Ancient Chinese Secret: Chicken Fried Rice

 Our daughter could eat Chinese food 3 times a day.  In fact she's insulted that we actually make dinner at home and don't want to order Chinese take-out every night.  So this week, I thought we would pay homage to her and make a Chinese dish at home.  Who doesn't love Chicken Fried Rice?  It's filling, healthy and hearty.  And simple to make.  Put away that take-out menu, you can do this one yourself!

The Chicken Friend Rice Party!

Add beaten eggs to a non-stick skillet

Scramble until firm, remove from pan and set aside.

Saute onions and carrots in remaining oil,
about 4 minutes.

Add in cooked white rice

Add cooked chicken

Add scrambled egg.  Season with salt, pepper
and Accent salt.  Mix in soy sauce and butter
and let rice brown slightly.

Just before serving, add in peas

and green onions and water chestnuts!

Serve with an egg roll and chopsticks. 
Don't forget the fortune cookies!

Chicken Fried Rice
4 teaspoons canola oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
4 cups cooked white rice
2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Accent salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons soy sauce
6 green onions, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 can water chestnuts, drained

Heat a teaspoon of canola oil in a large non-stick skillet.  Add beaten eggs and stir constantly until firm and scrambled.  Remove from pan.  Let cool, then chop finely and set aside.  Add remaining oil to pan and raise heat to medium-high.  Saute onions and carrots until tender, about 4 minutes.  Mix in rice, chicken and eggs.  Season with salt, pepper and Accent salt.  Add in soy sauce and butter, stirring until well combined.  Keep stirring and let rice brown slightly, about 6-8 minutes.  Just prior to serving, add green onions, peas and water chestnuts.

Prep Time:  Approximately 15 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 20 minutes

Tamale Chili Dip

Sometimes you just wanna skip making dinner.  Plop down in front of the tv on a Saturday with your honey and open a bag of chips and watch a movie.  We love snack food at our house.  Hearty appetizers can make a great meal too and this dip is no exception.  It combines tamales, chili and cheese for a warm, spicy, satisfying snack or meal.  It's great for parties too.  Simply make it ahead and keep it warm in a chafing dish or crock pot.  The Academy Awards are coming up in a week, and March Madness basketball is in our near future.  Tamale Chili Dip would be the perfect snack to serve for both.  Grab a bag of Fritos and a Diet Coke and you're all set for a night of snacking and tv watching!

Tamale Chili Dip Party!

Peel tamales, discard wrappers and sauce.

Mash tamales evenly with a fork.

Combine all ingredients
except 1/4 package of Cheddar cheese. 
Mix well.

Pour into greased baking dish.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese

Bake until hot and bubbly,
about 20 minutes. 
Serve with Fritos. 
YUM!

Tamale Chili Dip

2 (15 ounce) cans chili without beans
1 (15 ounce) can tamales
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 large package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.  Peel tamales and mash evenly with a fork.  Combine tamales, onion, garlic, chili, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, chili powder and 3/4 package of cheese.  Stir well and pour into baking dish.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese and bake in oven until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes.  Serve with Fritos for dipping.

Prep Time:  Approximately 15 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 20 minutes

It's Baseball Season: Slow Cooker Taco Dinner!

Most people use their slow cookers during cooler weather.  To cook warm, comforting things like soups and stews.  Not here at The Devilish Dish!  We're baseball fans and that means about 3 times a week you'll find us at the baseball stadium.  Now I'm not one to turn down a hotdog at a baseball game, but that just won't do for dinner every night during baseball season.  That's when I turn to my faithful slow cooker.  I can put the recipe together before we leave for the game and when we return it's dinner time!  This recipe has all the fixins of a great Mexican meal with the simplicity of one pot.  Just the slow cooker crock and a few plates to clean up.  It's a Home Run!

The Slow Cooker Taco Dinner Line-Up!

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic



Season with taco seasoning

Brush the interior of the slow cooker crock with oil

Place 3 tortillas in bottom of slow cooker

Top with ground beef mixture

Add chicken broth

Add tomato sauce

Add enchilada sauce

Top with shredded cheese

Add 3 more tortillas

Layer on pinto beans and Mexicorn

Add green chiles and top with cheese and last 3 corn tortillas

Add final layer of cheese, cover and
cook on low for about 4 hours

Serve topped with sour cream

Slow Cooker Taco Dinner

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
9 corn tortillas
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 large package shredded Mexican cheese blend
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
sour cream (optional)

Place ground beef in a large skillet.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Add onion and garlic, and cook over medium-high heat until beef is done and no longer pink.  Drain.  Return to skillet and add taco seasoning.  Brush the inside of a slow cooker with olive or canola oil, or spray with cooking spray.  Line the bottom of the slow cooker with 3 corn tortillas.  Top with beef mixture.  Add in the following layers:  chicken broth, tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, and 1/3 of the cheese.  Layer on 3 more tortillas, then add pinto beans and corn.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Top with green chiles and 1/3 of the cheese.  Top with remaining 3 tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours.  Serve topped with sour cream if desired.

