Panko Crusted Orange Roughy and Fried Rice

Well, I don't know about y'all but my family LOVES the Schwan man!  Every other Friday he comes to our house and occasionally has new and exciting things on his truck - along with an insanely amount of ice cream :)  Oh, and I forgot to mention, he's pretty funny too!  Anyway, this past Friday he stopped by and had some orange roughy.  I've never cooked it before but I'm always willing to try a new fish (at this point I guess you figured out that this wasn't wild game) because it's good for us and we like it! Luckily we had it too because I didn't take anything out for supper and this was easy to defrost in a sink of cold water in about 30 minutes.  I did it somewhat Asian style because we all like that - oh wait, let me rephrase that, my husband and I like it, our youngest won't eat anything with bread crumbs on it.  Why an 8 year old won't touch bread crumbs is beyond me because she'll eat grilled or baked salmon.  She's just crazy!!  Anyway, we liked it a lot and definitely will have it again!

Panko Crusted Orange Roughy

2 orange roughy filets (defrosted)

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp Szechuan seasoning

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the bread crumbs, garlic, ginger, and Szechuan seasoning together.

In a bowl, mix the soy sauce and olive oil together.  Dip the fish in this mixture.

Roll the moist fish in the crumbs.  You might have to pat the crumbs on the fish to help coat it.  Put the filets in an oven proof container (I do love to use baking stones - NOTHING sticks to them).

Bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes.  Fish is done when it flakes easily at it's thickest point.

This was fantastic!

Now on to the fried rice.  I've been making fried rice (I'm sure it's an Americanized version) since I was a little kid of probably 10.  My mom taught me how to make it and I, in turn, taught my oldest daughter.  It's one of those things we make for a nice side dish or add leftover meat to it and make it a main course.  Either way, it's pretty easy and very tasty.

Fried Rice

2 cups cooked rice (works better if it's cold but you can do it with hot rice)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 small carrot, diced

2 cloves minced garlic

3 or so sliced mushroom 

1/4 tsp ginger powder

cooking spray

1 tbsp vegetable oil

* Please note, you don't have to use the exact veggies I use.  Some people like peas, I don't so I wouldn't use those.  We love mushrooms so I always use them! Also, if you're making this for a main course, double the recipe if there is more than one person eating.  It's really good leftover for lunch the next day. *

Preheat a large skillet (preferably non-stick) on the stove over medium heat.  Have your veggies cut up before you get started.  It's the only way to be successful at this!

When warm, spray the pan with cooking spray and put the oil in the pan.  Kinda swirl it around a little so it coats the bottom of the pan.  Put the onion and carrots in.  Stir fry it for about a minute then add the garlic.

After about 30 seconds, add the mushrooms and stir fry again for about a minute.

Next, add the rice into the pan.  You have to continually stir so it doesn't stick.  If it does, it's not the end of the world.  It will just stink having to clean that pan out after you eat supper!

Cook for about 5 minutes, maybe more if you're using cold rice.  The final step is to put in some soy sauce.  I can't say how much because this sure is a personal choice.  I give it a few (well, maybe 4 or 5) good shakes and put the bottle out for anyone that wants more.

Ta-da!  The final product!

** One final note, I don't use a lot of salt when I'm cooking with soy sauce.  It's so salty anyway.  I just let everyone else put on what they want.  **