Category Archives: Main Dish

Best Simple Fried Rice Recipe

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I love, love, love fried rice! When you combine it with easy and get a simple fried rice recipe, it’s a winner all around!

best simple fried rice recipe

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Secret ingredients are always a good sign! This recipe has a couple and the extra pop of flavor makes it the best fried rice.

I love using basmati rice when making this. I’ve even used brown basmati. If you don’t have that, try using a long grain white rice.

Try using cauliflower rice if you are limiting your carbs. Shredded cabbage you saute with the rest of the veggies would also likely work.

bowl of dry rice for simple fried rice recipe

If you have a super busy day, this recipe is perfect because you can prep your vegetables the day before (or even several days before). You can also use leftover rice because day old rice makes the best fried rice. See, I told you this is a simple fried rice recipe. 🙂

Did you know you can also freeze fried rice? (I wouldn’t do this with cauliflower rice.) Simply make the fried rice and let cool completely. Place in freezer storage bags or food storage containers and place in freezer. Pull out of the freezer the night before or morning of when you are going to use them and let thaw in the fridge. Saute in a skillet for 5-10 minutes until warm

simple fried rice recipe ingredients

If you don’t mind reheating in the microwave, this would also be perfect to freezer in single serving amounts to pack for work lunches.

Secret Ingredients!

There are a couple ingredients that put this simple fried rice recipe over the top.

  1. Fresh ginger. Of course fresh garlic is involved, but the ginger adds a little something special.
  2. Toasted sesame oil. If you’ve never had this, you are missing out! My picky, opinionated 5 smelled the bottle and proclaimed how good it smelled. Do yourself a favor and get some for this recipe and for making the best Asian salad dressings. (I’ve linked to it on Amazon, but I’ve found it at Aldi for a great price before.)
  3. Sambal. Okay, this is totally optional. My kids don’t use it, but I’m obsessed. It adds a kick and a little extra punch of flavor. I blame my dad for turning me onto this years ago. You could also use siracha (I’ve also found the equivalent of this at Aldi).

simple fried rice recipe square picture

Favorite tool!

I LOVE using a microplane for the ginger and garlic. It makes it fast and super easy.


P.S. I love using fried rice to sneak in lots of veggies. 🙂  In these pictures, it’s the amounts listed in the recipe, but often times I add in extra.

Simple Fried Rice Recipe

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Best Simple Fried Rice Recipe
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • ½ inch ginger, peeled and minced/micro-planed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced/micro-planed
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • 6 cups cooked cold rice
  • 1-2 cups cooked, diced meat (optional)
  • 3 scrambled eggs (optional)
  • oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Sambal or siracha (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add a little cooking oil (can use butter).
  2. After heated, add the onions and stir and cook 5 minutes. (Lower heat if needed.) When beginning to soften add garlic and ginger and continue to cook another 3-7 minutes until fragrant and tender.
  3. Add carrots and continue to saute. After a few minutes add the frozen vegetables and continue to saute until everything is hot and tender. (Add meat at the end of this time if using.)
  4. Add rice to the pan and stir over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes. Add soy sauce and and sesame oil and stir to combine.
  5. Take off heat and adjust soy sauce and salt and pepper if needed.
  6. Add scrambled eggs if using.
  7. Serve with sambal or siracha on the side.

 

The best simple fried rice recipebest simple fried rice recipe ingredients

 

New Mexico Style Pizza

7 Replies

This New Mexico Style PIzza is an amazingly tasty twist on traditional pizza. Salsa verde makes the base of the sauce and so many flavorful toppings. Must make soon! #pizza #pizzanight #mexican #texmex #salsaverde #cilantro #supper #chicken #turkey #leftoverturkey

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I have an amazing pizza recipe for you today. It’s a little bit different. In fact, you’ve probably never made or even eaten one quite like it. What exactly is it? New Mexico Style Pizza! Think Mexican pizza with a twist.

My mom found this recipe when I was growing up and I recently had to email her and ask for it, because I had to make it. 🙂 It’s been made several times in my house over the past few months. It was even a hit with company.

Salsa verde and a little lime juice make the perfect sauce. Then we top it with chicken, corn, green onions, and cheddar cheese. After it comes out of the oven sprinkle with cilantro and top with sour cream if you’d like. (Though it’s just as good without the sour cream.)

See what I mean? It’s unique and full of flavor.

I think this recipe would also be a great one to use up some of that leftover turkey on. Swap the chicken for turkey and your family won’t even think of Thanksgiving as they eat this.

If you are looking for a pizza crust recipe, check out this one that I have. Pizza dough is super easy and forgiving. Plus, making it means you can get your preferred crust thickness. You could also buy refrigerated pizza dough (Trader Joe’s sells one) or a prebaked crust.

This New Mexico Style PIzza is an amazingly tasty twist on traditional pizza. Salsa verde makes the base of the sauce and so many flavorful toppings. Must make soon! #pizza #pizzanight #mexican #texmex #salsaverde #cilantro #supper #chicken #turkey #leftoverturkey

New Mexico Style Pizza

5.0 from 1 reviews
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New Mexico Style Pizza
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup salsa verde (see notes for more info)
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon oregano
  • 1 cup cooked chicken
  • ½ cup frozen corn, thawed
  • ½-1 cup cheddar cheese (or a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro
  • 6 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
  • Pizza dough (or a large crust)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Mix together the first 5 ingredients.
  3. Roll out pizza dough (I do a 14 inch circle), place on pizza stone, and spread with the sauce mixture.
  4. Top with chicken, corn, green onions, and cheese.
  5. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and top with cilantro and sour cream (if desired).
  7. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.
Notes
The original recipe called for a lot more sauce, so feel free to double the sauce ingredients if desired. We found that ½ cup of salsa verde was the perfect amount for one pizza.
This New Mexico Style PIzza is an amazingly tasty twist on traditional pizza. Salsa verde makes the base of the sauce and so many flavorful toppings. Must make soon! #pizza #pizzanight #mexican #texmex #salsaverde #cilantro #supper #chicken #turkey #leftoverturkey This New Mexico Style PIzza is an amazingly tasty twist on traditional pizza. Salsa verde makes the base of the sauce and so many flavorful toppings. Must make soon! #pizza #pizzanight #mexican #texmex #salsaverde #cilantro #supper #chicken #turkey #leftoverturkey

Easy Skillet Lasagna

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Easy Skillet LasagnaEasy skillet lasagna. Easy and lasagna probably aren’t two words you’d expect to see together – I know I don’t!

This recipe brings it one step further – it’s a one pot meal too! Doesn’t that make lasagna seem so much more accessible?! Say goodbye to the the multiples pots and bowls that pile up when you make the traditional version (and that’s not even counting the baking dish you have to scrub).

I’m all about saving time in the kitchen and if you want to save even more time you could cook up double or triple portions of the meat/onion mixture you brown in the beginning and freeze in individual baggies. Prep time on the night you want this one pot lasagna for dinner would then be next to nothing.

This is a great recipe to put the kids to work – let them break the noodles, dump the tomatoes, and plop the ricotta over the top. They’ll love helping put dinner on the table.

My family prefers it when I buy petite diced tomatoes. Everyone of them protest big chunk of tomatoes. You could also use Italian style diced tomatoes for some easy extra flavor. Seeing how few ingredients are in this dish, I recommend you use quality because all the flavors will come through.

I hope you enjoy this tasty and simple dish that makes lasagna a weeknight meal as much as we do. All three kids (14 month old included) and my husband loved it when we made it again last week.

5.0 from 2 reviews
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Easy Skillet Lasagna
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, and/or pork)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • â…› t. red pepper flakes
  • 10 lasagna noodles, broken in 2 inch pieces
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes, with water added to make 4 cups
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup ricotta cheeese
  • Fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
  1. Brown the meat, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in a 12 inch skillet.
  2. Leave in the bottom of skillet and place the broken lasagna noodles on top.
  3. Pour the diced tomatoes with water and tomato sauce over noodles.
  4. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook about 20 minutes until noodles are tender. Stir occasionally. Add more water if necessary.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.
  6. Dot with tablespoons of ricotta cheese.
  7. Cover and let set for 5 minutes so the ricotta cheese warms.
  8. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and a little Parmesan.
Notes
Because of the simple ingredients in this recipe, quality will make a difference in the flavor! If you can, use good tomatoes, real Parmesan, etc

My family protests large chunks of tomatoes, so I use petite diced. You could also use Italian style diced tomatoes for additional flavor.

Easy Skillet Lasagna

One pan skillet lasagna! This is the perfect weeknight dinner. Kid friendly and a no oven dinner!

Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash

24 Replies

Super yummy and easy Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash! My FAVORITE spaghetti squash recipe - must make while it's squash season. (Can be vegetarian too!!!)

Last month, during our Whole30 I cooked spaghetti squash for my first time. We’ve since made it on several different occasions with the recipes having varying levels of success.

Let me tell you, this recipe for Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash is my favorite! Black beans, cumin, paprika. So many tasty flavors combined together and when you add melted cheese it’s only going to get better. Even my 17 months old who never eats ate this up!

This dish can easily be vegetarian or have chicken added in (or add the meat to just half of it). Either way, it’s good! (My husband would tell you with meat is always better.)

You also have the option of using the spaghetti squash shell as your serving dish or putting it in a baking dish. One less dish to do is always nice. 🙂

Super yummy and easy Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash! My FAVORITE spaghetti squash recipe - must make while it's squash season. (Can be vegetarian too!!!)

If you are like me and are looking for a good first recipe to introduce spaghetti squash to your family or if you are a spaghetti squash veteran and wanting to try something new, this recipe needs to be on your menu. Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash is going to be my new standby during squash season.

Download the free menu planning template and guide to make your life easier and save money!

4.8 from 5 reviews
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Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1½ cups black beans
  • 1½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1½ teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken - optional
  • 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Oil
Instructions
Spaghetti Squash
  1. Carefully cut spaghetti squash in half. Scrape out the seeds and stringy insides. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt. Place cut side down on a pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool until you can handle it. Turn squash over and use a fork to scrape across the squash short ways to make the spaghetti.
Everything Else
  1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil or coconut oil.
  2. Add onions and jalapeno and saute a few minutes. Add garlic, bell pepper, salt, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Saute around 5 more minutes.
  3. Add corn and black beans (and chicken if using) and saute until heated through.
  4. Add spaghetti squash strands to skillet and carefully stir and toss everything together. Adjust salt and seasonings if needed.
  5. Transfer mixture into both halves of the squash or into an 8x11 glass baking dish.
  6. Sprinkle with cheese.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Super yummy and easy Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash! My FAVORITE spaghetti squash recipe - must make while it's squash season. (Can be vegetarian too!!!)

Linking up to these fun parties!

Bean Tostadas

25 Replies

Bean Tostadas. Super simple meal your kids will eat up. I love that it can be dressed up for the adults.

I spent 5 years working as a server at a Mexican restaurant in our town. The kid’s menu was filled with things like corn dogs, mac and cheese, burgers, and chicken fingers. Then there was the taco meal and Mexican pizza. I always thought the name Mexican pizza was a complete misnomer and if any poor child ordered it for the first time they’d be sorely disappointed. It was a crispy corn tortilla topped with taco meat and melted cheese served with beans and rice. Not a very traditional pizza.

This recipe is basically that “Mexican Pizza”. It’s a super easy and quick lunch or supper that kids love! My daughter inhales this when I make it. If I already have beans and tortillas cooked, it is done in under 10 minutes. Can’t beat that on a rushed day.

You can make this as easy or complicated as you’d like. Use canned or dehydrated refried beans or cook up your own. I like to cook up my own beans in bulk and freeze in meal size portions. Buy tostada shells or what I do is bake corn tortillas directly on the oven rack at 200 degrees until they are crispy. Serve simply topped with cheese or set out an array of toppings that everyone can add after the tostadas come out of the oven. Things such as: green onions, sliced olives, sour cream, homemade salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cilantro. My daughter loves hers with just the beans and cheese. I’m okay with that (plus, it’s less messy for her to eat)!

You really don’t even need a recipe for this, but I’ll share what I do. This would be a good meal to put the kids in charge of making. If your family likes meat, add some taco beef or chicken on top of the beans. If there are bean haters, just do the meat.

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Bean Tostadas Full Post
 
Ingredients
  • Tostada Shells (purchased or make you own by baking at 200 until crispy)
  • Refried Beans (and/or taco beef or chicken)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Optional Toppings:
  • Guacamole, green onions, salsa, sour cream, cilantro, olives, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes etc
Instructions
  1. Spread a layer of beans on top of the tostada shells.
  2. Sprinkle with meat if you are using.
  3. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  5. Remove from oven and cut each tostada into 4 wedges.
  6. Serve with optional toppings I desired.

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