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 4 hours 

You Can't Beat Tradition: Caesar Salad

Most historians believe that Caesar salad was named for its inventor Caesar Cardini, in Tijuana, Mexico in 1924.  It is said that Cardini was running low on food and he put together a salad for his guests from what was left over in the kitchen. His original recipe included romaine, garlic, croutons, and Parmesan cheese, boiled eggs, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. The original salad was prepared at tableside. When the salad dressing was ready, the romaine leaves were coated with the dressing and placed stem side out, in a circle and served on a flat dinner plate, so that the salad could be eaten with the fingers.  If you've ever had a Caesar salad prepared tableside at a restaurant, you have certainly witnessed a treat.  You could prepare this version tableside if you like, but it's much simpler to make the dressing ahead and assemble the salad at the table if you wish.  It varies somewhat from the original version, using anchovy paste instead of Worcestershire sauce, and omitting the egg.  It is wonderful nonetheless, with the traditional flavor and crispness of a Caesar Salad.  Perfect along side any meal, or with grilled chicken as the meal.  Either way, you can't beat tradition.

One of our favorites.  
Simple and Classic.

The Simple Caesar Salad Line-Up

Add chopped garlic and parsley to a food processor.

Process until minced.

Add anchovy paste. 
(Don't omit this, even if you think you don't like anchovies. 
The paste adds a certain saltiness and depth of flavor that you cannot duplicate.)

Add mustard

Add fresh lemon juice.

Add mayonnaise.

Process to create a smooth dressing. 
Assemble salad and serve immediately,
or cover and refrigerate the dressing at this point.

When ready to serve, place Romaine
in a bowl and toss thoroughly with Caesar dressing.

Toss in croutons and Parmesan cheese
and serve right away.

CAESAR SALAD

1 large garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoon good quality Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
Romaine lettuce
Caesar style croutons
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor and process until minced.  Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice and mayonnaise.  Process to create a smooth dressing.  Refrigerate if not using immediately.  When ready to serve, place Romaine lettuce in bowl, toss with dressing.  Add croutons and Parmesan cheese, and toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

Prep Time:  Approximately 15 minutes      Cook Time:  0

Fried Ham and Cheese Sandwich: A.K.A. The Monte Cristo

The Monte Cristo Sandwich combines French toast with a ham and cheese sandwich.  It is the American version of the French croque-monsieur, which is also a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.  Regional variations include turkey, Cheddar or Gruyere cheese instead of Swiss, dipping sauce and of course:  To powdered sugar or not to powdered sugar?  That is the question.  We're The Devilish Dish, of course we powdered sugar.  And we serve warmed raspberry jam for dipping.  Why have a "fried ham and cheese" sandwich when you can have a "Monte Cristo"?

The Monte Cristo Party

Spread 4 slices of Texas toast evenly
with mustard.  Do you think in Texas
they just call it toast?

Top mustard with a slice of Swiss cheese,
then a layer of ham.

Next add a layer of turkey.

Top turkey with remaining slices of Swiss cheese.



Top with remaining slices of bread
to form 4 sandwiches.



Whish together eggs, milk, salt,
pepper and nutmeg.

Warm raspberry jam in a saucepan
over low heat.

Melt butter on a griddle over medium heat.

Dip sandwiches in egg mixture. 
Coat both sides well and place on griddle. 
Grill 4 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Dust with powdered sugar.

Serve with warmed raspberry jam for dipping. 
YUM!

Monte Cristo Sandwich
8 slices Texas Toast bread
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 pound Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 pound Black Forest ham, thinly sliced
1/2 pound roasted turkey breast, thinly sliced
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter
powdered sugar
1 jar raspberry jam

Spread 4 slices of bread evenly with mustard.  Top each with 1 slice of cheese.  Next layer on ham, then turkey.  Cover with remaining cheese.  Top with remaining slices of bread to form 4 sandwiches.  In a shallow dish, whisk together:  eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Empty raspberry jam into a small sauce pan over low heat.  Allow to warm until jam becomes sauce-like.  Melt butter on a griddle over medium heat.  Dip sandwiches in egg mixture to coat well on both sides.  Place sandwiches on griddle and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.  Cut each sandwich in half.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve with warmed raspberry jam for dipping.  Serve immediately.

Prep Time:  Approximately 15 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 8 minutes