Pepper Fried Rice

There's nothing better than fried rice. When you go out for Chinese food, fried rice is the crowning jewel of dinner. In fact, when I mentioned having it as part of dinner, my favorite dinner-mate's eyebrows went up.

"Seriously?"
"Yep, seriously."

We also have a love (well, a fetish, maybe?) with bell peppers. And black pepper. So, this fried rice was inspired by our favorite cooking ingredient. Pepper.

Pepper Fried Rice

4 cups cold, cooked long grain rice (1 1/4 cups uncooked rice)
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper, any color
1/2 cup frozen veggie mix, like a corn-carrot-peas garden variety
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (La Choy is gluten free)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Rub cooked rice with your wet hands so that all the grains are separated. Beat the eggs with the 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a wok or wide frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and fresh black pepper and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the eggs and stir and cook until they form softly; remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add frozen veggies and peanuts. Stir fry for 2 minutes to heat through and soften peanuts; peanuts should become more translucent. Remove from pan and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Add the rice and stir fry for 2 minutes to heat through. Stir in soy and peanut mixture. Add the eggs and fold in until they are in small pieces. Season with salt.