Aside from chocolate, eggs stand out as the number one food associated with Easter and Passover.

Colored hard-boiled eggs for children's egg hunts and the traditional egg placed on the Seder plate are the most common uses that come to mind.

But eggs can also be whisked into an entree or puffed up into a fluffy souffle. An easy holiday brunch using eggs and a complement of side dishes provides a perfect setting for friends and family to share spring holidays.

For omelet lovers, the American Egg Board offers some tips for preparing puffy and light omelet dishes:

• Because the omelet is finished in a hot oven, use an ovenproof pan or a pan that you've ovenproofed by completely wrapping the handle with foil.

• Puffy omelets can be savory — filled or topped with vegetables, cheese, meat, fish, seafood or poultry, or sweet — with jam or fruit. Replace the salt with pinch of sugar for a sweet omelet. Sweet omelets can also be glazed with sugar or a sweet sauce and flamed with brandy or liqueur for an impressive dessert presentation.

* Serve a puffy omelet flat, topped by its filling, or score it with a knife and fold it in half over its filling. Either way, to preserve the puff, fill or top the omelet and serve it immediately after removal from the oven.

Some other great egg-based recipes include:

Summer Squash Omelets

Start with the summer squash omelet filling

4 eggs

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon basil leaves, crushed

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

Dash pepper, optional

2 teaspoons butter or cooking oil or cooking spray

Prepare summer squash filling. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat together eggs, water, cheese and seasonings until blended. For each omelet, in 7- to 10-inch omelet pan or skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of the butter until just hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Pour in 1/2 cup of the egg mixture. (Mixture should set immediately at edges.)

With an inverted pancake turner, carefully push cooked portions at edges toward center so uncooked portions can reach hot pan surface, tilting pan and moving cooked portions as necessary. When top is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains, fill with half of the reserved filling. With pancake turner, fold omelet in half or roll. Invert onto plate with a quick flip of the wrist or slide from pan onto plate, Repeat for remaining omelet.

Microwave: For each omelet, in 9-inch pie plate, heat 1 teaspoon of the butter on full power until melted, about 45 seconds. Tilt plate to coat bottom evenly with the butter. Set aside. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat together eggs, water, cheese and seasonings until blended. Pour 1/2 cup of the egg mixture into hot plate. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook on full power about 2 to 3 minutes, rotating 1/4 turn each 30 seconds. Do not stir. When top is thickened and no visible egg liquid remains, fill with 1/2 of the reserved filling. With pancake turner, fold omelet in half or roll and slide from pie plate onto serving plate. Repeat for remaining omelet.

Summer squash omelet filling for 2 omelets

1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini

1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow squash

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

2 tablespoons water

In small saucepan over medium heat, stir together all ingredients. Cover and cook just until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. Uncover. Cook until liquid is evaporated.

Kitchen-tested recipes from the American Egg Board

Double Corn Souffle Puff

2-4 servings

Cooking spray

Yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1 can (8 3/4 ounces) cream-style corn

4 eggs separated

1/2 cup chopped bottled roasted sweet peppers

2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onions with tops

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Evenly spray a 1.5-quart souffle dish or straight sided casserole. Dust with cornmeal. Set aside.

In medium saucepan, stir together water, 1/4 cup cornmeal sugar and salt, if desired. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Cool slightly by stirring in corn until well blended. Stir in egg yolks, peppers and chives until well blended. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl at high speed, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff but not dry, just until whites no longer slip when bowl is tilted. Gently, but thoroughly, fold reserved yolk mixture into beaten egg whites. Carefully pour into prepared dish.

For a “top hat” hold spoon upright and circle mixture to make ring about 1 inch from side of dish and 1 inch deep.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven until puffy, delicately browned and souffle shakes slightly when oven rack is moved gently back and forth, about 35 to 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Kitchen-tested recipe from the American Egg Board

Portable Pasta Salad

1 cup (8 ounces) sour half and half

1 can 4 ounces) diced green chilies

1 teaspoon ground cumin

9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1 can (12 ounces) Mexican-style whole kernel corn, drained

4 cups shredded lettuce

1 jar (16 ounces) salsa, divided

12 hard-cooked eggs, sliced and divided

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

In small bowl, blend together sour half and half, chilies and cumin. Place three of the noodles across bottom of 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking dish. Over noodles, evenly layer 1/2 cup of the corn and 1 1/3 cup of the lettuce. Dollop with 3/4 cup of the salsa. Evenly layer with slices from 5 of the eggs and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat layers substituting sour cream mixture for salsa. Repeat layers again with remaining ingredients using 3/4 cup of the salsa and remaining 2 eggs. Dollop with 1/4 cup salsa. Cover and chill to blend flavors. To serve, cut into squares. Serve a portion of all layers.

To hard-cook eggs, place eggs single layer in saucepan. Add enough tap water to come at least 1 inch above the eggs. Cover and quickly bring just to boiling. Turn off heat. If necessary, remove pan from burner to prevent further boiling. Let eggs stand covered in the hot water 15 minutes for large eggs. (Adjust time up or down by about 3 minutes for each size larger or smaller.) Immediately run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water until completely cooled. To remove shell, crackle it by tapping gently all over. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell, then peel, starting at large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in bowl of water to help ease off the shell

Recipe from the American Egg Board

Asparagus Crepes Mornay

Recipe for eight crepes, 1 pound fresh asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed

Cooking Spray

Six hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Parsley sprigs, optional

Prepare crepes and mornay sauce. Steam or cook asparagus in small amount of boiling water, just until crisp tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain. Divide asparagus spears among crepes.

Evenly coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with spray. Set aside.

Stir eggs into 1/2 cup of the mornay sauce until combines. Spoon about two to three tablespoons of the egg mixture evenly over asparagus on each crepe. Roll up crepes. Place in prepared baking dish. Pour remaining mornay sauce over crepes. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven until hot and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Crepes

2 eggs

1/3 cup skim milk

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup all purpose flour

Melted butter, cooking oil or cooking spray

In mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, water and 2 tablespoons melted butter with mixer, rotary beater or wire whisk until well blended. Add flour. Beat until smooth. Heat 8- to 10-inch omelet or crepe pan over medium high heat until just hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Brush pan with melted butter. For each crepe, pour in just enough butter (about 2 tablespoons for 8-inch pan or scant 1/4 cup for 10-inch pan) to cover bottom of pan, tipping and tilting pan to move batter quickly over bottom. Cook until lightly browned on bottom and dry on top. Remove from pan, or if desired, turn and brown other side. Brush pan lightly with melted butter as needed to prevent sticking. Stack crepes between layers of waxed paper, if desired, until ready to fill.

Mornay Sauce

1 1/2 cups skim milk

3 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons dry vermouth, white wine, or lemon juice

In covered jar or blender container, shake or blend together milk, flour and pepper. In medium saucepan cook over medium-high heat, cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheeses until Swiss cheese is melted. Stir in vermouth, wine or lemon juice.

A kitchen-tested recipe from the American Egg Board.

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