True Homemade Cherry Crumb Pie.....

When was the last time you had an honest-to-goodness piece of homemade cherry crumb pie?  If you think you've had it at any chain restaurant,  think again.  My friend Kandace was kind enough to invite me to her back yard to pick from her beautiful sour cherry tree.  What a treat!  After arriving home from picking, I got busy.   After a thorough rinsing,  I tried using a "cherry pitter," but quickly learned that it was much quicker and easier to simply use my thumb nail to remove the pit.  Also, I decided to cook the fruit with the sugar and flour on the stove to cut baking time in half.  I absolutely adore crumb topping.  It is such a treat to have a little crunch on top of the deliciously sweet cherry filling.  Of course, you must top with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or my favorite, a healthy scoop of real vanilla ice cream.   I love Breyer's Natural Vanilla.   There are only 5 ingredients listed.    Enjoy this recipe made with real  ingredients.  Try comparing to a store bought pie ingredient list, you will be amazed!  You will find the recipe for real butter crust below.  Enjoy!!

Homemade Cherry Crumb Pie

For the filling:
4 cups pitted sour cherries
¼ cup flour
1 cup sugar

For the crumb topping:
½ cup flour
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons softened butter

One single pie crust, recipe below

1) In a large sauce pan, add cherries, sugar, and flour. Mix well. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a bubble, allow to bubble for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.
2) Preheat oven to 375’. In small mixing bowl, add all crumb topping ingredients. Blend together with fingers until you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside.
3) Prepare pie crust and put into 9” pie plate. Flute edges. Pour in warm cooked cherry filling. Sprinkle crumb mixture over filling. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until crust is nicely brown.

**tip**I bake pies on a piece of foil to catch any potential drippings from messing up my oven.  Cut a large enough piece to fit under the pie and curl up the edges.

Best Butter Pie Crust....

Butter Pie Crust

(single)

1 ¼ cup flour
6 T. cold butter, cut into ½” pieces
½ t. salt
5-7 T. ice water

In a large bowl, mix flour and salt;  add cubed chilled butter. With a pastry blender, incorporate butter into flour. This will take a few minutes, it should resemble cornmeal. One tablespoon at a time, add the water. Mix using a fork. Once most of the flour seems to be moist, use your hands to bring together into a ball of dough, you may need to knead about 4-5 times. You do not want to over handle the dough as this will create too much gluten and warm the butter, it will yield a tough result.   You may refrigerate for up to an hour or immediately roll out on floured surface, trying not to "stretch" the dough.  Roll out from the center to make a large enough circle for the pie plate to sit in the middle with at least 1 1/2" past the outer edge of the plate.  Flute the edges with your fingers.

Cook Once, Eat Twice....

I put this together busy people who might want to cook once and save a bit for later.  What's not to love about tacos and burritos?  Enjoy tacos and rice for your first simple meal.  Freeze the extra meat and rice for burritos later.  As for "taco" seasoning, no need to buy those little salty packages anymore.  This seasoning combination is perfect and delicious!  Serve hot burritos over crisp romaine lettuce and tomatoes, top with salsa, guacamole and sour cream if you like.

Turkey or Beef Taco Meat

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic
2 lbs. ground turkey, or half Trader Joe's meatless meatballs and turkey, it's an excellent combo!
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup water

1) Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat and add onion, cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute. Add turkey and cook through.
2) Add chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add water. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. Serve half of meat for tacos. Cool the rest of the taco meat and put into a heavy duty zip bag, label, date, and freeze.

Spanish Rice

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 cup brown rice
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 1/4  cups water
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1) In a medium sauce pan with a lid, add oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion, cook for about 4 minutes, add garlic, cook one minute. Add rice, cook a few minutes, stirring often. Add ketchup, chili powder, salt, and pepper, mix well. Add water. Bring to a bubble and cover with a lid. Adjust heat to low and cook for 35 minutes, remove from heat, leave covered for another 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro.  Serve half, allow to cool, put into a heavy duty zip bag, label, date, and freeze.

Turkey or beef burritos

1 lb. prepared taco meat, defrosted and heated
2 cups prepared Spanish rice, defrosted and heated
1 15 oz. can vegetarian refried beans
¼ cup low fat plain yogurt or sour cream
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 large flour tortillas (12”)

1) In a small bowl, mix refried beans with yogurt.
2) Place large tortilla in front of you, smear a scoop of refried beans over lower half of tortilla, keeping 1”
away from edges. Add ½ cup rice, about 2 oz. taco meat, and about an ounce of cheese. Start from the bottom fold burrito up once, fold sides in and roll through the end of the tortilla. Cover and microwave 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Allow to stand for a couple of minutes before serving. Enjoy with salsa. These can be individually wrapped and frozen.  Makes 8 large burritos.

