Fried Rice

 

• Gimme Some Oven
  
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• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and black pepper
• 4 cups cooked and chilled rice (I did whole grain Uncle Bens brown rice)
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3–4 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan* over medium-high heat until melted. Add egg, and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Remove egg, and transfer to a separate plate.

I put pre-cooked brown rice in oven on aluminum foil sheet pan, cooked at 425-500 degrees to get the rice crunchy, it took 30-40min.

1. Add an additional 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and heat until melted. Add carrots, onion, peas and garlic, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion and carrots are soft. Increase heat to high, add in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted. Immediately add the rice, green onions, soy sauce and oyster sauce (if using), and stir until combined. Continue sautéing for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice, stirring occasionally.  (I like to let the rice rest for a bit between stirs so that it can crisp up on the bottom.)  Then add in the eggs and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil until combined.  Taste and season with extra soy sauce, if needed.
2. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Creamy Italian Chicken

 Can be made in the crockpot. I've made it both ways on stove top and crockpot

Makes 6 servings-

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 large onion sliced, or 2 small onions
1 packet dry Zesty Italian dressing mix or the dry seasoning below
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth
Serve with rice or pasta

• 1.  Place the chicken in a crockpot, sliced onions, and broth on top. Sprinkle dry Italian dressing mix on top. 
• 2.  Cook on low in the crockpot for at least 4-6 hours. Once chicken is done you can remove it from the crockpot and shred it with two forks or with a mixer. Top with cream cheese. Stir the sauce in the crockpot until the cream cheese is fully combined and then stir in the chicken. If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little more chicken broth or milk. Serve over pasta or rice.

Dry Italian Dressing-  Makes 8 Tablespoons

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons oregano ground or leaves
1 tablespoon parsley dried
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons salt or substitute
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon basil dried
¼ teaspoon thyme dried, ground
½ teaspoon celery dried leaves or flakes

Mix all ingredients together and store in air-tight container. Mix 2-3T in the crockpot with the chicken.
ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING: Mix 2 tbs of this mix with 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tbs water, and 1/2 to 2/3 cup olive oil or canola oil.

PANDA EXPRESS ORANGE CHICKEN (COPYCAT)

Definitely a winner, loved it!!!

Dinner Then Dessert

FOR THE CHICKEN:

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 2 tbsp oil divided, plus more for frying
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup flour
• cook brown rice separately

US Customary - Metric

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 10 tablespoons sugar (I used honey)
• 10 tablespoons white vinegar (didn't use)
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 sliced onion

US Customary - Metric

TO FINISH: (I actually forgot to add this stuff and still tasted wonderful)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger root minced
• 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp hot red chili pepper crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.To coat the chicken add the egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil into a bowl and whisk together in a large bowl.

1. To make the sauce combine the 1 tablespoon cornstarch, rice wine, water, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar and orange zest.
2. In a separate bowl, add 1/2 cup corn starch and flour and mix well.
3. In a large frying pan or a wok, heat oil in a wok 375 degrees.
4. Dip chicken pieces in the egg mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture.
5. Fry the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp.
6. Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining chicken.
7. When you are done with the chicken, saute the onions (tender crisp) in the oil
8. Add the ginger, garlic and crushed red peppers, cooking for about 10 seconds.
9. Add the orange sauce and bring to boil.
10. Turn off the heat, and add cooked chicken and stir until well mixed.

Feeding baby

A persons' and babys' skin is the first responder to a new food. The skin will tell you if the food is ok for the babys inside (stomach and intestines). As long as you dont see redness on the babys cheeks and face- from feeding the baby food,that will show that the food is assimilating well into the baby. If the baby has redness, stop feeding the food for the day. Then the next day start a smaller amount and see how the babys' skin does.

