More Cinderella Leftovers!

One of the first couple of dishes I learned to cook while I was living in California my sophomore year of high school was fried rice. When I went back to Alabama to finish my last two years of high school, I made a big dinner for my family - - my Granny and Grandpa were there, and so was my Aunt, Uncle, cousins, my Dad, my brother, and my sister. I decided to show off my new cooking skills and make pepper steak and fried rice. It was a hit because they ate every single morsel and then asked for more! I had to make two batches of everything! I was so happy that I made something everybody enjoyed.

I rarely make pepper steak anymore (although I have included the recipe here), but I have continued to make fried rice regularly over the years. The kids loved it when they were growing up, and it was a great way to use up leftovers. If I was making a pot of rice as part of dinner, I always made extra so that we could have fried rice the next day. Another Cinderella Leftovers day!

Fried Rice

2 Cups Cooked and Cooled Long Grain or Jasmine White Rice (Leftover rice from the night before is perfect)

3-4 Eggs

1 Small Onion, Chopped

Canola or Vegetable Oil

Soy Sauce

Garlic Salt

Ground Black Pepper

Frozen Peas and Carrots (or whatever leftover veggies you have)

1-2 Cups Chopped, Cooked Meat (pork, chicken, ham, bacon, sausage, beef, etc.)

In a large frying pan or wok pan, heat 2 Tbsp of the oil over medium heat. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs as if you are making scrambled eggs. When the oil is hot, pour the eggs into the oil and do a soft or “wet” scramble. The eggs should be scrambled almost all the way, but still a bit wet. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside. Add a little more oil to the pan (about another tablespoon or so) and add the chopped onions. Cook the onions until they are translucent, then add the rice, mixing well and stirring frequently. The rice should be well separated and start to brown a bit. When the rice starts to brown, sprinkle with a little garlic salt and black pepper. Mix well. Add a few sprinkles of the soy sauce and mix thoroughly. The soy sauce will add flavor, salt, and color. Let the rice cook for a few minutes, then taste it. If you want more garlic salt, add now. If you want a darker color and more flavor, add more soy sauce, but just a little at a time, and mixing thoroughly after each addition.

One thing you DO NOT WANT is wet or soggy rice, so be light-handed when adding wet ingredients. Now add the frozen or leftover veggies and the chopped meat, again mixing thoroughly. Let it cook for a few minutes for the veggies and meat to get hot but stir to make sure the rice does not stick or burn. While the rice is finishing, use a sharp knife to slice the soft/wet scrambled eggs into slivers or diced pieces. Add the eggs to the rice and mix thoroughly. The eggs will now finish cooking in the hot rice. When the eggs are cooked, the rice is done. Taste the rice to see of you want to add anything else (more garlic, more salt, more soy sauce, pepper, etc.) Add as you like but remember to mix thoroughly and cook out any excess liquid.

Pepper Steak

1-2 Lbs Bottom Round or Flank Steak (sliced into strips lengthwise)

Cornstarch

Salt and Pepper

2 Large Tomatoes, Diced

2 Medium Green and Red Bell Peppers, cleaned and sliced into strips

1 Tsp. Minced Garlic

½ Cup Soy Sauce

¼ Cup Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine)

½ Tsp Ground Ginger

2 Tbsp Honey

½ Tsp Black Pepper

Dried Red Pepper Flakes

2 TBSP Cooking Oil (Sesame Oil or Peanut Oil adds a lot of flavor)

In a large frying pan or wok pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, mix the raw, sliced beef with salt, pepper, and cornstarch, coating thoroughly. Add the meat to the hot oil in the pan and stir fry until meat is about half-way done. Add the diced tomatoes, sliced green bell peppers, and garlic. Mix well and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Add the soy sauce, sweet rice wine, honey, black pepper, and a good pinch of the red pepper flakes. Mix all the ingredients well and continue to cook until the broth is thickened and meat is done (this should only take a few minutes). Serve hot over white rice.