Easy Leftover Fried Rice

I don't make much of anything out of a box. I don't necessarily have anything against it, but I prefer to make things from scratch.

Now for anyone that may read this that doesn't know, my wife is a big couponer. She's actually known as the CT coupon lady and because of this, she's able to score some incredible deals and sometimes those deals are for boxed foods.

So, though I don't use them often, there are times when she gets something that's just too good to ignore. When that happens I try to come up with a different way to use whatever it happens to be.

That's what led to this post. She had coupons that allowed her to get Rice-A-Roni for well under a dollar a box.  I'm not a huge Rice-A-Roni fan, but I don't mind it.  I just really don't like using it straight out of the box.

Tonight, we had the results of that - fried rice.  Now, Rice-A-Roni actually has a fried rice flavor. It may be really good - I have no idea because I've never tried it. I wanted to do my own thing with it and in the process use up some of the leftovers in the refrigerator.

This is a great way to get rid of those leftovers - for us, it was leftover chicken.  We didn't have any leftover vegetables, but we DID have plenty from the farmer's market this weekend.

It was a HUGE hit (my son had three servings that I saw - and probably more) and was actually pretty easy to make.

Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked rice, leftover or refrigerated for at least 2 hours*
• 3 beaten eggs
• 2 tbsp canola or other neutral oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped leftover meat or tofu
• 1 cup carrots chopped into small pieces (about 2 medium)**
• 1 cup fresh peas**
• 5 scallions, sliced thin**
• 1 leek, sliced thin**
• 8 oz asparagus tips, cut thin**
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

NOTES: 

*I used 2 boxes of chicken Rice-A-Roni that I cooked earlier in the day. I prepared it according to the boxed directions except instead of water I used a Thai-flavored chicken broth.  Feel free to try this or any other kind of rice you'd like.  The one suggestion I have is to NOT use a sticky rice - the drier the better (this is the reason it says to have it refrigerated for at least two hours). If the rice is too moist, the dish could turn into mush.

**These are the vegetables I used - feel free to use any that you like or have on hand.

Directions

1. Break up large clumps of rice, separate the grains and set aside. I find this is easiest to do with wet fingers
2. Preheat a wok or skillet over high heat for about 1 minute. Pour in one tbsp oil and heat until it starts to shimmer

   

   Carrots, leeks, scallions and asparagus

3. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, leeks, scallions and asparagus. Cook until tender (about two to three minutes)
4. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds 
5. Move all the ingredients to one side of the wok. Break the eggs into the wok, and stir to scramble until they are almost cooked through but still a little soggy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes
6. Remove everything from the wok and set aside
7. Add remaining oil and heat until it starts to shimmer
8. Add the meat and cook until just heated through

   

   Add the rice to the oil and mix well

9. Add the rice, and mix well. Use your spatula to break up any clumps
10. Add the soy sauce, ground ginger and salt and pepper to taste

    

    Add the vegetable mixture and stir well

11. Add the carrot/leek/scallion/asparagus mixture and stir well
12. Mix everything well and continue stirring until the rice is heated through (3 - 4 minutes). Add more oil if the rice begins to stick to the wok; reduce the heat if it starts to scorch

    

    Add the fresh peas then stir well

13. Add fresh peas and mix well
14. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste

    

    All mixed together and ready to serve

15. Remove from heat and serve immediately