Banana Bread {recipe}

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and now that the nice weather is actually making its appearance over in our area, I'm so ready to get outside and enjoy it. 

The most exciting part is that I can finally go walking in the park with my munchkin and start getting back into shape faster. I do have a treadmill but running in the garage, while staring at my husband's tools, is not fun or does it make me want to do it over and over again. 

If you notice, all my recipes haven't really been 'diet' type. I don't know why, but I have such a sweet tooth lately. I've always been more of savory kinda gal but I think breastfeeding, working out, or what have you, is making me crave sweets. Yeah, not good. 

So I'm trying to curb my cravings a little bit while not indulging in too many sweet things. One of my favorites is banana bread. Our pastor's wife has been making most delicious, moist and decadent banana bread for years and always shares with us during Christmas time. She did give me the recipe but it never came out right. I decided to give it a try one more time with a little tweak. It was pure perfection. 

Go get some bananas. Let them sit on your counter for a week and make yourself a banana bread. 

Trust me. It's gooooood.  

INGREDIENTS

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

HOW TO:

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). 

With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

***My oven tends to be on hotter side so I bake it on 325F for an hour and then leave on 300F for another 30 minutes. It seems to do the trick - comes out moist and perfectly browned. Work with your oven.

Broccoli Cheese Soup {recipe}

Let me just say this: I love broccoli cheese soup. A lot. It is my favorite soup, behind mushroom and loaded potato and... you get the point. My hubby on the other hand, not so much. It's the cheese that doesn't sit well with him. So when I make this, it's mostly all for me. Except last week we had some friends over for dinner and the soup was gone by the end of the night. Should I say they liked it? Well, just a little. 

So this soup is, again, easy-peasy to make. Like most of my recipes. I try to bring you easy-to-make, home-made-but-taste-like-from-a-restaurant ideas for great meals.

The basis for my recipe comes from here, tweaked a little to my personal taste.

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh broccoli
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 medium onions
4 oz Swiss cheese
3 medium carrots
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup of flour
2 cups of milk
3 tbsp butter
6 oz heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and grate carrots, dice the onions and grate the cheeses. Set aside

Pour the chicken broth in a heavy bottom pot and put it on low heat to slowly warm up and add the carrots
Melt the butter in a non stick skillet and add diced onions. Cook together for 5 minutes on medium heat until the onions become translucent.

Take half of the onions and add them to the broth. Add flour to the rest of the onions in the pan and whisk together. Start adding milk very slowly, constantly whisking after every 1/4 of a cup until it forms a roux. Set aside.

Cut broccoli florets discarding the stems and put into a medium heatproof dish. Pour enough boiling water to cover and let stand for 1 minute. (you can't really wash broccoli too well, so the boiling water will remove all the germs and dirt and it will not end up in the soup) Drain broccoli and add to the broth. Next add the roux and heavy cream then stir everything.

Little by little add the cheese while keeping the heat on simmer (or it will stick to the pot if you heat it the boiling point. Tried it. Trust me. Had to soak the pot for 3 days)

Add salt and pepper to taste. (Make sure you taste it before adding salt as the broth and cheese will add quit a bit of salt. Careful not to over-salt it.)

Egg-in-a-Whole {recipe}

When I say I don't like eggs, I mean, I really don't like them. If I have to eat scrambled eggs, I nearly drown them in ketchup. But being that it has lean protein and an essential to a good breakfast, and blah blah blah (especially for preggos), I've been forced to eat them. Hence, I've been looking for recipes to creatively disguise the eggs and load up on veggies. First of all, I'm the queen of easy when it comes to breakfast. Sometimes I get all crazy and make super fancy Eggs Benedict, otherwise, I like to stick to pancakes. Well, here is the first way I've tried eating my egg(s). And I must say, I liked it.

Ingredients:

1 slice of your favorite bread

1/2 tbsp butter 

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 avocado

3 grape tomatoes 

With a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, press a hole in the center of the slice of bread.


Next, heat a skillet over medium-low heat and melt the butter in it. When the butter is all spread out, place 
the piece of bread in the skillet and crack the egg straight into the center of hole.



Cook for at least 30 seconds or so before attempting to move the bread or things could get messy. Sprinkle the egg with salt and pepper to taste. After about a minute, flip it over with a spatula and salt and pepper the other side.



Now move the whole piece of toast around the skillet, soaking up all of the glorious butter. Let it cook until the yolk feels, to the touch, still soft without feeling over-jiggly. Here’s the key: golden brown toast, white (not brown/burned) whites, soft unbroken yolk. Load it with your favorite veggies and and enjoy! 

Hearty Potato Soup {recipe}

recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

 Lately, I have been making lots of food.
What else is there to do when the temperatures drop into negative zone Fahrenheit?
Brrrrr. But-freezing cold. 

I mean, I am hungry pregnant lady after all.

Staying at home, and baking and cooking up a storm, makes my husband the happy beneficiary of the happenings. I don't know why and what's happening here but nesting is definitely getting to me. 

I think I'm reading more food blogs than fashion anything right now. Washing floors at least twice a week, scouting for pillows for my new couches and just organizing the house like crazy.

Well, at least the house is clean and there is always food. Delicious food. 

I got this recipe from The Pioneer Woman and it's perfect. It's so hearty, thick yet perfectly creamy. 

Try it for yourself.

Ingredients

6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces

1 whole Medium Onion, Diced

2 whole Carrots, Scrubbed Clean And Diced

3 stalks Celery, Diced

6 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled And Diced

6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth

3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour

1 cup Milk

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste

Black Pepper To Taste

1/2 teaspoon Cajun Spice Mix

1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley

1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice

Preparation Instructions

Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.

Return the hot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.

Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food process until completely smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Stir in cream, then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.

Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces. 

*** I love to eat it with black yeast dough Russian bread. It reminds me of home.

Crepes {recipe}

I have been craving crepes lately. 

It goes like this: 'Womb service. Yes, Can I please order some crepes filled with farmers cheese and strawberries. What's that? Whipped cream? Suuuure... send that can of whipped cream up!"

So, I have been making them every night, and the hubs loves it.
He loves the new and improved, always-hungry version of myself. 

He is benefiting a great deal from this whole pregnancy thing and keeps saying that maybe I shouldn't go to work after all, stay at home and make delicious food, while I'm making babies. Well that's new.

This recipe is as simple and easy as it gets. In Russian food there is a version of these, but much fattier and has sour cream in the batter.
I like them both ways but this is my go-to recipe. 

We eat them as a dessert (above picture) or plain for breakfast. Whatever you fancy, can dress them up with everything from fruit to Nutella. 

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour

- 2 eggs

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 1/2 cup of milk

- 1 tbsp butter

- pinch of salt

In a medium mixing bowl sift together flour, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl beat the eggs with fork and add milk to combine. Pour the milk mixture into flour while constantly mixing it with a whisk. Don't stop until there are no more lumps left. If needed add a little more water/milk. The batter should even consistency and not thick.

Heat up a small non-stick frying pan on medium heat and coat it with a butter. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and swirl evenly. 

***You don't need to use spoon/spatula to smooth it out, just swirl until the entire pan is coated with batter and it isn't moving anymore. 

Allow 1 minute on the first side and when flipped, about 30 seconds on the other. 

Cheese Filling:

- 1/2 lb  of farmer's cheese 

- 1 tbsp whipped cream cheese

- 3 tbsp of sugar

- 1 tbsp sour cream

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the farmer's cheese and cream cheese together, then add sour cream, next add sugar and vanilla. Place 1 tbsp (or more ;-) of cheese mixture into each crepes and fold. 

Melt about 1 teaspoon of butter in a skillet and sauté the folded cheese crepes on medium heat until light brown on both sides. They don’t take long to sauté. Be careful not to burn them.

Refrigerate crepes that aren't being served.  They keep in the fridge for almost one week, or you can freeze them up to 2 months. Sometimes I make couple batches and freeze them for easy breakfast solution later.

Wash strawberries and cut into desired pieces. Add a little bit of strawberry preserves or topping and mix. Pour strawberries into crepes, sprinkle with almonds and top with whipped cream. 

Enjoy!

...then go back for seconds. 

French Onion Grilled Cheese {recipe}

Have you ever had this "Duhhhh" moment when you think to yourself 'Why haven't I thought of this earlier?'. Well I had one of those when I saw the recipe for this an amazingly delicious grilled cheese sandwich. It's the perfect combination of sweet and salty, crispy bread and melty cheese. 

Ohhhh my! Just talking about it makes me want to go whip out another batch. 

Plus, like I say in almost all my recipes - it's so easy to put together.

Ingredients
- 5 red onions
- 2 tbsp of butter
- 1/2 lb of thinly sliced Swiss Cheese
- 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup of red cooking wine
- french baguette
- thyme
- salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Process 
Makes 4 sandwiches

 Chop up the onions roughly, you don't want to dice them as they will cook down and will be very mushy. Melt the butter in a bottom-heavy sauce pan and add the onions. Leave the heat on medium and keep stirring the onions through the cooking process. 

 Cut the bread into 1/4 in thick slices and arrange 2 pieces of cheese on each side. I mean it's grilled cheese after all so you may want to pile on. Also, get the good stuff, something with tang and perfect sweetness - you don't want to ruin this puppy with domestic Swiss. That's just a sin.

Keep stirring the onions and when they start to wilt, turn up the heat just a notch. The goal (which my hubby said I failed to achieve this time, because he cooks the french onion soup in our family and it's absolute french perfection) is to have your onions start caramelizing on high heat. When you start seeing the purple color on the edges of the pan start browning, that's the sugar from onions coming and almost starting to burn. That's when your onions are done. They will cook down in volume a lot. 

