101 Negg Recipes

I was chatting to the Negg Faerie recently (trying to winkle some information out of her regarding where Neggs actually come from) when I handed my notebook to Tayene. Suddenly there was a loud "POOF" and a choking fog of green smoke filled the Neggery. Spluttering through the smog, all four of us staggered out of the door, when I realised my notebook must still be inside!

Tayene looked shamefaced as we waited for the green fog to clear - and eventually admitted she'd read it. And that's how it suddenly occurred to me: Neopets read our books - the books vanish. No-one is sure quite WHY, but it's jolly inconvenient, not to mention expensive.

So, having spent the afternoon considering it and wiping off a layer of green dust from around the Neggery, I went and spent a small fortune gathering together a collection of tomes, scrolls and books from various suppliers, in order to bring these books to you.

As all of you probably now have a surfeit, or at least LOTS of Neggs from all the Negg Hunts over the month, I figured now would be the best time to release...

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101 Negg Recipes

Blurb: 101 recipes with Neggs. Now with pictures!

Alright, alright, so I could only manage 80. But "101" is so much more exciting-sounding than "80 Negg Recipes". And I'm sure you can make some up using this book as a guide! After all, a recipe book isn't about strict instructions: it's about tasty IDEAS. There's a lot of useful hints and tips in here, so select the section you need, have a browse and tuck in.

Editor's Note: If you were lucky enough to enjoy a Genius Negg, you'll have the rarer, collector's hardback version of this book, known as "Cooking Neggs Book". Apparently, this is supposed to include recipes for: Squashed Neggs, Boiled Neggs, and Negg a la king - but I'll get on to that later in THIS book.

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Everyone eats food. Most people enjoy food. Some people LOVE food. And some people are just crazy for Neggs - so here's some Negg recipes for you to try. If you're not familiar with cooking, then be sure to read plenty of different cookbooks first to get a feel for your skills. Remember, practice makes perfect and parental supervision prevents accidents!

This book is written in two halves - dishes you can cook in Mystery Island, and dishes for your Neohome. You'll find it easier to purchase the meals in the second half, though the first half will often be cheaper to prepare for yourself.

I recommend purchasing at least one box of A Dozen Neggs before you begin, though you might want to check first to make sure none of these Neggs are cracked.

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Storing Neggs:

It's essential to know how to keep your Neggs at their best, as bulk buying can often be cheaper than having to buy fresh every time. Below are a few suggestions on how to maintain your produce:

Cryogenically Frozen Neggs are the absolute peak of TechNeggology: Frozen to ensure the freshness that consumers have come to expect, these are not the cheapest way to keep them but it sure is the best, and there's a lot less ice damage when it comes to defrosting them for cooking. They'll also keep until the end of the universe, provided the units have sufficient power.

Ultimate Icy Neggs are almost as good, though they won't last quite as long as they're kept at a slightly warmer temperature. Nonetheless, they're the tastiest Ice Negg ever found in the Happy Valley Ice Caves.

Ultra Icy Neggs are EXTREMELY delicious, very chilly and will keep for months in your standard freezer, making them a reliable staple to any Negg cookery.

Likewise, Super Icy Negg may be very delicious and similarly stable, but be careful of the frost coating the surface. It tends to freeze to your fingertips and can be quite painful if you don't warm it slowly.

Icy Neggs may be remarkably tasty also, but they do have a tendency to go soft when they defrost as they're snap frozen at a lower temperature than the others. However, they do come at a significantly lower cost and the softer texture is ideal if you just want to blitz them to go in a stew or pie filling.

The only way to get a proper "Frozen Negg", which claims to be the only see-through Negg but clearly isn't (have a look for a Glass Negg) is to fast-freeze a Rainwater Negg. If you bear in mind they're worth 14 Negg points a pop, you're probably better off trading them in if you manage to get one, rather than cooking with it.

On the other hand, though, Snowy Neggs are perfect for a warm day, as the snow will keep them cold. It's also very cost effective for short term storage as they're chilled rather than frozen. It also means that it won't go mushy as it doesn't get cold enough to form ice crystals in the flesh.

Don't panic if your Neggs HAVE gone off, though - there are a couple of recipes available for rescuing stinky Neggs, but they do require a more sturdy stomach.

Holiday Spoiled Neggnog is a yummy nog is made with Rotten Negg - the softness of the spoiled fruit makes it much easier to blend with cream and such for a slips-down-your-throat-in-a-way-you-don't-even-want-to-think-about drink.