Me...a Runner.....

Ahhhh, yeah, right.  Those two words do not belong in Angie Montroy's vocabulary! 

Hold on for a second.  I'm so completely tired of having to "go" to the gym.  Such a process.  I need to do something that is less time consuming.  I've been walk/running.  Believe me, more walking than "running."  And saying running makes me laugh!!  When you think of running, don't you think of someone running at a pretty good clip?  Well.  Not me. 

Good effort, though, right?  In addition, I feel so good.  They say that just 30 minutes a day of walking is all you need.  So, Moms out there, you are extremely important!  Take a little time for yourself.

We all need to take care of ourselves.  Exercise is just as important as a good diet.  I'm not talking "dieting," I just mean simply eating well, at least 80% of the time.

The recipes I share are intended for just that.  I offer some very nice simple, delicous, and easy to follow recipes.   For that other 20% of the time, I have many delicious suggestions for that as well!  I only use REAL INGREDIENTS.  Enjoy peanut butter chocolate chip bars, or pumpkin squares with cream cheese frosting.

I hope you all are enjoying your summer.  Such a great time of the year to celebrate, get our hands in the dirt, and of course, cook and eat outside.

I have many more recipes to share to make entertaining and dinner time easy.  Some of the best things I make are the simplest!

Look forward to a wonderful pulled pork recipe and endless salad recipes that are out of the ordinary.  Last but not least, desserts and baking.

Have a blessed day.
Angie

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting.....

Last fall, I took a cake decorating class.  They actually called frosting made with shortening "buttercream." Call me crazy, but don't you think if it's called buttercream it should contain butter?    Anyway, they used this fabulous Wilton Meringue Powder for stability.  It is especially needed in frosting where you are using actual "butter."  You can buy it at Michael's Craft Store.  I don't give an exact liquid amount in frosting recipes because humidity can affect how much you need.  I recommend adding some liquid initially and then adding more, small amounts at a time to get it to the right spreading consistency.  You will get really good at this with practice, I promise!

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
3 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup canola oil

1) Preheat oven to 350’. You will need pans for 18 cupcakes. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners and spray papers with cooking spray. In medium size mixing bowl, mix flour through salt.
2) In small bowl, mash bananas very well, add oil and eggs.
3) Make a well in dry ingredients and all at once dump wet into dry. Mix until just blended and fill each prepared cup 2/3 full. Bake 15-18 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean.
4) Cool completely.

Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
¼ cup Hershey’s cocoa, or your favorite cocoa powder
¼ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons milk + more

1) In a medium size mixing bowl, beat softened butter with an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar, meringue powder, cocoa, vanilla, and milk. Turn on mixer to the lowest speed and gently move around the bowl. If too thick add milk, a teaspoon at a time to get it to the best spreading consistency. Be careful not to add too much, it will run off your cupcakes. Stop between additions and test a bit with a knife. (good time to taste too)

2) Frost cupcakes. Store in airtight container if you have any left!

Give and You Shall Receive.....

I believe this to be very true, even with nature.  I've been feeding birds, planting specific flowers for hummingbirds, and putting out hummingbird nectar for years.  I've had some most interesting experiences this summer with the little hummers.  Read more about hummingbirds.

I've determined that hummingbirds bathe on large leaves..for the second time I witnessed a hummingbird taking a bath on my lilac leaves in the sprinkler, an amazing sight!  She waited on a leaf until the sprinkler came around and then fluttered about so happily I could hardly contain myself!

Last night I was reading a current issue of Birds and Bloom magazine and there was an article about the fact that hummingbirds spend 80% of their day perched.  They suggested  putting out wire hangers for them because they're just the right size for their tiny little feet.  That being said, this morning I was fiddling with a wire hanger in one hand and the feeder in another.  While doing this I heard a huge "buzz," yes, the female ruby throated hummingbird was wanting a sip of nectar and couldn't be bothered with the fact that I was making improvements to her feeder!  She was 6" from me.  I held my breath to take in the moment.  Here I was, basically eye to eye with a beautiful hummingbird!  She hovered face to face with me for about 20 seconds.  She took a few sips and I swear she was wanting to land on my arm!  OMG!  That was the coolest thing ever!

