

What would a mermaid carry in her purse? If you’re thinking pearls and pretty shells, well, we have some bad news. Try shark eggs.

We’re of course not actually talking about mythical fish-people accessories, but the egg cases of sharks, skates, and chimaeras (or chondrichthyes, if you’re fancy). These leathery, usually black or dark brown pouches can be found washed up on beaches the world over and, to the untrained eye, can look like weird, alien artifacts. They’re commonly called “mermaids’ purses,” or, less optimistically, “devils’ purses.” They’re also very rarely referred to as “skakets.”

To be fair, they’re not all shark egg capsules. Some of them, like these with the four prongs, come from skates.

Twitter / MissBlue Kitty

They look a bit frightening, but they’re just made of collagen protein, and they’re actually soft and leathery.

When not full of eggs, their centers are hollow and full of air.

Instagram / mskatmonroe

If you find one on the beach and it is empty, you’ll probably see a tear in one side. This is where the babies swam out! And because they’re lightweight, they get tossed up on shore all the time.

Instagram / nolecore

Sure, they look a little menacing, but they’re just evidence of new ocean babies!

Instagram / kym_tomlinson_ryan

Instagram / stiffseagoat

Wikimedia Commons

Egg cases also come in some other amazing shapes.

Twitter / CHS Aquarium

These are the egg cases of a horn shark. These were seen in an aquarium. Their spiral shape allows the cases to wedge themselves into the sand or into rock crevices, thus anchoring them down and keeping them stationary and safe.

They almost look fake!

Instagram / rickcb

Or like evil pasta.

Instagram / kundalini_yogini

Either way, they’re pretty nifty, and finding one on the beach is even cooler than finding a shell!

Instagram / the_adventurjournal

(via BuzzFeed, Wikipedia)

The next time you’re on a beach and find a mysterious, black bubble of an object, don’t freak out! It’s not a hideous mutant creature and it’s not a dangerous substance — it’s the former home of a baby shark. And if you don’t like sharks, consider yourself lucky that you’re only finding the egg case.

Animal babies are almost as weird as human ones, and here’s the proof: