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| 3/13/2017 |
With three of us in the house, this recipe offers a lot of variability. Not only does it use veggies in a mix and match format that works well for us (I like to use what I have, not run to the store every day), but it can be served on a plate, in a bowl or in wraps. Also, when there are only 3 of us, I use one large chicken breast and 1 uncle bens pre-cooked rice, with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups total of the optional veggies. It leaves little, if any, leftover. That said, you can see how this is heavy on the veggies and keeps the meat volume low.
1.) Prep:
Either make rice (2 cups volume when cooked) or have your Uncle Ben's ready to heat.
**I recommend the Santa Fe flavor or plain Brown Rice*
2.) Chop your core veggies:
4 green onions, sliced (use onion and green parts)
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped (or use the pre-chopped kind in jar)
2 A.) Chop your OPTIONAL veggies:
(**you need only 1 or 2, but can use more (or all) if serving A LOT OT PEOPLE!)
1 cup asparagus, in 3/4 inch to 1 inch pieces
1 small to medium zucchini, diced
1 can, drained, sliced water chestnuts
1/2 to 1 cup fresh mushrooms (or use canned ones)
1/2 cup peppers diced, red, green, yellow, orange --you choose or mix and match!
1/2 cup tomato, diced, seeded (can use canned tomato or salsa depending on your flavor combo)
1 can of corn, drained
* 1/4 cup nuts or sunflower seeds (cashews, almonds, pistachios)
* this dish is plenty good without any nuts too
3.) Choose and prep your meat: (**USE ONLY 1 kind of meat**)
1 bag of cooked small, tail off shrimp, thawed and rinsed
diced chicken CUT SMALL TO COOK FAST *1 large breast for 2-3 people
diced beef (or stew meat) CUT SMALL TO COOK FAST
diced pork CUT SMALL TO COOK FAST (can be pork loin or sausage or andouille or heck, it'd probably be good with hot dogs sliced up!)
4.) COOK:
Use LARGE skillet, set burner on medium-high
Put 2 or 3 TBSP Olive oil in skillet
Add 1 or 2 TBSP butter
Add 1 to 3 TBSP cajun seasoning **to your taste**
Add garlic and onion STIR.
When it is sizzling:
5) Add the veggies that take longer to cook such as carrots, zucchini
STIR and COOK A FEW MINUTES
6) Add the veggies that take medium time to cook such as mushrooms, peppers
STIR and COOK A FEW MINUTES
7) Add the veggies that take little time to cook such as asparagus, water chestnuts, nuts
STIR and COOK A FEW MINUTES
8) Add the MEAT
STIR and COOK until meat is done
9) SQUEEZE a lemon over the skillet or offer wedges with each place setting
10) EITHER: serve OVER rice OR add rice to skillet and stir to mix
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
A) Serve in a bowl
B) Spoon into wraps (maybe add sour cream)
C) Serve on a plate
NOTE: This recipe lends itself to your modifications and experimentation. We had some unsliced bacon in the fridge. I cut off a wedge, chopped it small and added it to the mix. Sooo good!!! You could change the flavor by leaving out the cajun seasoning and going for something else. Just about any blended spice from McCormick's grilling would work well. Match your seasoning to the rice flavor (or go plain). You can make it more Chinese or Thai by using a jar of sauce added at the end and using teryaki rice. You know your palate, adjust accordingly and it'll be your new thing!
