Veggie Fried Rice with Sunny-Side Up Eggs

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Staples like boil-in-bag rice can be a time-saving shortcut in this vegetarian version of a popular takeout stir-fry that’s topped off with eggs, a budget-friendly protein.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

One 14-ounce package boil-in-bag rice
2  tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large carrots
2 tablespoons vegetable, divided
1/2 cup of broccoli florets
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
1/4 cup green beans
1 rib celery, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, julienned
One 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained
2 green onions, sliced
4 large eggs

Directions:

Prepare the rice according to package’s stovetop directions. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil.

In a wide pot, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil on medium-high. Add garlic and carrots. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the stir-fry vegetables. Cook  2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Pour rice from the bag into the skillet, along with soy sauce mixture. Cook 2 minutes stirring often. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and  cover to keep warm.

In a 12-inch nonstick  or cast iron skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of  oil on medium-high. Add the eggs and fry for 1 – 2 minutes, until whites are mostly set. Cover skillet and cook  for an additional 2 minutes or until yolks are at the desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place the eggs on top of fried rice.

Cook’s Notes:

If you cannot find all the vegetables at your local supermarket, feel free to substitute one 16-ounce  bag frozen Asian stir-fry blend in this recipe. Make sure that the frozen vegetables are thawed  and drained before cooking.

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Caramel Coconut Flan

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Serves 6

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir the sugar continually with a wooden spoon until it begins to brown and clump together. Keep stirring until the sugar completely melts and dissolves into a golden-brown syrup. Remove the syrup from the heat as soon as it has dissolves as it can burn.

Working quickly, carefully pour the caramel into the ramekins, tilting them to coat the bottom and the sides.  Set the ramekins aside and allow the caramel coating to cool and harden.

In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk and vanilla extract. Whisk together until everything is fully combined Evenly pour the custard mixture into the caramel-coated ramekins.

Place the ramekins in shallow 9 x 13-in  baking dish. Pour enough hot water in the dish until it reaches about halfway up the pan.sides of the ramekins. Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake until just set, but still jiggly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the flan from the oven and allow to cool on a rack for about 15 to 20 minute.Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. Note: the flan can be made three days in advance and can be refrigerated until ready to serve.

To serve,  dip the ramekins in a saucepan of hot water.Using your index finger, gently press down on the edges of the flan until the caramel begins to run up the sides of the ramekin, which indicated that the baked custard is loosened.  You can also  slide a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen it up. Place a plate  on top of the flan, grab a hold of both the plate and the ramekin and quickly invert so that the flan is now upside down. Carefully lift off the flan pan. ramekins. Your flan should be sitting in the caramel on the plate.

Garnish with fresh fruit or a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

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All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

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Chocolate Orange French Madeleines

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IMG_0068Here is a Quarantine Kitchen Challenge…..

I was  craving something sweet and during this COVID19 Pandemic, and as I walked into my kitchen pantry to find:

No butter, no problem.
No chocolate chips, no problem.
No milk, no problem.
No flour, no problem……

But with the ingredients I did have on hand in my pantry, included:   Talenti Lemon Bar Gelato ®, eggs, oranges, vegetable and Hershey’s ® Cocoa powder, the dilemma of not having butter, milk , eggs, flour or chocolate was easily conquered. I quickly figured out that I could make…..Chocolate Orange French Madeleines. And here’s how I did it.

Makes about 3 Dozen

Ingredients:
For the Madeleines:
1 box  of yellow or white cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 pint of Talenti Lemon Bar Gelato®, melted
Zest of 1 large, orange divided
Vegetable spray or oil
All purpose flour, for dusting (if you have it on hand)

For the Chocolate Sauce:
3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 teaspoons confectioner’s sugar

Special Equipment:
A madeleine pan

To make the Madeleines:
To a large bowl, add the cake mix, the oil, the eggs , the gelato and about 1/2 of the orange zest. Using a handheld electric mixer, blend the ingredients into a thick batter.

Lightly coat the madeleine pan with vegetable cooking spray or lightly brush with oil. Lightly dust with flour. Tap out the excess. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350º F.

Prepare a baking sheet, and place a wire rack over it for cooling. Prepare a second baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.

Remove the batter from the refrigerator. Using a measured tablespoon, fill  each shell with the batter Place the madeleines in the oven and bake for 10-15  minutes, until slightly golden, springy to the touch, and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove the tray of baked madeleines and t immediately, loosen the madeleines from the tray using a wooden skewer and then gently remove from the tray and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. If you leave the madeleines to cool in the baking tray then they will almost certainly get stuck.

In the mean time, prepare the chocolate sauce.

Add  the ingredients to a small sauce pan and stir until a smooth paste is achieved. Using a double boiler on the stovetop,  add the small sauce pan and gently heat until the chocolate is glossy and all the solids have dissolved.  Add more oil as needed to get the consistency desired. Set aside and keep warm in the saucepan in the double boiler.

Once the madeleines are cool, it is time to dip them in the chocolate. Pour  the chocolate into a  small mug or other tall and narrow bowl and dip the cooled madeleines into the chocolate.  Allow any  excess chocolate to drip back into the dipping container and then place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place the chocolate dipped madeleines in the  refrigerator for 10 – 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to completely set.

To serve, place the madeleines on a serving platter and garnish with the remaining orange zest.IMG_0122 madelines

Cook’s Notes:

These madeleines should stay fresh for 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container, although they are at their absolute best soon after coming out of the oven. The Madeleines can also be frozen for 2-3 months.

To replace one ounce of unsweetened chocolate, use 3 tablespoons cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon butter, shortening or oil. Dissolve the cocoa in liquid that is already used in the recipe.

To replace one ounce of semisweet chocolate, use 3 tablespoons of cocoa plus only 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter, shortening or oil and 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.

For more information on different types of chocolate, see All About Chocolate and, from Cooking Light, Chocolate Essentials.

If you cannot find Talenti Lemon Bar Gelato® in your local area, feel free to use plain vanilla ice cream.

Hello Friends!

All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you so much!