Add the balsamic, wine and thyme and keep stirring to let all the liquid evaporate for another 5 minutes. Once the onions don't have anymore liquid (they will be very mushy though), turn the heat off and set aside. 

Spread about 2 tsbp of onions on one side of the bread, add salt and pepper and cover with the other. 

We didn't add any salt into the onions so at this point they are very sweet. Do a taste test and see how much salt you want in them.

Heat up a panini maker or just good ole-fashioned skillet and  spread a little butter on the outside of the sandwich. Heat it up until the cheese is melted and starts sizzling.

Enjoy! 

The Best Cheesecake {recipe}

{the dessert table = 4 pies, a cake, cheesecake and zucchini  bread}

{the best cheesecake yet}

I consider cheesecake to be one of the hardest recipe out there because there is so many things that can go wrong. First, it should be moist but not overly so; then it should rise and not fall shortly after you take it out of the oven. Also, it should have this rich and creamy consistency from the first bite until the last. Well, all that is hard to achieve but not impossible. Introducing, the best recipe out there and probably the best cheesecake I've ever made. 

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen (with a a few of my changes)

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 
•  stick of butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar

Filling:

• 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream 
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 6 eggs 

Topping:

• 6 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
• 1 1/2 pounds (about 3 large) Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan tightly with foil to prevent moisture from the water bath from seeping into the cheesecake

Crust:

In a food processor (or with a fork), mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press the mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven to cool completely.

Filling:

In a food processor or with an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Add the sour cream, orange juice, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, blending until just combined. *Cook's Note: It's important to blend well with no clumps as this will make the filling a smoother consistency when baked.

Pour the filling into the crust. Put a roasting pan on a rack in the center of the oven and transfer the cheesecake to the pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan and cover it loosely with foil. Bake until the center moves only slightly when the cake pan is shaken, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Check the water level about 1 hour into the baking, adding more water, if needed. Leave the cake in the oven for another 15 minutes after turning the oven off. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and transfer the cake pan to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate overnight.

Topping:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the apples and pecans and cook, stirring, until they are coated with butter, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and the liquid comes to a boil, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apples and pecans to a bowl. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the remaining liquid, stirring often, until it turns a deep amber, about 6 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat to stop the cooking and add the cream. Be careful, as the cream may splatter. Return the skillet to the heat and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the apples and pecans. Allow to cool until lukewarm.

Spread the caramel-apple mixture evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Use a knife dipped in hot water to cut through the cheesecake.

Royal Apple Cobbler {recipe}

There is nothing better then a warm apple cobbler on a cold fall night (with or without ice cream). I eat mine with hot tea. I love apple pies, but there is something to sophisticated and delicious about a cobbler. I've made different cobblers - from peach to mixed berry yet Pioneer Woman's recipe for blackberry cobbler is the best. I used her recipe but changed couple of things.

- First, I used apples with blackberries. Apples alone seem a little boring and a blackberry cobbler is way too expensive (this time of year). So I've used one pint of blackberries to add color and taste to the apples. Perfection!

- Next, I do not like shortening. Honestly, something about it makes me feel like my butt is expanding while I'm adding it to the recipe. I substituted it with canola oil which is the best for cooking.

- Lastly, I sprinkled the top with almonds. I love how the creamy inside mixed with the crunchy nuts makes for the best taste and texture.



Ingredients

• 1 pint of Blackberries
• 4 medium Tart Cooking Apples 
• 1/2 cup Plus 4 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1/2 whole Zest Of Lemon
• 2 cups Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 4-5 Tablesppoons Canola Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 3-4 Tablespoons Almonds
• 1 whole Egg
• 1/2 cup Milk

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine blackberries, ½ cup sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Stir and spread out in a buttered Pyrex dish.

In a separate bowl pour flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Add oil and butter and work mixture together with a pastry blender (or your fingers) until the mixture is coarse. Measure ½ cup milk, add an egg, and mix together. Pour into flour mixture, stirring as you go. Mixture should be smooth and not dry, but not over sticky.

Take clumps of dough and place them on top of the blackberries. Lightly flatten dough with your fingertips. Sprinkle with 3 to 4 tablespoons of almond and bake until golden for 30 minutes. Berry juice will be slightly thin, but don’t be afraid. It will gradually soak into the biscuit-like topping and make your life complete.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and hot tea.

Midnight Snack {recipe}

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese 

Pear

Apple

Wasa Crispbread

Substitute any fancy cheese for a more exquisite taste, or try apple instead of pear.

9g of Carbohydrates and 3g of Protein - midnight snack of champions.

