Fried Rice

I've tried a lot of fried rice recipes over the years, trying to find one that is a copycat for the fried rice you get from a place like Panda Express or your local Chinese restaurant.  I never really found something that tasted right and was therefore worth making at home.  Until now.  This recipe, to me, is almost identical in flavor to restaurant fried rice!  My husband and daughter, who both always order fried rice, agreed and gave this two thumbs up.

Some key things to remember: you get a better result when you use day-old cooked rice (though you certainly don't HAVE to wait that long) and when you don't cook your rice too soft or sticky.  A good rule of thumb is to use one cup of water for every cup of rice.  So 2 cups of rice + 2 cups of water should yield the 4 cups of cooked rice needed for this recipe.

FRIED RICE
slightly adapted from Kittencal's Best Chinese Fried Rice With Egg

3 eggs
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
4 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium) + more, to taste
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 green onions, chopped (optional)

In a small bowl, beat the eggs with water.  Melt the butter in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Pour in the eggs and leave flat for about 2 minutes or until cooked through; remove to a plate and chop. 

Heat the vegetable oil in the same skillet and add onion and peas and carrots; saute until onion is softened and peas and carrots are cooked through - about 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add rice.

Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil evenly over rice mixture and stir or toss over heat for about 5 minutes; add more soy sauce, if needed, to taste.  Mix in pepper, chopped eggs, and green onions, if using.  Serve hot.

Eggs Benedict Casserole

I made this casserole to bring to a brunch our family attended earlier in the month.  I like it because it's different from the usual egg casseroles I make.  The Hollandaise sauce totally makes it.  The hardest part of this recipe is finding Canadian bacon!  I finally found some in the lunch meat section of my local grocery store, next to the pepperoni. 

The Hollandaise sauce would also be delicious over veggies like asparagus or broccoli.  Yum!

EGGS BENEDICT CASSEROLE
from SusieDavis.org

6 English muffins, cubed
10-12 oz. Canadian bacon, diced
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. onion powder

Hollandaise sauce:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Spread the cubed English muffins and diced Canadian bacon evenly in a 9x13 baking dish.  In a large bowl, beat the 8 eggs, then whisk in the milk and onion powder.  Pour over the muffins and bacon.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove dish from refrigerator and let casserole come to room temp (about 20 minutes or so).  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake, covered for 35 minutes.  Remove cover and bake another 15-20 minutes or until center is set.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

While casserole is baking, prepare the Hollandaise sauce:

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and let cool slightly.  Whisk in beaten eggs, then whisk in cream and lemon juice until smooth.  Heat the mixture in the microwave on HIGH for 1-2 minutes, beating after every 20 seconds until the mixture thickens.*  Stir in Dijon mustard.  Serve with casserole.


*I have a pathetic 700 watt microwave.  It took me more like 3 minutes to get my sauce to thicken.  Just keep this in mind if you also have a wimpy microwave.

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

This is a Christmas morning tradition in our household. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, Cindy. It calls for hashbrowns and honestly I prefer the shredded variety, but the diced kind (Southern style) work as well. You can use left over ham, bacon, or sausage. I don't use onions and green peppers because I have digestive issues with those two things, but I will add a Tbsp. or two of minced dried onion instead.

You can make this up the night before, refrigerate it, then bake it in the morning. If you do so, let it stand at room temp at least 15 minutes before baking.

HASHBROWN BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

12 large eggs
16 0z. frozen hashbrowns, thawed
1/2 - 1 lb. diced ham or bacon, or breakfast sausage
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Saute onion and pepper with chosen meat until tender (and meat is cooked through).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir in meat and veggie mixture, hashbrowns, and cheese. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes or until center is firm and edges are lightly browned.