Back to Basics : Chicken Fried Rice

Happy Chinese New Year! Are you a snake? I don't mean that as an insult, I mean that as your birth year- 2013 is the year of the snake. I wasn't trying to imply that you're manipulative or sly... I assume that since you're here sharing in my kitchen adventures you're nothing less than marvelous!

Back to Basics : Lighter Basil Pesto

It's been a while since we've done a Back to Basics, hasn't it? For that, I apologize. I have been waiting rather impatiently for my kitchen garden to grow in order to do this post for you. The fact that my kitchen garden has actually produced living, edible things is a mini-miracle in itself.... I certainly did not inherit my mother's impeccable green thumb. This pesto is certainly a sauce you want to have in your recipe arsenal, especially when the spring basil starts hitting the grocery stores in a few weeks!

Back to Basics : Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Remember a few weeks ago when we made those delicious stuffed acorn squash? I hope you didn't throw away the seeds, since they make a wonderful little snack! Healthy, flavorful and prevents food waste? Those are three of my favorite qualities in a dish!

Back to Basics : Beef Stock

So here we go with the next installment of Back to Basics. For those of you just joining, I like to post these über simple recipes that I believe everyone should know how to make. So far, we've done Vanilla Syrup to naturally flavor your coffee, Scrambled Eggs so you never have rubbery eggs again, and 10 Minute Croutons, which use hot dog buns to whip these up for salads and wraps.

Back to Basics : 10 Minute Croutons

So the other day, when I was making the No Guilt Caesar Dressing, I realized I did not have any croutons in the house! Now I don't know about you, but for me, Caesar salad without fresh croutons is just sad and plain wrong.

Back to Basics : Scrambled Eggs

Everyone has their own way of making scrambled eggs, it seems. When I took a poll at work before writing this post, I got everything from high heat/constant stirring, low heat/curdle and stir, even microwaving for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between.

Back to Basics : Vanilla Syrup

I think the beauty of cooking is in the basics. If you can master these, I believe you can make anything. Not only can you make basically any recipe you want, but you know exactly what is in your food. NO preservatives, NO words you can't pronounce, No insane salt content or hidden sugars.