When most Americans open their fridges, there’s likely a carton of eggs sitting on the shelf. Eggs are essential not only to some of our daily diets, but also to America’s farm systems. As common as eggs are in our households, basic egg questions are often unanswered, like: What’s the difference between a brown and white egg? A yellow and orange yolk? And should I care if they’re pasture-raised?

Mississippi’s Cedar Hill Farm, an agritourism destination as well as supplier of local goods like honey and jams (and of course, eggs), offers their take on some of these questions and tells us about their approach to raising hens.

Although eggs have been a breakfast staple for generations, some people can only master one type of egg preparation — or worse, none at all. But fear not! We have no-fail tips for four common egg dishes and give you three full-flavor dishes that aren’t your local diner’s scrambled eggs.

If eggs aren’t your thing, or you simply don’t have any in a pinch, we’ve got you covered with a full list of alternatives — from commercial products we love, to items found in your kitchen, like applesauce to acids.