Alternatively, a Rotten Negg and Onion Quesadilla is great for keeping other Neopets away from you - it's a really smelly dish... Chopped onions and smushed Rotten Negg quickly fried in a pan makes for the ideal filling; Rotten Negg kind of MELTS, a bit like Cheese does. Bung it on a tortilla, fold it up, et voila. Quesadilla.

...and if you're REALLY unlucky, you might find a Negg Nobody Found Last Year. GAH!!! This is really stinky!

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MYSTERY ISLAND COOKING:

Mystery Island is the best place in all of Neopia to practice your culinary techniques; Jhuidah never lets good food burn. The water chef at the kitchens is the perfect tutor and you can learn a LOT whilst running errands for him - I recommend the marketplace nearby for collecting your fresh supplies.

Starters:

Be sure to start with the beginning - and at the beginning of every good meal there should be a starter!

So, why have Scrambled Rainbow Neggs? Well heck, this book's all about Neggs - and if you like them hard boiled, you'll LOVE them scrambled. All you need is a Cinnamon Swirl and a Rainbow Vanilla Negg (See Desserts for how to make these) with just a touch of patience and a good spoon for stirrin'. Make sure it gets a good whisking and you'll have a sweet, colourful meal to tuck into - try this treat for breakfast, because it's delicious!

If you prefer something savoury, Negg Stew is a very rare dish, considering how sought after Neggs usually are. To serve one, you'll need a Blue Negg, a Yellow Negg and a good pot. It's notoriously difficult to get right, so I recommend you stir three times in a clockwise direction, and hope for the best! Whilst the Negg Faerie is known to enjoy a stew, she won't give you any Negg Points for it - though you may get into her good books...

There's an ancient recipe that's a slight twist on this by using Speckled Neggs for a Speckled Negg Stew, with potatoes and salt, but I'm not sure how successful this is. And quite frankly, I don't want to offend Pango Pango.

Deviled Neggs are fantastic because you can use them for just about ANY meal, which is why we've classed them as a starter. They're a real treat as a party appetiser and really easy to make in individual portions. Boil your Purple Negg until it goes nice and firm to the touch. Scoop out the insides (be sure to save the shell for that finishing touch!) then blend furiously with a good measure of Kau Kau Farm Milk. Allow to cool, then serve. Mmmmm!

Sliced Neggs, what could be simpler, or tastier? Grab a fresh Orange Negg and a sweet Purple Negg. Slice em up, stack em high and gulp em down. Delicious AND with extra vitamin C! You can't go wrong - but be careful with that knife!

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Main Courses:

These require particular attention - people came to eat here specifically for the central meal and that's why they call it the main. It's the main focus of dinner time. If you put enough thought into it, you can do anything; including the seemingly impossible "perfect dinner party"...

Pizapple Surprise is a genius combination to kick off with, combining Cheese, Green Apples and your favourite Negg. Carefully baked, you'll have everyone saying, "Wow, did you ever think these foods could combine and make a great snack?" They'll KNOW you're a great chef with these bold flavours and it's sure to be discussed for many dinner times to come.

Mind you, if you're worried about offending a fussy eater, you might want to give the Super Veggie Baguette a go. It's a simple Green Negg, Lettuce and Tomato Baguette - slice your veggies and put together: all done. The ultimate treat if you don't want to eat meat! And you thought cookery was difficult?

But having said that, there's always Bomatoge... I never actually worked out what this was supposed to be, but you can really taste the goodness of this mystery combo snack... Basically, I think, it's just Negg and Sausage. See if you can figure it out.

If you're after something a little more simple, a lot easier to understand and twice as tasty, Orangetti has always been one of my favourite dishes. It has all the basic ingredients to make my day: Mummy Spaghetti and Orange Negg. Gently simmered until your Negg and pasta goes soft, then served in a dish, it's all ready to eat. I'm also told that this fruity pasta and orange delight can be used to play some funny practical jokes on pets - but then, some people have a bizarre sense of humour. Perhaps you should ask the Negg Faerie - she has a very, VERY odd sense of humour; come to think of it, she's very partial to orange Neggs...

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Desserts:

Ahhh, the grande finale to any meal. No matter HOW full you are, you can always find room for an especially superb sweet.

