Thursday, December 13, 2007

Fried Rice

I don't know how fried rice is made in a restaurant - I don't even eat the stuff. But as I was making dinner last night, I had a little pinch of inspiration. Maybe you'll get one tonight.

I had 2 hamburger patties and 2 small chicken breasts in the freezer, so I defrosted them, and cooked them in a stainless steel skillet (first the hamburgers, then the chicken - in just a little olive oil). When I was done, there was all that lovely flavoring in the bottom of the skillet. I had opened the fridge at some point and noticed the last of that brown rice from a few days ago. Hmmm... So I put that bit of brown rice in the skillet, and added some of the mixed veggies from dinner (carrots, corn, peas, and green beans), and stirred it around until it got nice and hot and released some of those flavor bits off the bottom. I added some of the chicken. It was so good!

I think I will let inspiration pinch me more often.

5 comments:

Melanie said...

That is exactly how I love to cook! I love to look in my fridge, see what I have and make something up. Sometimes it's just ok and other times it's so good I have to make a recipe out of it! That is the joy of cooking!

Cassandra said...

It really is a good way to cook - often healthy, and uses up things that might otherwise go in the trash. I never took home ec, but I often cooked and baked with my mother. Unfortunately, my dad has always been so picky about food, that mom couldn't get away with much experimenting, lol.

Tamara said...

We make fried rice a lot. Once you get in the habit, all the leftovers in your fridge look like the makings for fried rice! It was a big leap for me as I am one who feels the need to follow recipes, but this way is much more frugal!

Grandma said...

She has hit the big time. She has now become a cook or is it a chef? Cooking is not just about following a recipe and putting particular flavors together. Strange things can be very good. I grew up eating "refrigerator stew". Clear out the left overs and you will get some exciting dishes. You will learn what things don't go together (we all have a few). Unless it is green and fuzzy don't throw it away. Add something that will compliment it. If you haven't experimented with this, add something you know your family likes.

Cassandra said...

Thanks, Mom.