Breakfast- over easy egg
Lunch- brown rice cereal with any side below
Dinner- brown rice cereal with any side below

1.  Over easy egg                  4-5mo, in the morning one small taste from dipping my finger in the                                                     yolk from my egg. Then at 6-7 mo still over easy egg, but mix in the                                                     white part chop it up. Then around 8 months could make scrambled eggs
2.  Brown rice porridge        6 months, I cooked regular brown rice with water, then pureed it with                                                   breastmilk in blender to make it soupy and thin. Started feeding once a                                                   day, then increased it at 7 mo to twice a day
3. Avocado                           4- 6 months, one small taste once a day starting at 4 mo, then smash up                                                  more and slowly increase the amount
4. Banana                             4- 6 months, one small taste once a day starting at 4 mo, then smash up                                                  more and slowly increase the amount
5. Peanut Butter or almond butter
                                              7 months one small taste once a day, then slowly increase the amount
6. pumpkin and sweet potatoes- roast in oven or boil in water, season with salt and pepper
                                             6-7months one small taste once a day, then slowly increase the amount
7. beans and lentils


     I did try store bought white rice powdered fortified baby cereal, but he was pretty fussy within 2 hours and throughout the next day. I went back to the brown rice porridge and that seem to settle him right down.
    I also make a huge batch of the brown rice porridge. 4 c water, 2 c rice bring to boil, cook for 40 min. Then add rice and extra breastmilk to blender and puree till how thick or thin you want it. I freeze them in small portions in mini and regular sized muffin tins. Then after they freeze hard, then I pop them out and put in a ziplock bag. Then they are in individual portions when its time to feed the baby. I microwave for 30 seconds and its ready.

How To Make Congee Rice Porridge

on the stove top The Kitchn  or In a crockpot

Ingredients

1 cup rice — any kind
6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
2 celery stems and onions (chopped and sauteed )
1 (3") piece ginger, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2T chicken boullion
(Optional, for richer congee: leftover cooked chicken wings or bones from a roasted chicken, skin removed)

• When serving add Optional garnishes:
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• -Soy sauce
• -Sesame oil
• -Thinly sliced green onions
• -Wilted greens
• -Soft- or hard-boiled egg
• -Leftover cooked chicken, pork, or beef
• -Fried garlic
• -Fried shallots
• -Pickled vegetables
• -Cubed avocado, lime wedges, cilantro, fish sauce

• Equipment
• Strainer
• 2- to 4-quart saucepan with lid

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice: Place the rice in a large strainer or colander and rinse it under cool water. The water running through the rice will usually look milky at first, but will then become clearer. It's fine if there's still some haze in the water.
2. Combine the rice and cooking liquid in the saucepan. If you're using any chicken bones, add them to the saucepan now. Or cook in a crockpot for 5-8 hours
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and partially cover.
4. Continue simmering for about 1 1/2 hours: Stir the congee occasionally during cooking — this will make it more creamy. If the porridge is getting a little stiff, or if you'd like a looser porridge, add more cooking liquid. The congee is ready when the rice is as soft and porridgy as you prefer.
5. Remove any bones and shred the meat: If you used any chicken bones, pull them out of the congee. Shred the meat and stir it back into the congee.
6. Serve the congee: Ladle the congee into individual bowls and garnish with whatever toppings you like.

Recipe Notes

Leftover congee can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Warm in the microwave or on the stovetop, and stir in a little extra cooking liquid to loosen it up, if needed.

LENTILS WITH SPINACH OVER RICE

Doctor Yum

INGREDIENTS

2 cups brown rice, cooked according to packaging (I actually prefer it on a sweet potato, not rice)

1 tablespoon coconut oil (substitute olive oil)

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic

½ tomato, diced (large)

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon chili powder (less for baby food option) (I didn't add)

1 cup lentils (red), rinsed with cold water (I only had brown)

2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped (finer chop for baby food) (I didn't add)

⅔ cup culinary coconut milk (not coconut milk beverage) (I didn't add, but I did add water)

½ teaspoon salt

dash black pepper

chicken 1/4-1/2t boullion

sweet potato

METHOD

I sauteed onions, then added lentils, tomatoes, turmeric, curry, 1/2c water, boullion, salt and pepper cooked for 10 mintutes.  I ate the lentil mixture on top of a sweet potato, it was so delicious!!!

Cook rice while preparing lentils. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Cook onions until soft, about 3-4 minutes, add garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add tomato and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add curry powder, turmeric and chili powder and mix. Add lentils and enough water to cover lentils by ½ inch. Cook for 5-8 minutes until lentils are soft. Add spinach and coconut milk and simmer another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and add more to taste. Serve over brown rice.