Grab some chocolate ice cream and gently simmer a pink Negg until it's soft. Slap it together in a bowl, step back and take a look. A simple Negg Sundae, understated and delicious. Everyone who tries it declares, "Who would have thought that a Negg could be such a flavourful treat?" Well, YES - I've been trying to tell the whole of Neopia that for YEARS! Neggs are AWESOME, whatever you put them in. Don't feel restricted by the name - you can have it ANY day of the week.

Ice Chocolate Cake is the perfect example to prove my point. No one can turn down a slice of creamy, chocolatey goodness... And it's blessedly simple to make too, requiring just some Chocolate Cake and an Ice Negg. It'll take some hard work to whip your Ice Negg but once you've got it done, pour it carefully over the top to coat and chill your cake. It IS tough going, but Jhuidah's there to help. (Rumour has it that Ice Chocolate Cake is one of her favourites, so remember to let her have a slice in thanks!)

If that isn't sweet enough for you, you MUST try a Negg Cream Cookie. Weirdly, this treat is said to be healthy and your sweet tooth will thank you - though whether your DENTIST will is a different matter, as it's made by blending Chocolate Chip Cookies and Scrambled Rainbow Negg (remember, that's a Rainbow Vanilla Negg and a Cinnamon Swirl) over a high heat until they begin to melt together. Pour into a cold tray and leave to set. Slice and enjoy the way the cinnamon and vanilla brings out the best of that chocolatey deliciousness...

Rainbow Vanilla Negg is a staple supply for most sweet treats, and is SO simple to make. Roughly chop a Rainbow Negg, throw into a Vanilla Milkshake and cook through until blended and smooth. If you're looking for good presentation, you might want to do this one at the Mystery Island Cooking pot, because only Jhuidah knows how to make it back into Negg shape. This is a great treat for any one who gets it, but I have NO IDEA how she makes that rainbow goodness look so great.

Other twists on the Rainbow Vanilla Negg are the Negg-rific YeNegg, PuNegg and RaNegg - simply whisk together your liquidised Negg with chocolate ice cream, refreeze (remember to whisk regularly to keep it silky) and serve in a Negg half-shell for that added pizzazz!

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HOME COOKING:

Now that you've got the knack of cooking under the guiding eye of the Islanders, why not aim for a touch of tasty home cookin'? You can buy a version of Jhuidah's Cooking Pot, which is great for cooking up large batches of soup and stews. But be warned, it can be very difficult to move on your own, as it is VERY large and a good fifty pounds in weight. And hey, if it doesn't work out, you can always nip down to the market and pick some up ready made - I'm sure no-one will notice if you hide the packaging!

On a side note, you might also want to invest in a couple of Fireball Neggs to save time - not only can you cook with them, but when they've cooled down, they're jolly tasty roasted Neggs! Make sure you put them in a bit Clay Pot though, as these volatile Neggs can and WILL burst in to a great ball of flames!

Drinks:

Every party should have some drinks to offer the guests. It's no fun trying to talk with a dry mouth, especially if your party is in the middle of Sakhmet!

Actually, if you really are throwing a party in the Lost Desert (very fashionable this time of year, good choice) then you might want to go for a Negg Slushie, as the icy cool refreshment will be ideal in the hot sunshine. The slushie is made from a variety of Neggs, and gives it a unique flavour - to get the cool, icy crispness in there, you want to carefully smash up the best of the Icy Neggs you can afford. The more expensive it is, the longer it stays cool. Blend it carefully with some Negg slices til smooth. If you ask nicely at the Slushie Shop in Happy Vallie, the Striped Eyrie there MAY show you how to do slushies professionally. He's got frozen drinks to tempt and tantalize any Neopet!

Once you've cracked Negg slushie making (pun intentional. Cracked Negg. Cracked... Negg? No? Oh alright then, it wasn't that great, I guess), then the rest of the drinks should be a walk in the park. A cup of Pink Negg Tea is the perfect cup for sitting under a shady tree in a park... Sliced minutely thin, soaked for the briefest time in boiling hot water, the pleasant scent of pink Neggs drifts from this warm tea when it's ready. You shouldn't need any sugar with this, as pink Neggs are already very sweet, just be careful when you take the slices out - boiling water tends to be, well, hot.

