By Mike Thayer

If' you're running out of ideas on how to use up that leftover ham, here's something super easy to try using ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Ham Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cubed ham
• 1 cup leftover rice (cold rice gives you that crispy edge you're looking for in a good fried rice)
• 1/4 cup onion - diced
• 1/4 cup carrot - rough chopped, if you want to make it look 'purdy', cut julliane
• 1/4 cup peas or whatever veggie you have on hand really, that's the beauty of fried rice
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2Tablespoon hoisin sauce
• Pinch of red pepper flake (optional)
• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Put a large skillet over medium high heat.  Assemble all your ingredients for easy dump in to the hot pan.  That and cold rice is the key to a good fried rice, having everything right there, ready to go.  Once the pan is hot, add the oils and once that gets hot and easily coats the bottom of the pan, dump in the veggies (mushrooms are really good in this too, but like I said, pretty much whatever leftover veggie you have on hand works).  Once the veggies start to caramelize, toss in the rice and ham.  Stir to incorporate.  Add the soy and hoisin sauces, stir to incorporate.  For the egg, you can either scramble and add it to the fried rice at this point stirring to incorporate, or you can push the fried rice to the side of the pan and fry your egg over easy so you have an egg yolk that oozes over the plated fried rice.  The latter is my preferred method, which also allows that rice to crisp up on the bottom.

Fried rice is the easiest way to kill a bunch of leftovers in the fridge - talk about being Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly!  And the best part, it's another dose of YUM!   Don't get take out or delivery - do your own fried rice!

$pend Wisely My Friends...