They're packed with nutritional goodness, available almost everywhere and relatively cheap when compared to the soaring cost of other proteins. But the cheapest and most available eggs in the world are not likely to impact your food budget if you know how to prepare them perfectly.

In keeping with my belief that it's good to know how to cook well, I want to share with you several seriously amazing ways to prepare eggs. And I'm talking about the simple methods like frying, scrambling and poaching. When it comes to well-prepared eggs, it's 10 percent egg and 90 percent technique.

To make a properly fried egg, the white should be tender and fully cooked with crisp brown edges that look a bit like lace. The yolk should be slightly hardened.

The great thing about the following method for making perfectly fried eggs for two is that there's no turning or flipping required. Just follow these instructions exactly — no changes and no cheating — and they'll turn out perfect every time.

PERFECTLY FRIED EGGS

—A large skillet

—2 small bowls

—2 teaspoons vegetable oil

—4 large eggs

—Salt and pepper

—2 teaspoons butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled

Place the oil in a large skillet and set it over low heat for 5 minutes. While the pan is heating, crack two eggs into each of the small bowls. Season them with salt and pepper.

Increase the heat to medium-high and heat the oil until it looks shimmery. Add the butter to the skillet and quickly swirl it to coat the pan. Working quickly, pour one bowl of eggs onto one side of the pan, and the second bowl of eggs onto the other side. Quickly cover and cook for exactly 1 minute. Exactly one. Leaving the lid on, remove the skillet from the burner and let it stand covered for 15 to 45 seconds to achieve runny yolks with just barely opaque whites, 45 to 60 seconds for softly set yolks and about 2 minutes for medium-set yolks. Seriously, watch the clock or set a timer. Slide the fried eggs onto plates and serve. Enjoy.

PERFECTLY POACHED EGGS

A poached egg should be a neat-looking pouch of tender egg, evenly cooked all the way through with a yolk that is barely runny.

Get a 12-inch skillet and pour enough water to come 1 inch up the side. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 3 teaspoons of white vinegar, then bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, crack four cold, large eggs into individual custard cups or small bowls. Carefully pour the eggs into the boiling water. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and set your timer for 5 minutes. Don't peek, touch, move or cheat in any way.

After exactly five minutes, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and serve immediately. Yum.

PERFECTLY SCRAMBLED EGGS

Scrambled eggs should be light and velvety, not dry or runny. To achieve this, forget everything you've ever learned about making scrambled eggs. You will need:

—6 eggs

—1 1/2 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed

—1 tablespoon creme fraiche (or sour cream)

—Salt and pepper

—Freshly chopped chives (optional)

Break the eggs into a skillet and add the cubed butter. Set the skillet over medium heat and stir constantly until the eggs begin to solidify. Keep stirring. Remove the skillet from the heat and continue stirring. Return it to the heat as needed to thicken, and continue stirring constantly, back-and-forth, on and off the heat, until the consistency is just right. Once the eggs are about done, remove them from the heat and add the creme fraiche to stop them from over cooking. Continue to stir the eggs until the creme fraiche is incorporated. Season the eggs with salt, pepper and a sprinkling of chives. Do not season them until the end. This will make all the difference in the world. Prepare to be amazed.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Nan Palmero