The best place to study the brewing of fine teas is actually down in the Catacombs. I'm advised that the Coffee Cave's barista whips up a really fine mug of Negg Latte too. This one incorporates dried, ground Negg seeds which are quite hard to obtain. Stew finely in hot, but not boiling, water and add foamed milk. Do note, if you ask for just a plain "latte" anywhere else in the world, you're liable to get just a glass of milk.

She'll also tell you that Neggs are highly prized in the drinks industry come the holidays, as they're the only thing stable enough to create a truly tasty Neggnog. The basis of Neggnog is very simple indeed, involving sugar, cream, beaten Neggs and perhaps a few other ingredients to taste, such as freshly squeezed Funnydew for a delicious treat that can quench even the thirstiest Neopet.

If that's a bit too sweet, how about a truly festive Roast Chestnut Neggnog? Whip up a rich and creamy Neggnog, then enhance it with roast chestnuts, crushed into a fine paste and stir in whilst hot to let the wonderful aroma and taste seep through your drink.

Chokato can also imbue a Neggnog with a subtle, delicious flavour of chocolate and tomato. Whilst these fruits are expensive, they really do look fabulous as they retain the chocolate spots when blended into the 'nog. (I have heard rumours of people making a spectacular cream cheese dip in a similar method if that helps.)

Mind you, if it's colour and style you're after, I would point you in the direction of the Rainbow Neggnog. Nearly impossible to get perfect, but with a little care you can blend in each Negg colour to create a bright, stripy drink with layers of flavours rather than the sludgy beige mush if you get it wrong. But never fear - you can pass it off as a "Plain Neggnog" if it doesn't come out right. No-one will know the difference and it'll still have all that great festive flavour you're after. Better yet, serve it up in a Fancy Mug and charge extra!

And if it's not winter? Who cares?! You can have Neggnog ANY time of the year if you throw in some Plain Frozen Yogurt and perhaps a pinch of cinnamon. Serve Small, or MEGA for maximum enjoyment!

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Starters:

Negg Noodles... Mmmm... Neggs and noodles with a spicy fish sauce. Noodles can be pretty tricky to make, as not all Neggs will blend in well with the 00 soft flour you'll need. I'd recommend Yellow Neggs for a bright colour and savoury flavour - beat your Neggs and add into your flour; mix well until it forms a dough. Cut the dough into nice thin strips, then toss into boiling water for just a couple of minutes to cook. (Handy hint: if you don't throw them straight into the pot, you can even freeze leftover uncooked noodles for later!) The fish sauce can be bought premade, which is recommended as Fish Neggs are SO expensive nowadays. I recommend Squid Sauce, as it is great with pasta and fish dishes, and will give your noodles the tang they require.

If the prep of making noodles is a bit too much hassle, or you'd like to top your noodles off with something colourful, how about Delicious Negg Slices? Negg slices are sure to be pleasing to guests, as they're SO tasty, they look great and they're so easy to prepare. Simply boil a Negg, slice evenly and serve - but make sure you eat it the same day as it does tend to go funny quickly. Yellow has the best flavour as the creamy, savoury core is great for taking a spoon to.

If the sunny flavour of the slices has you hankering for a summer morning, you need to grab a Breakfast Croissant. This is a soft flaky pastry that just melts in your mouth., then stuffed with yummy scrambled Neggs and chewy bacon - as easy as that. I recommend grilling a few rashers of Danish Bacon for this dish, though many swear by Streaky Bacon for the added chewiness, and it's a LOT easier (and cheaper) to buy croissants than to make them.

Failing that, another great breakfast (or even pudding!) is the Buttered Negg Waffle. This waffle has mashed Neggs ground into the waffle mix to give it a very unusual Neggy flavour. It takes a little more effort, but you need to fully dry your Negg first. Save the seeds for making Negg Coffees (especially if it's breakfast) and run the rest of the dried, light flesh through a grinding tool on your blender. Use some liquidised fresh Negg to bind it back together with a little self raising flour and milk. Stick it in a waffle pan on high heat, and there you go - easy as... well, not pie this time. Easy as waffles?

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Soup:

Soup is no longer just for starters! Whilst relatively inexpensive to prepare, soup can produce an impressive and satisfying main course - or you can have cute little soup "shots" as an amuse-bouche for a BURST of flavour. No really, go ask at the Soup Kitchen, they can tell you just how good the Soup Faerie is!

Negg Noodle Soup has always been a Kitchen favourite, a simple tasty broth with Negg Noodles - see above for the Noodle recipe. The broth is very easy indeed, consisting of a stock of your choice, some veggies and a good warm-through. Don't forget to keep a leafy Negg top for a flash of green to perk it up (and add a touch of savoury crunch!).

