2 year celebration!

Last weekend we ventured to Denver to celebrate, we spent the day at the Denver Zoo, which by the way, is HUGE, and great, and $8. Had an amazing dinner at the Capital Grille in Denver, which was AMAZING and very very delicious!!!

Tradition says the gift for married two years is China, and Modern is Cotton. Both of those genre's of gifts escaped me for something unique to give, so in celebration of two years married, we made Chinese food. It works right?!

This is what we made:
Chinese Fried Rice from The Cooks Companion
(not our fried rice, I Didn't take a picture)

serves 4
prep 5 minutes + 20 minutes cooling
Cooking 30 minutes

ingredients

• 3 cups cold water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
• 2 eggs
• 4 tsp sun-flower seed oil (i couldn't find this at the grocery store, and anything close was mad $$, olive worked just fine)
• 4 scallions -sliced diagionally
• 1 red, green or yellow pepper, cored seeded and thinly sliced ( I would dice if we make this again)
  
• 3-4 lean bacon strips rined and cut into strips (if we make this again, I will use more bacon)
• 1 1/3 cups fresh bean sprouts
• 1 1/8 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
• Salt and Pepper
• Protein! optional, but we added flank steak and are glad we did.
  

1. pour the water into the wok with the salt and bring to a boil. Rinse the Rice in a strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear, drain throughly, and add to the boiling water. Stir well, then cover the wok tightly with the lid, and let simmer for 12-13 minutes (do not remove the lid during cooking or the steam will escape and the rice will not be cooked).
2. remove the lid, give the rice a good stir, and spread out onto a large plate or baking sheet to cool and dry.
3. Meanwhile, beat each egg seperately, with salt and pepper and 2 teaspoons of cold water. heat one tablespoon of oil in a preheated wok, pour in the first egg, swirl it around, and let cook undisturbed until set. transfer egg to a cutting board and cook the second egg. cut the omlets into thin slices.
4. add the remining oil to the wok and when really hot add the scallions and bell pepper and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. add the bacon and continue to stir fry for an additional 2 minutes. add the bean sprouts and beas and toss together throughly. stir in the soy sauce if using.
5. Cook the steak or protien, I'm sure chicken or shrimp would be good here also.
   
6. add the rice and salt and pepper to taste and stir fry for 1 minute, and add the strips of omlet and continue to stir fry for 2 minutes, or until rice is piping hot. Serve immidately.

We didn't have a wok, a large skillet worked fine.

This was delish and enough for 2 night dinner.

Paired with Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay 2006, it made a great meal!