Ham Fried Rice

YIELD: 6 SERVINGS(FROM MELSKITCHENCAFE.COM)

MY GO-TO FRIED RICE RECIPE {EASY HAM FRIED RICE}

PREP TIME 15 MINUTES

 

COOK TIME 15 MINUTES

 

TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

•  3 large eggs
•  1 teaspoon sesame oil
•  1 teaspoon olive oil
•  Salt and pepper
•  2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
•  2 to 3 green onions, finely chopped
•  3 cups cooked, cold rice (see note)
•  1 to 2 cups diced leftover ham (or deli ham)
•  1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas
•  2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk together the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat the sesame and olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and let the mixture cook until set on the bottom, just a few seconds. With a rubber spatula turn the eggs slowly until mostly cooked. Scoot them to the side of the skillet.
2. If the skillet is dry, add another sploosh of oil (sesame or olive oil) to the center of the skillet. Add the garlic and the white parts of the green onions to the skillet and cook for 20-30 seconds, until sizzling (but not burning!) and the mixture smells fragrant.
3. Add the cold rice on top of the onions and garlic (keep the eggs mostly over to the side still), breaking the rice into clumps. Cook until the rice is sizzling and the clumps start to separate into smaller pieces, 3-4 minutes. Incorporate the eggs back into the rice mixture.
4. Add the chopped ham and peas and stir to combine. Add the soy sauce stir until evenly incorporated. Cook the fried rice until all the ingredients are heated through, 4-5 minutes.
5. Serve immediately with additional soy sauce, if desired, and the green parts of the onion. (If not serving with additional soy sauce, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, as needed.)

NOTES

Cooking Rice: the key to really good fried rice is using cooked rice that is really cold. This keeps the fried rice from turning mushy. However, if you don't have precooked rice on hand, you can use hot rice that's just been cooked (as long as you are ok with a slightly different texture to the finished fried rice). When cooking the rice on the stove, use 1 1/2 cups water or broth for every cup of rice. In the Instant Pot, I use 1 cup rice to 1 1/4 cups liquid (4 minutes high pressure for white rice/22 minutes high pressure for brown rice).

Types of Rice: white or brown rice can be used. I usually use jasmine or basmati varieties.

Soy Sauce Substitute: a gluten-free alternative can easily be subbed. Liquid or coconut aminos or tamari would work great here. I've also subbed in or added oyster or hoisin sauce.

Other Substitutions: this recipe is easily customizable. It can be made meatless or any variety of cooked meat can be subbed in for the ham. Other vegetables can easily be added as well.

HTTPS://WWW.MELSKITCHENCAFE.COM/EASY-HAM-FRIED-RICE/

Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli and Rice

Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli and Rice

from www.idonthavetimeforthat.com


Ingredients

2 Tbls Butter
1½ - 2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast cut into cubes
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Small Onion
1 Tsp Salt
3/4 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 and 1/3 Cups Long Grain Rice
1 and 1/3 Cups Chicken Broth
½ Cup Milk
1½ Tbls Flour
1-2 Cups Fresh Broccoli cooked
1 and 1/2 - 2 Cups Mild Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions

Turn Instant Pot onto saute. Add butter and heat until hot. When hot, add chicken, onion, and garlic.
Cook chicken mixture until onion starts to get translucent. Add rice, broth and seasonings. Stir well.
Whisk together milk an flour and set aside.
Cook on manual high pressure for 5 minutes. When the timer is up perform a quick release.
Immediately add milk and flour mixture and mix until it is well combined.
Add broccoli and cheese and stir until well combined. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC AND SIMPLE: BLACK BEANS AND RICE WITH KIELBASA

CLASSIC AND SIMPLE: BLACK BEANS AND RICE

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

COOK TIME: 1 HOUR

adapted from melskitchencafe.com

INGREDIENTS:

4 teaspoons olive oil
1 kielbasa sausage
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (16-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4-5 cups hot, cooked white or brown rice 

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the kielbasa and cook until it is brown and almost cooked. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic and saute, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft and tender. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, oregano and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a tablespoon or two of hot water to thin to desired consistency. 