Neggdrop soup isn't one of my favourite dishes because it's just plain fiddly, but this is a great soup for when you aren't feeling well. You may need two people for this, one to stir and one to pour. This is a technique that's been handed down for generations, and has lots of practical success: Use a good vegetable stock to stop it being too bland, and make sure you lightly beat the Negg so it has no bubbles in it. Turn off the heat once it's nice and hot, and hold a fork about 9 inches above the pan. Let the beaten egg pour VERY SLOWLY through the tines and start stirring immediately and in only one direction. Hopefully it should come out in nice threads of egg in your tasty vegetable based stock. Flavour with white pepper for that perfect finish.

Fish Negg Stew isn't everyone's ideal food, but if your neopet love fish Neggs, wait until you give them this stew... Mind you, if you can AFFORD Fish Neggs, you'll be a real hit even if people DON'T like the flavour. You'll get respect just for having the sheer guts to try this tricky, easy to spoil recipe - especially at 65 mil a pop. (Current time of writing April 2011) Roughly chop with a VERY sharp knife, you don't want to bruise the fruit, but mind your fingers! Bring to a quick boil with some fish stock and keep a very close eye on it for between 15-20 minutes; the second that Negg starts to soften, you need to take it STRAIGHT off the heat before it goes too mushy. Pour half into a jug, blitz the other half until smooth. Add the chunky soup back in and serve.

Be brave, though - if you do get it wrong, it's pretty simple to fix if you know some clever tricks - for example; too much salt? No problem - put a slice of potato in there for a few minutes to let it absorb the extra. Too sweet? Try a squeeze of Lemon juice or Balsamic dressing to lift and brighten the flavours. Balsamic's particularly nice where tomato or basil is involved, but the lemon is best with the fish flavour.

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Main Courses:

As stated previously, your main course should be central to your theme, as this is the important bit of your dinner. And as the whole book is around Negg based food, we figured we probably ought to stick with Negg dinners.

Negg Pie - is it breakfast? Dessert? You decide! Personally I think it makes a great main meal if you make a savoury Negg pie. You'll need a sturdy metal tin to bake it in - a clean Pie Tin Hat would do the job nicely if you haven't anything suitable handy. You'd be wise to get premade pastry too - why bother wasting time making your own when you can buy it so cheap?! In fact, have a word with the Breadmaster, he might have some scraps spare. Once you've gently toasted a few Neggs until they're starting to soften, roughly chop them up, butter your tin and chuck them in. Glaze your pastry top with a little leftover Negg juice, and bake. That really WAS as easy as pie - but make sure to let it cool a little before tucking in. Hot pie can be dangerous.

You may even want to add some Cheese Negg to your pie for a proper melt-in-the-middle/mouth sensation. It's cheesy and Neggy, what could be better? Admittedly, this could be a dish in its own right, because it's just wonderful. Serve chopped with other cheeses for your cheese course, or try adding some to a...

Negg Salad! Rumour has it that Jhuidah used to be able to make this, but as no-one knows the recipe (and she's not telling) it's very hard to make and almost impossible to buy. Which is a shame, as this low fat, high energy salad is great for picnics. Not so much a recipe, more a legend. Sorry about that.

How about tucking into a Steak Negg instead? It's a delicious (possibly vegetarian? The jury is still out on this one) alternative to Blumaroo Steak. Admittedly, though, it is delicious and very easy to prepare - carefully trim off the stalk and heat a pan until the spoonful of oil is "smoking". Carefully toss your Steak Negg in, give it just a couple of minutes, then flip for another couple on the other side. There's even a great way to see how you like your Negg/Steak, using a prod of your dinner and your hand. The very middle of your palm is "well done", the outside of your palm (down the line from your little finger) is medium rare, and the nice fleshy bit of your thumb is rare. Any lighter is classed as "blue". Not my cup of tea, but some people like their meat shown to the heat as we say in the trade!

If Steak Negg is a bit too carnivorous for your liking, try a Grilled Negg instead. I recommend using a Spatula of Wondrous Cooking, as you can flip that food with astounding accuracy, meaning your Negg stays remarkably soft and juicy. Being as it will need grilling for a good twenty minutes, this is a superb investment.