BABYFOOD OPTION:

When I was a child, I spent many summers in my parents' native country of Sri Lanka, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. I have watched my cousins and family friends feeding babies and noticed that people generally do not buy baby food in Sri Lanka. Instead, babies are offered an array foods like nutritious meat and vegetable curries, spiced mildly, with rice (which is usually started at about one year of life). One common early finger food is rice mixed with lentils or other meats and vegetables and shaped into small sticky balls. These little rice balls can be easily fed to babies by hand or given to babies to feed themselves. (see picture and recipe below for “Rice Balls with Lentils”). Take about a cup of cooked brown rice. Add a teaspoon of the lentil spinach mixture and mix with your hand. Add more lentils by the teaspoon and keep mashing until you can form the mixture into ¾ inch balls. This can make a great school lunch for slightly older kids, too!

Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggie Stirfry

GimmeSomeOven

Ingredients-
1.25 lbs of chicken cut in slices or pieces
1 to 3- red, yellow, orange bell peppers sliced
1 onion sliced
Optional-(1/2lb asparagus, 3 c broccoli, 2 c brussel sprouts)

Season with Teriyaki sauce or Mexican Seasonings-
1. Teriyaki Stir-fry sauce (or Buy Kikkoman Stir-fry Sauce)
1/3c soy sauce
3 T rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 T oyster sauce (I used fish sauce)
1t pepper
1t garlic powder
1 t sesame oil (didn't have)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger


Heat oven 425. Spray baking sheet.
combine chicken and stir-fry sauce and let it refrigerate or marinate for 8 hours if desired.
Cut veggies right before cooking and pour marinade on them.
Cook 14-16min
Serve with rice or roll up in a tortilla

Serve with Spanish Rice and Guacamole or Serve Avocado-Cilantro Sauce:

Sticky Sesame Chicken

Crumb
Amys review- the sauce was really thicker than I liked and thats what she said on her webpage they like thick sauce. I was hoping for a lighter flavor in the sauce. Next time I'll try a sweet and sour sauce instead, but my family all liked it.

The Chicken

• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1.5 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1T fish sauce
• sesame seeds
• 3-4 cups cooked white rice
• optional: fresh green onions, chopped

for the sauce

• 2/3 c honey
• 1/2c ketchup
• 1/4 c sugar
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/4 c(+1T) soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon cold water + 4 tablespoons corn starch

1. Whisk all sauce ingredients together, set aside.
2. Place beaten egg, 3 tablespoons corn starch, and flour in three separate bowls. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then flour (toss to coat), and lastly in corn starch (toss to coat). Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan or skillet. Add chicken and cook, stirring throughout to ensure even cooking, 5-10 minutes until cooked though.
3. Add sauce to your skillet and bring to a boil. Whisk cold water and 2 tablespoons corn starch together in a small bowl until corn starch is dissolved. Add corn starch mixture to skillet. Stir until sauce thickens. Serve over rice and top with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

Next time just bake all the dipped and coated chicken in the oven, I think it'd be alot faster and easier.

Mexican Haystacks

D*Delicious and BrightBlueKitchen
Serves 6

1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 c rice*
1 can tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp chicken base
1 1/2 c water
1/4 tsp (ish) cumin
1/4 t chili powdersalt & pepper to taste
fresh cilantro (optional - I didn't have any)
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup frozen peas


*It called for basmati.  I used long grain, since that's all I had.  I'm sure it'd be great with basmati.

Cook it all in one pan!!!

Heat olive oil in a large skillet (that has a lid!) & saute onions.  Add garlic toward the end so it doesn't scorch.  When onions are translucent, stir in rice until toasted (just a couple minutes).  Add everything else except cilantro.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat TO LOW & simmer until rice is cooked.  BE CAREFUL not to let it go too long.  This said 13-16 mins, but I would maybe check after 10. 

Serve on top-
black beans, fresh tomatoes, cheese, "guac" which turned out to just be packaged smashed avocados, sour cream, & crunched up tortilla chips.  Salsa would be good,

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat and sliced very thin against the grain
3 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
1 pound broccoli florets
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup oyster sauce (or fish sauce)
Salt as needed (use sparingly)
Chow Mein, for serving 

In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Pour half the liquid over the sliced meat in a bowl and toss with your hands. Reserve the other half of the liquid and set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add the broccoli and stir for a minute. Remove to a plate.
Allow the skillet to get very hot again. With tongs, add the meat in a single layer. Spread out the meat as you add it to skillet, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn the meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.
Pour the reserved sauce into the skillet along with the beef broth and oyster sauce. Cook over high heat until it starts to thicken. Add the beef and broccoli back into the skillet and toss to coat. Season with salt if needed
Serve over Chow Mein or  Goes really well with Fried Rice

