Ham Fried Rice

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Around here, we looooove Chinese takeout! Unfortunately, with our budget we have a hard time justifying the cost. As cheap as some places can be, I’ve always known its cheaper, if not easier, to just make it ourselves.

We decided a couple of weeks ago to try our hand at ham fried rice. And guys… I think I’ve been ruined for restaurant fried rice.

My biggest complaint of restaurant fried rice is that it is too dry. Knowing now how much work goes into making it, I figure most rice is made in bulk early in the morning and served old all day long. Though this is okay when you haven’t had anything better, once you’ve had fluffy moist ham fried rice, you just can’t go back.

We bought our ham in big loaves when they were on sale. We sliced up half of it for sandwiches, and then froze the rest in big hunks, ready to thaw if we needed more sliced or for recipes like this one. We may run through all that ham though now that we have this recipe at our fingertips.

Ham Fried Rice

Chinese, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Eggs, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Sides

Ham Fried Rice

Ingredients

5 cups of chopped ham
9 cups cooked rice
1/3 cup sesame oil
1 1/2 sweet onions, chopped
3 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1/2 cup + 1 TBS soy sauce (more or less to taste)
9 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup chopped green onions (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat a large wok to medium heat. Pour sesame oil into the bottom, reserving about a tablespoon. Immediately add onion, ham, peas, and carrots and fry until tender. Place into a separate bowl and set aside.
Add remaining sesame oil into the pan, then add eggs. Use a spatula to scramble the eggs. Once cooked, place ham mixture back into the wok and combine.
Add the rice to the pan, gradually mixing it into the mixture. Pour the soy sauce over the top, and stir in.
Cook mixture until warmed through and thoroughly combined. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Notes

*This recipe is meant to make sure you can feed a crowd or have plenty of leftovers. (The best part of getting Chinese takeout is the leftovers!) To make a smaller portion, use these ingredients and cook as described above:

1 1/2 cups chopped ham, 3 cups cooked rice, 2 TBS sesame oil, 1/2 sweet onion, 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, 3 TBS soy sauce, 3 eggs, 2 TBS green onions

Pair this with your favorite Asian chicken recipe and you can get Chinese take out without leaving home!

What is your favorite takeout recipe? Let us know in the comments!

August 15, 2019

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

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I have grown up in love with blueberry pancakes. I didn’t get to eat them very often because my mom hates the smell after picking thousands of berries when she was younger. But whenever we got to make them (when she went out of town) I loved eating them!

I decided one Saturday morning to surprise my beloved with some. I experimented a bit, and what came out was a densely smooth, almost crepe-like, cake with sweet and sour and bitter balanced so perfectly that they meld into one delicious new flavor.

I knew I had a hit when our son tried them. He’s going through a phase where he’s starting to push boundaries and see what he can get away with. He’ll nibble if we give him food he doesn’t want, and then begs for something else.

When we put the pancakes in front of him he was very excited! He scarfed down his first one before my wife and I had finished. Then he begged for another, and another. We cut him off after 3, and he was not happy about it. Luckily we had some leftover, so he had a couple for the next couple of breakfasts.

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Breakfast, Comfort Foods, Dessert, Meals for a Crowd, Vegetarian

20-24 pancakes

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened
Juice from one lemon
4 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
Zest of one lemon
2 1/2 cups milk
4 TBS butter, melted
3 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions

Beat softened cream cheese and lemon juice until combined. Add eggs one of a time, beating until each egg is mixed in completely.
Add milk, melted butter, and vanilla to cream mixture. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Mix well. Create a well in the center of the mixture.
Pour wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Gently add blueberries, stirring until blueberries are coated.
Heat a griddle to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto buttered griddle for each pancake. Flip once new bubbles stop forming on the exposed side and underside has golden brown patches. Pancakes are done when downside has golden brown patches.

Let us know if you whip up a batch!

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August 12, 2019August 12, 2019

Cream Cheese Krab Dip

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My wife, despite her lactose sensitivity, has a soft spot for cream cheese. Knowing this, when we had to make dips for our latest family get together, I decided to treat her to something I knew she would love.