For a dish to feed a bunch of friends whilst playing Frumball, your best choice is a Colourful Negg Pizza. Very easy to make, and some cheating doesn't hurt, especially if you're a KOUGRA and want to SKIP some of the hard work. Grab a Crust-Only Pizza, chop some Pink and Blue Neggs, and layer on some mashed Yellow Negg as a sauce. Top with a sliced Rainbow Negg before you bake it, and there you go - a meal full of all the vitamins and minerals a growing pet needs! Don't forget, it's advised you remove the stem before eating.

Or how about something to munch when you're out and about? A Negg Hunt Box Lunch is perfect to give you energy while you are hunting for Neggs - or for anything, come to that! You'll need a Fresh Green Salad mix, your favourite Negg and a couple of Kabobs to finish off your dinner. I recommend using Desert Kabobs as it contains a tasty selection of roast meat and desert plants which will go nicely with your green salad.

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Desserts:

For something a little different, you might want to give Oozing Negg Buns a try. They're a rare treat from the nests of Shenkuu Mountains, steamed in a bamboo basket. (Some extra liquidy versions filled with soup are often pierced with and drunk through a straw!) To make this delicacy properly, I would suggest making a Negg custard. Once it has cooled, you should be able to easily scoop "chunks" out of the bowl to put in the centre of each bun as you make it. It's very easy, as all you need is a simple white bread dough and a good steamer. Once the dough has risen and been folded, you need to make little pancake shapes. Put your filling in the middle and twist the tops closed (pinching off the excess). When you steam them, don't open the steamer straight away - take it off the heat and allow to cool a little first so that they don't collapse.

If you enjoyed the gooey textures of Negg Buns, you certainly must give Maple Syrup Negg a go. Simply put, it's a soft fudgy flavoured Negg, ooozing with maple syrup. It's a bit tricky to do, as you'll need an over-ripe normal Negg, plenty of sugar and a little time. Slice only the top of your Negg off, and hollow out with a long spoon. You'll notice it's slightly goopy, which is good! Warm your pot with margarine and maple syrup ink, add some sugar and your Negg goo, then warm through slowly - keep stirring! Wrap your shell with foil and gently cook over a Bain Marie (a basin of water - this will keep it soft). Once your mixture has melted down and started to bind, you'll need to pour it back inside the shell - don't worry if it runs, that's all part of the charm. Whack the heat up on the oven and cook through, and allow to cool thoroughly before eating.

More goopy deliciousness is to be found with the Neggy Custard Pie - after all, this is the custard pie that clowns dream of! It's much easier than our last few recipes, as custard is what you get when you accidentally heat Neggnog too long. It's really as simple as that, but remember to heat gently and keep stirring so you don't end up with any lumps. Add to a pastry pie shell, bake and top with cream. Now the difficulty is in choosing whether to go throw it down at the Carnival of Terror or to eat it!

And where there's custard there should be... Jelly Negg? How strange, I didn't think this existed. Well, actually, it doesn't. But you can make a really cool Negg shaped jelly! Use some clay to create an impression with a Negg, in two halves. Fire, and allow to cool. Meanwhile, mix up some Jelly in your favourite flavour, pour into your new mould and chill. When it's nearly set, carefully apply the two halves of the mould and allow to fully set. When you lift the mould later, you should find it's cooled into a funky Negg shaped treat! Good luck getting it to sit still on a plate, though!

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Treats:

Everyone likes something sweet and sugary to nom on occasionally - and the Tooth Faerie is kept in a job supplying tooth brushes and pennies. Be sure to look after those teeth and be careful - working with molten sugar and candy is not only fiddly but can be dangerous (as molten sugar is VERY HOT and WILL burn if you get it on you) you might want to start simple and have a go at making Lemon Sherbert Jelly Beans. Made from the crushed up Easter Neggs at the back of the chocolate factory, these sweets are yummy, if a little on the chewy side - if you nip down to the Chocolate Factory, you'll be able to see these being made, and pick up leftover Easter Neggs for much cheaper than on the open market. You can also pick up lots of tips and tricks on how to handle this unpredictable type of cooking, and move on to making...

Candy Cane Neggs! Ideal for the holiday season, the layers of red and white candy make this Negg simply delicious. A Strawberries And Cream Easter Negg is the best base, as it's already a glorious shade of red and incredibly tasty. I melt down Square Marshmallows and sugar cubes until it becomes a thick white glaze. It's then possible to paint a thick stripe of white candy around the tasty red Negg. Once it's set, give it a gentle misting with some pure water to give the coating a light glisten - and you're all done!

