Cooking for the Lazy: Fried Rice

I don't know about you, but when dinner time rolls around, if I had a choice, I would always dine out. It's just easier when you don't have to be a slave in your own kitchen, don't have to worry about cleaning up the mess you've made, and don't have to wait to eat when you're already starving. However, eating out all the time isn't ideal for a variety of reasons. So if you're like me and have no choice but to cook at least a few times a week, let me help you out. Cooking doesn't always have to be a chore if you can find ways to keep it simple. By trying things out, I have found a few easy recipes to share with you. The first of these is for fried rice that serves up to 4-5 people.

Ingredients:

-2 cups of rice

-6 oz of Spam

-3 large eggs

-½ lb already cooked baby shrimp (found in the seafood or frozen food section)

-12 oz bag of frozen vegetables (I prefer the combo of carrots, pea, corn, and green beans and like to use the Birds Eye brand of "Steamfresh Frozen Veggies" that can be steamed right from the bag.)

-Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), salt, pepper, garlic powder, and soy sauce (I like to use Kikkoman's Tempura Dipping Sauce)

Cooking Procedure:

1. Cook the rice. Use 4 cups of water to 2 cups of rice. (Tip: for more perfectly cooked, non-mushy rice, use slightly less water and/or slightly more rice.) This can easily be done in a rice cooker, if you have one, or in a pot over the stovetop. If doing it over the stovetop, first, with the rice in the water, bring the pot to a boil. Then cover and let it simmer for approximately 20 minutes. (When you first put the lid on, monitor the pot for any potential spillovers.)

2. Brown the shrimp in a pan with 1 tablespoon of the EVOO. Yes, the shrimp is already pre-cooked, but I like to add a little more flavor and color. Set aside in a plate or bowl when done.

3. In the same pan, grill the Spam. You can either slice the Spam into 4 and then grill them on each side for a couple of minutes before further dicing them up, or you can dice the Spam up into tiny pieces and then grill them that way. Note: no EVOO is needed as the spam already has its own grease to cook in. Set aside along with the shrimp when done.

4. In the same pan, scramble the eggs. You can crack them into a bowl first and mix them up before putting them into the pan or you can crack them directly into the pan and mix them up in there. However you prefer it, it doesn't matter. Set aside along with the Spam and shrimp when done.

5. Microwave the frozen veggies as directed by the bag if you got the Birds Eye brand of "Steamfresh" veggies. If you got a different brand, follow the directions on there to prepare your veggies.

6. With 1 tablespoon of EVOO, fry the rice in the pan. Add in the veggies, Spam, eggs, and shrimp.

7. Season the fried rice with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. I prefer using Kikkoman's Tempura Dipping Sauce, but any soy sauce will do.

8. Stir the fried rice around until it's golden brown as desired. Tip: let the fried rice sit for a few minutes before mixing it around to give it a crispier texture.

9. Voila, now you have fried rice! Serve and enjoy!

If you like this recipe and found it to be useful, keep an eye out for future Cooking for the Lazy articles on such dishes as lasagna, tacos, and stir fry. And remember, cooking doesn't always have to be a chore. Try and create some easy recipes on your own using simpler techniques and less ingredients!