I implore you to do something for nature.  Give back.  I know we give back in so many ways, but don't we take nature for granted?  All the lovely birds and creatures out there are such gifts.  These tiny creatures are counting on me to help raise their young.  Why not put out a feeder and see what happens?  They're not expensive, you can pick a feeder and instant nectar at a Home Depot or Menard's for around $15. 

My back yard is truly an oasis.  I feel truly connected with nature.  I'm still amazed that the beautiful little creatures make it to such an urban part of the state!  They come all the way from Mexico and South America...that in itself is a miracle.

Take a moment to enjoy the gorgeous flowers, trees, and singing birds.  It's good for the soul.

Have a blessed day.

Angie

Bean Salad with Fresh Herbs....

This is an outstanding salad to serve at barbeques and picnics!  Easy to prepare, fresh, and not full of mayonnaise.  It literally goes together in a matter of minutes.  The many different beans used make for a colorful and healthy salad.  Use fresh herbs out of your garden.

No fresh herbs?  You can add dried parsley, basil, and fresh red onion.

Bean Salad with Fresh Herbs
1 15 oz. can each:
Black beans
Great northern beans
Dark red kidney beans
Light red kidney beans
White kidney beans or Cannelli beans
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves, rolled tight and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder
¼ teaspoon granulated onion powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or a couple of pinches of table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1) Drain all canned beans into a large colander and rinse. Drain thoroughly. Add parsley, basil, and chives.
2) Drizzle with olive oil and gently mix until beans are coated. Sprinkle beans with garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix gently. Add vinegar and gently mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Makes about 10 one half cup servings.

**The reason for adding the oil first and coating, is that it will make the seasonings all cling to the ingredients in the salad before adding vinegar.

Happy Father's Day!

To all Dads out there, I hope you have a great day!  Hope you enjoy good company and delicious food on your special day!

Angie

"UFO".....Unidentified Food Object....

Any idea what these are?  A green tomato?  But what is the husk like stuff around them?  They are farmed and sold and are about the size of a clementine.  They are also harvested in the wild.  The ones found in the wild are about the size of a large cherry.

Any idea?  Have you ever eaten a "green salsa?"  If you have, you're already enjoyed the tomatillo.  It is also referred to as a Mexican tomato.  Pronounced (toe-ma-tee-oh)  They taste nothing like a tomato, yet the insides do look a bit like one.  They have a very tart and fresh taste.  You want to buy them when the husk is easy to remove and the fruit is firm.    Being a gardener myself, I was very intrigued what the tomatillo flower looks like!  Very cool!

They are very easy to prepare.  I love the "fire roasted" taste in a salsa.  Simply peel away the husk and cook right on the grill to achieve a charred result as seen below.

Salsa Verde

(Green Salsa)

½ lb. tomatillo
1 medium Vidalia or sweet yellow onion
2 poblano peppers
1 juicy lime, juiced
1 small bunch cilantro
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic powder
½ teaspoons salt, or more to your taste
¼ teaspoon pepper

1) Preheat grill on high for about 10 minutes.
2) Peel onion, cut into large slices. Rub a small amount of canola oil on all slices and season with a pinch of salt and pepper, put on a plate to take to the grill. Peel tomatillos and rinse. Rinse poblano peppers.
3) To the grill. Place whole tomatillos, whole poblanos, and sliced onions on the hot grill. Remove tomatillo and onion once charred and set aside.
4) Once the poblano peppers are charred, place in a small bowl and cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. This will steam the peppers and the charred skin will be easy to remove. After about 20 minutes, remove lid or wrap and remove skin as best as you can, and seeds if you want a more mild salsa.
5) Place the charred tomatillo, peeled and seeded poblanos, charred onion and the rest of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse 10-15 times.   Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary. 

Enjoy with tortilla chips, with tacos or over spicy grilled fish.  Store in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid in refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Enjoy!

Summer with teens.....

I usually go through an adjustment period when school gets out.  It lasts until the end of August!

Angie

Citrus Marinated Jerk Chicken with Fresh Mango Salsa....

Are you enjoying all of the beautiful fruits presently available?  This is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.  I love the contrast of the spicy chicken and the cool, fresh taste of the salsa.   Make plenty of chicken to enjoy later in the week.  Try a nice chicken sandwich with a slice of sharp cheddar and avocado slices or top a fresh crisp salad for a light supper.