When you've got the hang of manipulating candy mixes, you can then do them in miniature, to create cute little Negg shaped candies. Put them all in a teeny bag, and you've just made yourself a Candy Negg Assortment. If you run holes through them before they're fully set, you can then run thread through them to make your very own Negg Candy Bracelet - this brightly coloured bracelet will add some fun to an outfit.

Easter Negg Lolly Pops are made in much the same way, though mounted on sticks before they set. To get the best effect, you should use a Rainbow Negg for your base mix. That way, after eating this lolly, your tongue will be lots of different colours! Better yet, if you can get hold of some Spring Clover Juice, you can blend it into your mix and make a Negg Hunt Lollipop... I appreciate it's very difficult to come by now, but believe me, it's worth every sip of springtime flavour!

My absolute FAVOURITE sweet is a Creme Filled Chocolate Negg, as this chocolate Negg is filled with a creamy sugar filling. Chocolate Neggs are easy to hollow out once you've halved it, but be sure to have cold hands, as you don't want to melt the shell. Save the insides for sealing the Negg and any leftovers for a nice pudding later. Blend a puree of Pink Negg, and glucose to create the filling. Carefully seal the two halves of Negg together with melted chocolate, and pipe in your creme filling. Allow to cool and set - then enjoy. How do you eat yours?!

If that's a little too sweet for your tastebuds, you might like to try a Lemon Creme Negg, as the sweet and sour creme inside this dark chocolate Negg makes for a tasty combination. Admittedly, Dark Chocolate Neggs are much harder to find, as they're over-ripe Chocolate Neggs (and let's face it, Chocolate Neggs are too tasty to leave around toooo long!). Lemon Swirly Negg is the Negg of choice for this centre - but for that extra lemony kick, melting Lemon Neodrops into your Negg puree does the trick.

If that floated your boat, I also have to recommend the Sweet and Sour Negg. Half sugary sweetness, half sour citrus flavours, this is a sure win. You'll need a fresh Lemon and Lime Easter Negg, and then coat it Candy Apple style with a sweet and sassy slathering of Strawberry stuff. I recommend mixing Strawberry Coral, Strawberry Neodrops and then, for faster application, toss in a Strawberry Bomb. Pop your Negg nearby, and get well out of there - when that thing BLOWS, there's going to be strawberry EVERYWHERE. (But it'll taste great when it comes to cleaning up.) Alternatively, you can add some fine sugar to Strawberry Soup and dip your Negg in. Safer, certainly, but not nearly as much fun.

Lemon is all very well, but why not try something with a bit of Orange in? The Chocolate Orange Easter Negg is a rather rare delight - a genuine one from the Easter Bunny is actually created by crossing an Orange Negg and a Chocolate Negg together. As this isn't really possible at home (as no-one but the Negg Faerie knows how to do this), you can cheat. After melting an Orange Chocolate Bar made with creamy white chocolate in a large pot, you need to steep a Chocolate Negg in there. Now, this is MOST difficult - if you leave it too long, you're going to melt it. Not long enough, and you're just going to get a coated Negg - but JUUUUUST right and the shell will melt just enough to allow the orangy goodness to seep in.

You can do very much the same thing with mint chocolate to make a Mint Chocolate Easter Negg. Both Orange and Mint Chocolate is readily available at the Chocolate Factory, but you're going to need a fair bit of practice to get these Neggs right.

If you DO manage it, though, you might be brave enough to blow a fortune on Fish Neggs to make a Fishy Delight Grarrl Gobstopper. This is a super rare, fishy treat made from ground fish Neggs and tropical fruits. Though personally, as a Grarrl will eat ANYTHING, I fancy this to be an extravagant waste of NP and incredibly rare foodstuffs. Why not try making a Lint Gobstopper instead?

But if you do want a Neggy flavour that will last a long, long time, why not try making some Bubble Negg? It lets you blow huge bubbles too. Take some Natural Gum, some Thornberry Faerie Bubbles and a Purple Negg (because it has a naturally gooey centre). Keep folding them all in until you've got a smooth purply finish, then wrap in greaseproof paper to keep it from sticking to everything!