Creamy, slightly sweet, and chock full of amazing seafood zing, this dip is great paired with some salty crackers!

Its one of the easiest recipes you’ll find. You literally mix everything up and put it in the oven! The list of ingredients is short, making it even easier!

Eat it on its own with crackers, or we found its just as delicious spread on a savory bagel! I’m sure you’ll find other uses for it as well.

Cream Cheese Krab Dip

Appetizer, Cheese, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Dip, Meals for a Crowd, Seafood, Sides, Summer

Cream Cheese Krab Dip

Ingredients

24 ounces of cream cheese, softened
5 cups sour cream
2.5 lbs krab meat (imitation crab)
5 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
3/4 cup green onion, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream completely.
Flake the krab into the bowl using your hands, making the pieces very small strips.
Add in the pepper jack cheese and green onion. Mix well to combine.
Place mixture into a 9×13 glass pan. Using a spatula, smooth the top of the mixture, making it level throughout.
Bake for 40 minutes or until warmed through and slightly brown on top. Serve warm.

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August 8, 2019

Layered Chicken Enchilada Dip

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Between church, work, and family parties, my wife and I attend our share of pot lucks. We’ve brought a wide variety of things to these, but I think this new recipe is one of our favorites!

For our monthly get together with my wife’s family, the theme was “dips”. We, in true procrastinator fashion, waited until Friday night to pick what we were going to do (the party was Sunday). We decided on two – a crab dip (coming soon!) and this…

It takes all the favorite parts of the best enchilada, and put it in dip form to eat with chips! The dip was a hit, and my year old niece especially loved it. She begged her parents for thirds!

Its not as hard to make as it sounds like it would be! Of course, we make it with our homemade refried beans which add a little more time, but otherwise its pretty dump and go!

Layered Chicken Enchilada Dip

Appetizer, Beans, Cheese, Chicken, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Dip, Meals for a Crowd, Mexican, Sides

Layered Chicken Enchilada Dip

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 Anaheim pepper
5 cups enchilada sauce
1 batch of Pressure Cooker Refried Beans*
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
3 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

Instructions

Cut up the chicken into 2″ pieces. Finely chop Anaheim pepper. Place the chicken, pepper, and enchilada sauce in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours. Stir, and then cook on low for an additional 4 hours.
Using two forks, shred the chicken and mix it thouroughly into the sauce.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place a few spoonfuls of sauce onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan. Spread half of the refried beans over the sauce, making it smooth and even.
Layer on half of the chicken and sauce, making it even. Layer on the rest of the beans, smoothing down, and then top with the remaining chicken and sauce.
Place pan in the oven for 25 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Spread sour cream evenly over the pan. Sprinkle on green onion, followed by the cheese. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

Notes

*If you don’t want to make your own beans, you can use one can of refried black beans per layer.

What is your go to potluck dip? Let us know in the comments!!

August 5, 2019

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

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When it comes to eating cheap, beans and rice are the obvious go to. Buying canned beans can be easy too, but the sodium in those is ridiculous! So what is the solution? Taking forever to boil beans to make a side from those dry things that come in the bag?

That may have been the answer before we got our Instant Pot. I cannot sing the praises of this electric pressure cooker enough! There are so many recipes you can simplify by using one of these! Though they seem like they can be pricey, they go on sale all the time and are TOTALLY worth it!

This week, we used ours to make some refried beans. We bought the dry beans in bulk and they were soooooo cheap! Those plus a few spices we had on hand and BAM!

My sister-in-law compared them to Taco Bell’s discontinued beans. We used them in a yummy Layered Chicken Enchilada Dip (recipe coming soon!) and the whole family loved them!

While soaking the beans before hand makes them cook up faster, it isn’t necessary.