Citrus marinated Jerk chicken
with Fresh Mango salsa

2 lbs. boneless chicken breast cutlets
Juice of one naval orange, one lemon, and two limes
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1) Place marinade ingredients in a gallon zip bag. Add chicken and marinade 30 minutes to one hour. Discard marinade.  Mix all spice mix ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.
2)  Prepare salsa, refigerate covered.
2) Preheat gas grill for about 10 minutes. Season each piece of marinated chicken with spice mixture.
3) Grill on medium high heat for 6-8 minutes or until juices run clear.  Top with fresh salsa.

Spice mixture:

2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon cayenne

Salsa

2 naval oranges, cut away rind and pith, dice
2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced
½ fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh or bottled lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch salt

Gently mix all ingredients well. Refrigerate immediately.

Red Quinoa Salad....

Have you ever tried quinoa?  It is pronounced (keen-wah).  It is a delicous highly nutritious grain, high in protein, iron, and magnesium and is gluten free.  This ancient grain cooks in only 15 minutes, much quicker than brown rice and is packed with fiber.  You can find Organic Red Quinoa at Trader Joe's for $3.99. 

This is the perfect salad for busy moms!  Make ahead and enjoy at lunch time for a nutritious and well deserved healthy lunch!  Enjoy sitting down, I don't know about you,  but I'm getting in the bad habbit of eating at the kitchen counter!  Let's care for ourselves as we do our families.  Sit down.  Relax, and enjoy your food.

Red Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette


2 cups uncooked quinoa, cook according to package instructions-2/1 water ratio
2 cups petite frozen peas, thawed
1 cup fresh flat parsley, chopped
1 medium green pepper, seeded and diced
½ red onion, diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons fresh or bottled lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder
½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper

1) Cook quinoa according to package instructions and cool in a large bowl.
2) Add peas through tomatoes. Whisk remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over salad, mix well. Refrigerate. 

Enjoy!

I am a Cancer Survivor.....

Today I finally had the courage to participate in the annual Cancer Survivor's Walk on Chicago's beautiful  lake front.  It seems that when I have yearly check ups or in this case, a chance to really acknowledge the fact that I had cancer, it is very emotional and difficult to keep it together.

I have not shared this with you to date, but yes, I had thyroid cancer two years ago.  Right around Ryan's 3rd birthday I was diagnosed with Papillary Carcinoma, aka, Thyroid Cancer.  Hearing the "C" word completely took my breath away.  I actually could not utter the word for days.  My biggest worry was not being around for my three boys and my husband Joe.

They say that when you pray to God you must be very specific.  I prayed for this:   to see my boys go to college, get married, have children, and to have a long healthy life with my love Joe.    I thank God every day that I am here.  I am here to enjoy my family and friends, nature, and to share my blog with anyone who might be interested in reading or participating.

I thank you so very much for visiting my blog and reading.  It really means the world to me.

Have a blessed day.

Angie

My Oasis.....

Well, summer is finally here, and are my hummingbirds!  There really is nothing like the beauty of a hummingbird buzzing about your flowers and taking sips of nectar from your feeders strategically placed throughout your garden.  I could sit on the deck for hours, taking it all in. 

I had the most unusual hummingbird experience about a week ago when I was cleaning and filling my bird bath.  (Pictured above with the hummingbird feeder directly above) While vigorously spraying water into the bath, the direction of the stream continued onto a hosta directly behind the bath.  The leaves were swishing back and forth by the force of the water.  To my very delighted surprise, a beautiful hummingbird was going leaf to leaf, appearing to land on her belly and rest for a split second, and taking in sips of the cool water....OMG!  I stood there frozen, not wanting to scare her off and completely take in the experience. 

I immediately "Googled Judy" (any gardening/bird question is directed to my Mom, so this is what I call getting information from Judy)  it was determined that this delicate creature was a female Ruby Throated Hummingbird.  The male, whom I've seen only twice, sports the vibrant ruby color over his throat.

Hummingbirds love red, so we painted our Adirondack chairs bright red and we have many pink/red potted plants.  If you wear red while in your garden, don't be surprised if a hummingbird hovers over you, trying to determine if you're a  flower!

I hope you are able to get your hands in the dirt a bit.  Living in such an urban area, it's really great to feel connected to nature.  Even if you have only space to do a couple of clay pots on your balcony or deck, I encourage you to do so.  Last year Ryan and I planted a couple of patio tomato plants.  I couldn't believe how many tomatoes they produced!

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed day!

Angie

Orange & Ginger Glazed Chicken Kabobs....