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Baked Goods:

Some sweet things are baked to create that irresistible CRUNCH! I would recommend to everyone to start off with making Cookie Neggs. Mmmm cookie..... and so easy to make! These Neggs already come as a tasty cookie dough; you just need to finish them off in the oven.

Alternatively, you could whip it in a bowl (remembering to take the leaves off first!). I find cookies are always better with frosting and you can make it into so many pretty designs, like Yellow Easter Negg Cookies.

If you're feeling a bit glum, try adding some pretty fruit like raspberries and swirls of Bubbling Blueberry Cheese (trust me on this one!) to make a Pink Easter Negg Cookie - it's just the thingy to cheer up your Neopet.

However if you're in a good mood already - but bored, you certainly should try a Blue Easter Negg Cookie, it's far more interesting than that pink cookie! This one's made with Blue Negg icing and little petals cut from marshmallows... But there is ONE cookie that's even BETTER.

The Rainbow Cybunny Negg Cookie. Yup, you heard. This cookie is shaped and frosted to look just like a Rainbow Cybunny Negg! You can make it a little more cost effectively by using just a normal Rainbow Negg for the icing, but I find it seems to be... missing something from the overall flavour. Go have the ultimate treat.

So I have to ask - What is more tasty than a Negg? Well, having made a big batch of these for taste test comparisons with an impartial board, it seems an Easter Negg Crispy Rice Treat wins hands down! This one is so easy to make as well - but you're not going to believe me that this is how it was genuinely discovered. Someone put rice in a cannon and fired it - and found that it made puffed rice! Seriously, have a look for yourself; it was at the University of Minnesota! So grab yourself a bowl of White Chocolate Rice and an Indoor Pirate Cannon (anything bigger and you'll lose your rice!), load it up and let 'er rip. Bind into the desired shape with some tasty melted Marshmallow and throw on some yummy Negg frosting and voila!

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You may have heard in "Cooking Neggs" that you can get "Squashed Neggs", "Boiled Neggs" and "Negg a la King".

Technically you can get them - Boiled Neggs are a simple staple and anyone can do them (stick a Negg in a pan of boiling water), but oddly, they don't last as long as fresh Neggs and should be eaten the same day. Likewise, Squashed Neggs are a bad idea, as bruised Neggs go bad quickly. Unless you're squashing them INTO something, leave your Neggs whole.

Negg a la king is cooked in a cream sauce with mushrooms and green peppers - tasty but, due to an ancient decree, is actually banned around Neopia. I suppose you could eat it in the privacy of your own home but I probably wouldn't recommend it as I'm not sure how enforced this old bylaw is.

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And finally - how to make a truly fantastic Decorated Negg!

A friend of mine gave me some... interesting ideas such as "taking your Negg, sneaking up behind a checkered pet or petpet, and chucking it at them with all your might! Of course, you must be sure that once you do so, you run for all you are worth - circling back around to pick your new colourful Easter Negg as well!" But I'm not sure that's a safe idea, especially if some bright spark tries to lob a Platinum Negg for example, so we'll stick to slightly more practical - and safer - methods of making your Negg look Neggtastic!

There are several ways to decorate your Negg - you can use paints, glues or even candy coatings to create your delicious effects. But remember to make sure all of your decoratables are edible, as you will want to eat your creation in the end!

To start with, you're going to need a supply of Plain Decorative Neggs. Even on its own, this sunny Negg is a wonderful decoration, but for painting them, you'll need a fine, soft brush and some food dyes - and for some inspiration I suggest having a look at a Sunflower Pattern Easter Negg. A pretty Sunflower has been hand painted onto this Negg, and I know you can do just the same at home! Make sure to protect all surfaces well and wear old clothes, as food dyes WILL stain.

Alternatively, you can go for some Negg white and sugar to make an edible glue paste - how about using some pink and purple rice paper to make flowers with? Stick them carefully on a Blue Negg and you've got yourself a Blue Flower Easter Negg with an undeniable springtime feel.

On the other hand (or both, if you're messy and it's a big Negg), you might be a whiz with candy coating; in which case you might want to take some inspiration from Stripy Easter Neggs, which incorporate delicate lemon stripes on a minty Easter Negg. Sounds odd, but believe me, it tastes GREAT. As always, be careful with any molten sugar products - it stays hot for a LONG time and can cause burns.

If you DO get burned in any of your cookery, then run under very cold water and seek proper medical attention. We all like Neggs - but we like being able to EAT our Neggs in comfort!