Thirty years and still good

I have been making this fried rice for thirty years now. I began in 1975 when I worked as a short-order cook in a bar/restaurant when I was fifteen. I worked for a Vietnamese lady. Her name was Tu. She is somewhere in Las Vegas the last I heard. That was weird, the instant I typed "Las Vegas" the announcer for Wheel of Fortune said it right along with me.

I make rice the long way. (Minute rice will work, though). It is best if you let the rice cool overnight in the refrigerator before you fry it up. (But I couldn't wait another day for it). I then chop up pieces of ham. This ham was really good because it was the left over from Thanksgiving (it had been in the freezer). I also chop up green pepper and sometimes celery (if I have it) and I add a jar or a can of mushroom pieces. I start with olive oil in the frying pan and add the ham next. Next is the green pepper and celery and then mushrooms. The rice is added last. I generously shake garlic salt into the dish while I am frying it.

You can substitute chicken for ham. You can also use scrambled eggs. I suppose you could also add onion. We used this in the restaurant as our side dish for the seafood platter. That was the dish with all the breaded seafood we had. Fish, shrimp, scallops, clam strips. I loved it when somebody ordered this dish because I always fixed extra pieces for the cook. (ME!)

My brother and niece like this dish with soy sauce. I think that makes it too salty with the garlic salt. I had it for dinner this evening, but it makes a great breakfast food.

I can't find my tree lights. I must have four to six sets of lights. Where they are is anybody's guess. I took all the decorations out and I have been through all ten boxes of stuff. I have some strong smells coming from the boxes. I have one big box for trash. I am pitching a lot of my older stuff that has no sentimental value or is beyond recognition.

The lights remain lost. I guess I get to buy new lights, now. They will show up after the holidays I suppose.

Well, I got my wish today. They closed all schools in a fifty mile radius. Now we have another weather advisory issued. This might be one long week-end. I made up two more batches of the rolled sugar cookies we made last week. Both batches are in dough form still and chilling in the refrigerator. I found cookie cutters in the shape of a star, Christmas tree, flower and many hearts. That will add some variety. I hope this batch makes it to the holidays. I'll try to freeze some or hide them.

And my CD sets that I made are working their magic on me. I am so in the mood for baking and decorating. My new favorite Christmas carol is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation theme song. It is very lively and joyful.