As you can see, I'm on an Asian kick!   Instead of Chinese "take out," I'm going to call it Chinese "make in."    Be sure to buy a good size chunk of fresh ginger, about two times the size of your thumb.  Use a whole fresh orange, the zest of the orange will give a very intense orange flavor.  Feel free to add red pepper flakes to the sauce if you like it spicy.  For sides, do anything you like.  I love brown jasmine rice and simple stir fry vegetables.  Would also be great with Thai peanut noodles..yum!

Orange & Ginger Glazed Chicken Kabobs

For the marinade:

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
½ cup orange juice
1 ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite size pieces

For the glaze:

Zest and juice of one large orange
Enough orange juice to measure 1 cup
½ cup honey
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 slices fresh ginger, the size of a quarter
Sesame seeds
Orange slices & fresh green onions for garnish

1) If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 15 minutes before skewering chicken. Skewer chicken and place in a pan or container where they can lay flat. Whisk all marinade ingredients well and pour over skewered chicken. Marinade in refrigerator for an hour. (You can also marinade chicken pieces in a bag and skewer chicken later, I find this very messy.)

2) Wash and dry the orange. Zest the orange and set zest aside. Juice the orange into a 1 cup measure. Add enough additional orange juice to measure 1 cup. Pour into a small sauce pan, add ginger slices, and reduce over medium heat to ½ cup. Add honey and continue to simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and remove ginger slices. Add toasted sesame oil and orange zest. Allow to cool.

3) Preheat grill. Cook kabobs over medium high heat for 10-12 minutes. Generously brush glaze over chicken. Watch closely, the sugars will burn if you’re not careful. Place on serving platter, brush with additional glaze. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, and orange slices. Serve with steamed or vegetable fried brown rice and simple stir fried snap peas. Serve additional glaze on the side.

Beef & Vegetable Stir Fry....

I add a bit of spice to this dish, but it's optional.  Make it to your taste, add a bit more spice if you dare!  If I were making this for myself, I would add fresh thin slices of jalapeno peppers, seeds included!

Vegetable Beef Stir Fry

8 oz.  (1/2 lb.) fresh beef sirloin, cut into very thin strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1" of ginger, (thumb size) peeled and minced

2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 small onion, cut into wedges
6 mushrooms, cut into slices or quartered
1 medium red pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 small bunch of broccoli, washed and cut into bite size pieces
2-3 tablespoons canola oil for stir frying

Sauce:

1 cup water or chicken broth (cold or room temp)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons hot chili sauce (optional) can also be used as a condiment when serving for those who would like the heat
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1)  Place the strips of beef, cornstarch, rice vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl, combine and refrigerate while you are prepping the rest of the ingredients.
2)  Prepare garlic and ginger, and place into their own small bowls, set aside.
3)  Prep carrots through broccoli.  I use a small bowl for each and place them on the counter in the order they will go into the pan.
4)  In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, add water or broth, soy sauce and cornstarch, whisk.  Add chili hot sauce, hoisin sauce,  honey, and sesame oil.  Whisk until blended.  Set aside.
5)  We're ready to go!

Heat your wok or pan over high heat.  Add 2 teaspoons of oil to pan.  Add ginger, cook for about one minute.  Add beef and cook about 3 minutes, stirring often.  Add garlic, cook about one minute.  Place into a large bowl, wipe out pan with paper towel.  Put the pan back on the heat.

Add 1-2 teaspoons of oil and begin the veggies.  Add the carrots and onions, cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often, the sugars in the carrots and onions will burn if you're not careful.
Add mushrooms and red pepper.  Cook 2-3 minutes.
Add broccoli. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.
6)  Place all veggies into the bowl with the meat, loosely cover.
7)  Give the sauce another whisk and add all at once to the pan, stir constantly, it will thicken quickly.  Add all stir fry ingredients back to the pan and heat through.  Serve over steamed brown or white rice.  Or serve with brown fried vegetable rice.  Enjoy!

Vegetable Fried Brown Rice....

Fried Vegetable Brown Rice

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups cold cooked brown rice
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables or petite peas, thawed
½ cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1) Heat a large non stick skillet over high heat. Add oil. Add eggs, all at once, stir constantly and break into small pieces. Add rice and green onions. Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over rice. Heat through, stirring often to prevent scorching. Add mixed vegetables and bean sprouts. Taste. Season with more soy sauce if necessary. Top with sesame seeds.

Remember, be creative, add whatever vegetables you like!

To make this a quick dinner entree, add some leftover pieces of rotisserie chicken or thinly sliced leftover grilled steak or pork!  Simply stir fry in the pan at the very beginning, remove from pan before adding eggs, then add back to pan after adding the rice.

Enjoy!

Angie