Stir in the fresh cilantro and season with salt and pepper; discard the bay leaf. Serve over the hot rice. 

For an electric pressure cooker, use the Saute function to heat the oil. Cook the kielbasa, bell pepper, onion, and garlic, stirring often, for several minutes, until tender. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, oregano, and water. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release the pressure. If you want the mixture thicker, continue cooking using the Saute function until the mixture is thick (stir often to prevent sticking). Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.

Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• ½ onion (or more, if you like onion)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions

1. Wash cauliflower and pat dry. Separate into smaller, manageable pieces.
2. In a frying pan, melt the coconut oil. Add onion and cook until translucent.
3. Using a cheese grater, grate all of the cauliflower (you could use a food processor).
4. Add the cauliflower to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes (or to taste).

Walnut Chicken

Walnut Chicken

1 T oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
2 whole chicken breasts, skinned and cubed

1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch

dried red pepper
1 med onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut into pieces
1/2 lb. broccoli, cut
1/2 cup chopped walnut
Rice, cooked

Mix 1 T oil, soy sauce and 1 tsp cornstarch in small bowl. Stir in chicken breast. Cover and refrigerate for 3o minutes.

Meanwhile, mix chicken broth, ginger, 3 tsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet. Stir fry refrigerated chicken mixture and dried red pepper over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet. Stir fry onion, garlic, red bell pepper. Cook until onion is tender. Add broccolli. Cook until tender. Add chicken and broth. Cook stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in walnuts.

Serve with rice.

Cafe Rio Chicken and Pork Salad

My sister has made this ans she says that the next one makes a ton. The recipe says it serves 20. I usually make the entire thing and then freeze the left over meat in smaller portion sizes in bags because they make great enchiladas, burritos, and bbq pork sandwiches. You can be creative.

Cafe Rio Chicken or Pork Salad

Chicken
5 lbs chicken breast, boneless & skinless
1 small bottle zesty italian dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients together in a large crock pot. Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Remove chicken and shred with a fork. Reserve a small amount of juice and pour over shredded chicken to keep moist. Keep warm. (I never throw away the juice I just add the chicken back into it once it has been shredded. The chicken seems to soak most of it up)

Pork
Pork Roast
1 bottle of honey bbq sauce
1 T honey
1 liter coke

Place all ingredients in a large crock pot and cook on low all night. In the morning take the roast out leaving the juice in the crock pot, shred the roast. Place shredded roast back in the crock pot with the juice and leave on low.

I found this version for the pork too...sounds like it would be good.

Pork
Night Before:
3 ½ to 4 lb. Pork Roast
2 Tbs Brown sugar
1 to 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
Mix together and rub on pork roast. Put in crock pot on low. Cook all night.

Next morning,
add:1 can coke
1 cup chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped

Keep cooking all day in crock pot on Low.
About an hour before serving, shred roast and add:1 cup brown sugar

Lime Rice
In a sauce pan saute:
2 T butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

In a large pot, bring the following to a boil:
6 2/3 C water
8 tsp chicken bullion
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 small cans diced green chiles
1 T lime juice
1/2 tsp salt

Add onion and garlic to boiling mixture. Add 3 cups long grain rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Pico de Gallo
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Combine ingredients together in a medium bowl

Tomatillo Dressing
1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dry Dressing Mix
1 C buttermilk
1 C mayonaise
1-2 tomatillos, peeled
1/2 - 1 clove garlic, minced
1/2-1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/2 - 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed

Blend ingredients together in a blender. Add additional mayonaise if dressing is too thin. Keep refrigerated.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette Dressing (thank you Jen!)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 c. fresh chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 small jalepeno, seeded & diced
Combine in blender or food processor.

Serve in the following order:
Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Chicken or Pork
Black or Pinto Beans
Lime Rice
Red and Green leaf lettuce, shredded
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole
Fresh cilantro
Parmasan Cheese
Fresh lime slice
Tomatillo dressing

I also made the fried tortilla strips because I like them on top. To make them I just cut them into strips with a pizza cutter and fried them in a little olive oil until they were light brown.