Cheating on Dinner

You may get the idea if you read my blog regularly that Adam and I make nearly all of our meals from scratch using fresh vegetables and wholesome staples. While that would certainly be ideal, that's hardly our every-evening routine.

I must admit, I don't post too many recipes which use prepared ingredients, because ... well, that feels like cheating to me. "Real" cooking should be done with fresh whole foods. But, when actual reality interferes with the notions I hold in my head (which, incidentally, is all too regular an occurrence), I do use frozen veggies, jarred sauces, and other culinary shortcuts.

This evening was one of those days. So, I made one of our old stand-by dinners. For the rest of you who live in the real world, and don't have the time, energy, or inclination for "real" cooking, let me share my cheat-sheet.

Chicken Fried Rice

• several T peanut oil (or olive, canola, vegetable, whatever ... even butter works in a pinch)
• ½ lb frozen peas and carrots or mixed vegetables
• ½ lb chicken, cooked and diced (I used a frozen chicken breast, defrosted and cooked in the microwave)
• Some salt
• Some pepper
• Some Chinese 5-spice powder (or, if we're out of that, plain cinnamon works, too)
• 1 egg
• Soy sauce
• 3 c cooked rice

1. In a large pan, heat oil over medium high.
2. Add frozen veggies and cook until they start to look appealing.
3. Add diced chicken, season to taste (usually 3-4 shakes each of salt and pepper and a few good sprinkles of 5-spice powder is good for us), and mix well.
4. Clear a space in the center of your pan, adding a little more oil if needed. Crack egg and stir quickly, avoiding the chicken and veggies as much as possible (a few will get mixed in, but that's okay).
5. Once the egg is cooked through, mix everything in the pan together with a few squirts of soy sauce and the rice.
6. Once everything is all mixed up, turn off the heat and serve with additional soy sauce.

Notes: You can substitute pork for the chicken to make pork fried rice, or leave the meat out entirely for veggie fried rice. I usually add a second egg if I'm going the veggie route.