It turns out a lot of things they tell you about pregnancy are actually true. Like having to go tinkle a gazillion times a day, or being hungry more times then not, and liking foods that you previously couldn't stand

Most of the time I do good with having smaller portions 3-4 hours apart but when dinner is at seven, by the time bed time rolls around - I'm starving. 

I've tried having fruit, cereal, yogurt and oatmeal because I don't want to have anything too heavy. Yet it's not filling enough. 

I've tried going without and then I can't sleep at all. 

In an effort to sleep well, be somewhat full, I went on a quest for a healthy and protein rich snack. Here is my recipe for a satisfied tummy and a good night's sleep. 

(Of course, there is always PBJ, if all else fail)

Apple Scrumptiousness {recipe}

I have a great and super easy recipe for your weekend. The fall is in full swing and not making something with apples is just got to be some kind of sin. I love apples and literally eat them by the pounds, so incorporating them in baking is another great way to use up the vitamins. 

I am not much of a baker. I do like to make sweet things but nothing to fancy, nothing that involves more than couple of mixer attachments. 

I found this recipe when I had left over puff pastry and some apples, and nobody does it better than the The Pioneer Woman. 

Here is the recipe because I did not feel like re-inventing the wheel when she has done such a fine just explaining every step.

Enjoy! 

Zucchini Muffins {recipe}

So my aunt has an organic garden and she gave me a huge zucchini. I honestly did not know what to do with it because I like my zucchini young. So I decided to find a recipe that will incorporate zucchini without compromising the flavor. I discarded of the seeds in the middle and had only the outside shell left.

These are healthy and you get your zucchini serving without compromising the taste. 

This recipe is easy, yet again, with delicious results. 

Recipe Courtesy of My Recipes

Ingredients

• 4.75 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup)
• 3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 large egg 
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine whole-wheat flour and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, honey, and egg in a small bowl; stir until blended. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add milk mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
3. 3. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Squares {recipe}

Courtesy of My Recipes

These amazing, tangy, sweet, crunchy and absolutely delicious dessert squares are the best you will ever have. I made them over the weekend and it were amazing! Easy to make, even though I don't have a food processor, and very yummy! With the summer wrapping up, I don't feel like ice cream anymore, but these sour-sweet treats were just perfect for an afternoon tea on the porch.
I was enjoying them so much that forgot to snap a pic ;-)

Ingredients

3.4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons canola oil

Cooking spray

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 

2 large eggs 

1 large egg white 

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, pine nuts, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times to combine. Add butter and canola oil. Pulse 3 to 5 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Place mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; press into bottom of pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

3. Combine granulated sugar and next 5 ingredients (through egg white) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour mixture over crust. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Sprinkle squares evenly with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.

P.S. I changed couple things. 

First, I am not going to spend $5 for 3 tbsp of pine nuts, so I substituted in almonds. It gives the crust some crunch and saves you some $$.

Second, I bought Meyers Lemons, because they have a little bit more of a taste and not as sour. Therefore, reducing sugar by 1/2 cup of sugar

{Shrimp Fried Rice}

Mine came out picture-perfect

Once in a while I find this recipe that's easy and delicious. Well, this is it! This is easy to make and with all the right ingredients, it will taste better then take-out. Trust me!

I love Shrimp Fried Rice and with my constant craving for salt, I can satisfy hunger 

with some very nutritious stuff. 

I followed the recipe to a T and did not change anything!

(Well, except I like cilantro and parsley so I added some of that in)

**Recipe and all pictures below are courtesy of natashaskitchen.com**

Ingredients for Shrimp Fried Rice: Link

1 lb (26-30 count) uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp canola or other cooking oil

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped

5 cups left-over, cold rice (Make sure to rinse the rice before cooking so it’s not sticky – sticky fried rice doesnt’ work)1 and 1/2 cups (12 oz)  frozen carrots and peas, defrosted according to package instructions and well-drained

2 1/2 to 3 tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

How to Make the BEST shrimp fried rice:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.

2. Heat a large skillet on high heat. When a bead of water sizzles and evaporates, swirl in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.

3. Add shrimp to the hot skillet and spread them out in a single layer. Cook about 1 minute each side, or until cooked through and no longer opaque. Remove to a bowl.

4. Over medium heat, add eggs to the same skillet. Break up the eggs with a spatula and cook until no longer runny. Remove to a bowl.

5. Wipe down the skillet with a paper towel and return to high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and onions and cook green onion until fragrant (if using regular onion, cook until soft).

6. Add rice and mix well. Spread rice evenly over the pan and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stir and saute another 1 to 2 minutes. Rice should sizzle.

7. Drizzle 2 tbsp soy sauce over rice and stir well.

8. Add sesame oil and vegetables and mix well.

9. Add cooked shrimp and cooked eggs to the pan and mix well. Continue to cook until the rice is hot and sizzles, stirring frequently. Add another tablespoon of soy sauce to taste, if desired.