Tonight’s Dinner: Sweet & sour pork chops over fried rice

If you had rice with dinner last night or even the night before last, you can fry it up with some eggs, a few frozen vegetables, and the protein of your choice and have a delicious dinner tonight.

Whenever I make rice to go with dinner, I always cook it in my rice steamer. Rice steamers, a must-have in any family kitchen, are great because they make cooking rice so easy. Just add the right amount of water to however many cups of rice and flip the switch. The cooker turns off when the rice is ready, allowing you to focus on your entreé.

Whenever I make rice in my steamer, I always make extra just so I’ll have leftovers to make fried rice the next night. Fried rice is one of those great sides that can be turned into a meal just by adding some vegetables and chicken or shrimp.

I’m such a big fan of fried rice, in fact, that whenever I see a recipe using it, I have to have it. So, when I saw this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens’ casserole issue by Jaden Hair, I knew I had to make it. I love Jaden Hair and her blog, Steamy Kitchen. I avidly follow her on Twitter and everything she makes is amazing.

These sweet and sour pork chops are no different. And, since I already had the extra rice, I knew it would be super easy to make. Hair says her mother used to make it all the time when she was a kid and now she makes it for her family.

A recipe the whole family will enjoy that’s this simple to make? Get me my rice steamer!

Sweet & Sour Pork Chops Over Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups day-old cooked rice
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 4 boneless pork chops
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into thick wedges

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat; add eggs and cook about 1 minute, or until nearly set; add rice, using a spatula to stir-fry, mix the eggs into the rice.
3. Spread rice out over the surface of the wok or skillet; let cook without stirring for 2 minutes; turn and stir rice, spread out rice again; cook for 2 more minutes; stir in peas and carrots and the 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
4. Transfer the rice mixture into an ungreased 3-quart baking dish.
5. Season pork chops on all sides with salt and pepper.
6. Wipe the wok or skillet clean; add the sesame oil and heat over medium-high heat; add pork chops; cook about 4 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides, turning once; arrange pork chops on top of rice mixture in baking dish.
7. For sauce: in a small bowl, combine the water, sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce; set aside. Return wok or skillet to stove over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes; add garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute; add tomatoes and stir-fry for 1 minute; add rice vinegar mixture, stir-fry about 1 minute, or until heated through.
8. Pour sauce over pork chops and bake, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pork chops are cooked through.

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Beef Fried Rice

Red Fried Rice

Sweet Chili Tofu Fried Rice