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

Beans, Comfort Foods, Meals for a Crowd, Mexican, Pressure Cooker, Sides, Vegetarian

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

Ingredients

1 cup of black beans
2/3 cup pinto beans
1/3 cup kidney beans
6 cups of water
4 TBS butter
1 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS sea salt
1 TBS lemon juice

Instructions

Mix dry beans in a large bowl. Cover beans in water up to 2 inches above them. Soak overnight, or at least 12 hours*.
Drain beans and place them in the electric pressure cooker. Add in 6 cups of clean water. Place lid on cooker, making sure vent is in sealed position. Cook on manual high pressure mode for 8 minutes*. Allow pressure to release manually.
Drain excess liquid from beans. Using an immersion blender, begin breaking up the beans.
Break butter into 8 1/2 tablespoon pieces. Add butter gradually, using the immersion blender to blend beans into a chunky texture. Add in garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and lemon juice. Blend until desired texture and spices are completely combined.

Notes

*If you don’t want to soak the beans overnight, cook them on high pressure for 35 minutes, allowing pressure to release naturally.

Serve this up with chips, or use it as a side for your next taco night! Or, use it like we did in a dip or casserole! (recipes coming soon!)

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July 22, 2019

Loaded Italian Pasta Salad

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When I think of summer, I think of barbecue, fresh produce, and delicious sides! Pasta salads can be a good way to balance rich flavors and taste with a tight budget.

This one is loaded with savory zest and classic Italian flavors. Its also super easy to throw together! If you use the olive oil listed in the recipe, this definitely falls into our “Splurge” category, but you can substitute other oils – though the flavor won’t be as rich.

Great to keep on hand or bring to your next potluck, we can’t rave about this pasta salad enough!

Loaded Italian Pasta Salad

Appetizer, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Italian, Meals for a Crowd, Pasta, Salad, Sides, Splurge, Summer

Ingredients

36 oz rotini pasta
1 1/2 cups olive oil**
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 tsp dried parsley leaves
5 tsp minced onion
5 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb salami
1 can black olives
1/2 red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper

Instructions

Boil pasta until cooked thoroughly. Drain and cool.
In a medium bowl, combine oil, vinegar, parsley, minced onion, lemon juice, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, sugar, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Chop mozzarella and salami into very small pieces. Drain the olives and quarter. Finely chop the red onion and bell peppers.
Place pasta into a large bowl. Add in half of the dressing and mix well. Add cheese, salami, olives, onion, and peppers. Stir thoroughly. Add in remaining dressing and mix once more.
Allow to rest in refrigerator for at least 1 hour for flavors to meld. Serve cold.

Notes

**Other oils can be substituted, but olive oil gives the best flavor.

What is your favorite summer pasta salad? Let us know in the comments!

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July 18, 2019

Seafood Salad

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As summer wears on and the days get hotter, we were looking for more ways to keep full without having to heat too many things up in the kitchen. Not to mention for the latest family party the theme my mother-in-law picked salads. So we found this delicious pasta salad chock full of savory silky sauce, krab, and shrimp!

This is a great salad to keep on hand. You can keep it in the fridge and eat it as a side or on its own. You only need to boil pasta – the rest is just mixing! Easy and you don’t have to heat up the house!

Seafood Salad

Comfort, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Pasta, Salad, Seafood, Sides, Southern, Splurge, Summer

Seafood Salad

Ingredients

1 lb shell pasta
3 stalks celery
1 lb imitation crab (krab) meat
1/4 lb shrimp meat
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 TBS white sugar
2 TBS white vinegar
1 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 TBS creole seasoning

Instructions

In a large pot, boil shell pasta until thoroughly cooked. Drain.
Place pasta in a large mixing bowl. Finely chop celery and add to bowl along with the crab and shrimp meat.
Mix in mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice. Follow with salt, pepper, onion powder, Old Bay seasoning, and creole.
Mix well and cover bowl. Chill for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.

Tried this recipe? Let us know in the comments!

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July 15, 2019

Orange Sauce

We have a few family go-to recipes and this is one of them. I first learned it while my wife and I were dating (surprised her with a home cooked meal for a date night once), and I’ve been slowly perfecting it over time.