Our Best Bites Fried Rice

Fried Rice
Recipe by Our Best Bites, 

adapted from Disneyworld’s Ohana Restaurant

2 c. white rice + 4 c. water (OR 4 c. cold, leftover rice, which is actually better)
3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. minced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped mushrooms (optional)
8 oz. (1/2 bag) of coleslaw mix
3-4 generous Tbsp. soy sauce

SEASONING:
1 Tbsp. dried onion
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. celery salt
1 ½ tsp. sugar

Boil water and add rice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. This step can be done even up to 2-3 days in advance (and for some reason, fried rice tastes better when the rice is cold). Heat butter over medium heat and saute onions, carrots, and cabbage until carrots are tender. Add cooked rice, soy sauce, and seasoning to taste (you won’t even come close to using all of it; save the rest for future fried rice or use as you would seasoning salt.)

OPTIONAL ADD-INS:

–Peas, snap peas, or pea pods
–Ham
–Shrimp
–Leftover Fauxtisserie Chicken

Serves well with Beef and Broccoli Stirfry

Noodle salad Runners high and peanut sauce

Noodle salad - salad similar to Aisan Noodle Salad
1 T salt
1 head shredded or diced broccoli
1 pkg (8-10oz) soba noodles or whole wheat noodles or brown rice
1 T toasted sesame oil (or olive or coconut oil)
1 T soy sauce
1 sliced red or yellow bell pepper
1/2c chopped cilantro leaves
4-5 sliced scallions
2 large shredded/sliced carrots
1/2 head of sliced red cabbage
1/2c chopped peanuts or any nut

Bring 1 large pot of water to boil add salt, add broccoli and cabbage for 2 min.  Remove veggies and submerge in ice cold water to stop them cooking. Set aside. Same pot of water cook the noodles. After cooked, Toss noodles with oil and soy sauce.

Arrange all veggies in a separate bowl

Peanut Sauce
1 T coconut oil
1 diced yellow onion
1/2t salt
3 cloves garlic
1 can (13oz) coconut milk
1/2c peanut butter
1 T soy sauce
1T coconut sugar or honey, or sugar
1/2-1 red pepper flakes
1 T lime juice
1/4c chopped peanuts

In saucepan heat oil up, then add onion and salt about 5 min. Add garlic and stir for 1 min
Add coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring to simmer and stir occasionally, keep uncovered. Using an immersion blender or regular blender to blend till smooth.
To serve- fill bowl with noodles, layer with the salad ingredients, then top with peanut sauce.

Teriyaki Grilled Chicken and Veggie Rice Bowls

Cooking Classy

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp minced ginger
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
Chicken, veggies and rice
• 3 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing grill
• 1 1/2 lbs bonless skinless chicken breasts
• Ground black pepper
• 1 medium zucchini, diced into half moons and quartered (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots
• 2 1/2 cups small diced broccoli florets
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups white or brown rice, cooked according to directions on package (I prefer short grain brown rice)
• Sesame seeds, optional

Directions

• For the teriyaki sauce:
• In a small saucepan whisk together low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp of the water, the brown sugar, honey, garlic, ginger and rice vinegar. Bring mixture to a light boil over medium-high heat. Whisk together cornstarch with remaining 2 Tbsp water, then add to sauce mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat slightly and allow to boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, set aside.
• For the chicken:
• Brush both sides of chicken with 1 1/2 Tbsp of the olive oil and season pepper (you won't need salt since the teriyaki sauce is plenty salty). Preheat a grill over medium-high heat (to about 425 - 450 degrees). Brush grill grates lightly with oil then grill chicken until center registers 160 - 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and let rest 5 minutes then dice into cubes.
• For the veggies:
• Heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, broccoli and carrots and saute 4 - 5 minutes until crisp tender.
• To assemble bowls:
• Layer rice into 4 bowls then top each with 1/4 of the chicken and 1/4 of the veggies. Drizzle desired amount of teriyaki sauce over tops (you'll have extra left over - use it for chicken or salmon the next day), sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm.
• Recipe source: Cooking Classy (teriyaki sauce adapted from my salmon recipe)