Fried Rice with Shrimp Stir Fry

In an attempt to shake a winter cooking pattern and to guarantee a bounce-back after a rejected try at a new recipe, I came up with this super-food charged combo.

The brown rice dish is a long-standing goto item in my house.  I made it the day prior and got the obvious and reasonable question: "What's up with the rice?".  The answer dear reader lies below in the photos.  

The two dishes I made (fried rice & stir fry) go together like beer and brats... or is that brat and beers. :-)

Anyways, these can easily be tweaked by a determined cook to match ingredients at hand.

I won't bore you with the version I went with tonight.  The next time I make it, its certain to be different... and that's ok.

When the rice is properly cooked and fresh ingredients are used, your stir-fry can't fail.

Recipes:  (rough guides / aka inspiration)

Baked Brown Rice (thank you Alton)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-brown-rice-recipe/index.html

Asian Edamame Fried Rice

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/04/asian-edamame-fried-rice.html

Stir-Fried Snow Peas with Shiitakes and Ginger

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/stir-fried-snow-peas-shiitakes-ginger.aspx

Fried Rice with edamame, carrot, ginger, garlic, etc...

 

Shrimp, shiitake, pea pod stir fry

Lastly... a photo of my failed 5 cheese lasagna... deemed too heavy

Avgolemono - better eaten than pronounced

They say Chicken soup is good for the soul.  

If that's true, then Avgolemono must provide a turbo-boost to the soul.

So here's the contradiction about this soup:  this soup is super creamy, but contains no cream.  I've known this trick for a while and its one of my favorite soup thickening agents: eggs. 

A couple of well "tempered" eggs go a long way in this dish.  The other nifty fact about this soup is that there is no chicken stock used.  You make the stock while you're making the soup.

After simmering the chicken (I used a 4 lb. Bare chicken) until done, I removed the meat from the bones.  Its really easy to do, if you do it right away.  Use a cookie tray so that the juices don't escape.  I then roasted the bones for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.  The smell was fabulous and the carrot/leak simmer step had these super tasty bones to keep them company.

Since I spread the soup making over two days, I chose to cook the Arborio rice in a little olive oil before adding the skimmed stock.  This technique works well with Mexican rice, and does so here too.

I know my father in-law loves this soup and I was wishing he could stop by to sample it.  Luckily, I had my side of the family over to share a fun and tasty lunch.

Base recipe: (thanks Cat)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cat-cora/avgolemono-chicken-soup-with-egg-lemon-sauce-recipe/index.html

carrots and leaks

My tangy friend

The meat.  Go rustic and "pull" it apart with two forks.  Don't simmer it to death.

The finished product

Why make one soup when you can make 3 at the same time?
(zuppa toscana and black bean)