Its a traditional style orange sauce with a delightful balance between sweet and bitter you expect from the actual fruit. None of that overly sweet stuff you get in cheap fast food joints here!

The best part? Its two ingredients and its easy to make! You can whip this up to pair with chicken, shrimp, drizzle over rice – you name something savory, you can pair this sauce with it!

Orange Sauce

Chinese, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Sauce, Vegetarian

Orange Sauce

Ingredients

1- 12 oz can frozen orange juice concentrate
2 TBS lemon juice concentrate

Instructions

Place can of orange juice in bowl and allow to partially thaw.
Put thawed orange juice and lemon juice into a saucepan. Combine over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Heat for 10-15 minutes for sauce to coat things in, 20-25 minutes for a dipping sauce.
Allow to cool before serving.

Made this sauce yourself? Let us know what you think in the comments!!

July 11, 2019July 11, 2019

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

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Nothing says comfort food like fried chicken. You can never have enough, and there are so many ways to make it! (Click here for what we’ve posted so far!)

Of course when you ask anyone from the South how to make fried chicken, they will tell you that you MUST marinate in buttermilk! I didn’t used to, but I’ve been converted recently and I love it. j

Using buttermilk to marinate it tenderizes the chicken without making it tough like other acids can. Add the crispy breading and this chicken can’t be beat!

You’ll need this seasoning blend from Dean Jacobs to make this chicken perfect! We found it recently and can’t get enough of it!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Chicken, Comfort Foods, Freezer, Fried, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Southern

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Ingredients

3.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup buttermilk
5 cups flour
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBS creole seasoning
2 TBS granulated garlic
2 TBS black pepper
1/2 cup onion powder
10 cranks of Dean Jacobs Spicy Garlic and Himalayan Pink Salt seasoning
10 eggs
1/4 cup milk

Instructions

Cut the chicken thighs into strips. Place strips and buttermilk into sealable container, making sure buttermilk covers all the chicken.
Place in the fridge and marinate for at least 2 hours up to 24 hours.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cayenne pepper, creole seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and the spicy garlic salt. In a shallow bowl or dish, beat together the eggs and milk.
Place the chicken and buttermilk into a medium sized bowl. To dredge the chicken, shake each strip to remove excess buttermilk and then dredge in flour, the egg mixture, and flour again. Use different hands for wet and dry ingredients for best results.
Place breaded chicken onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place down more parchment paper to layer as necessary.
Place baking sheet in freezer for at least 2 hours.**
To cook, head deep fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a few pieces of chicken in the fryer at a time. Cook for 6 minutes or until golden brown or an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Notes

**Once frozen, chicken can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

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July 8, 2019

Barbecue Pork Chops

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Summer is in full swing, and barbecues are being pulled out every day by families all over the country.

If you don’t feel like the classics like ribs, burgers, or chicken, you can always grill up these juicy pork chops! They’re healthier than beef, not to mention a whole lot cheaper, but heartier than chicken.

We use mesquite barbecue sauce for ours, but you could slather yours in whatever you’d like!

Grilled Mesquite Pork Chops

Barbecue, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Pork, Spicy

Grilled Mesquite Pork Chops

Ingredients

1 package of bone in pork chops
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp curry powder
1 bottle mesquite barbecue sauce

Instructions

Place pork chops on a baking sheet to prepare.
In a medium bowl, combine onion powder, black pepper, paprika, and curry powder.
Sprinkle half of the seasonings over the pork chops. Flip and repeat on the other side. Rub seasonings in to adhere to meat.
Heat grill to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place chops on grill for 5 minutes, then lower heat to 425 degrees. Cook for 10 minutes.
Flip pork chops and spread sauce on up side. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip again, covering the other side with sauce.
Cook for an additional 5 minutes before flipping and covering in sauce again.
Remove from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Pair these with a salad and maybe a side of corn or potatoes for the ultimate summer meal!

Getting bored with all this barbecue talk? Let us know what you want to see next!