Ham and Cheese Fried Rice

The other evening was one of those nights. You know the ones: where you just don’t feel much like cooking and really aren’t sure what to make anyway. At first, I was going to do something with chicken and serve it over rice, but midway through the rice cooking process, I realized that I really had zero desire to trim the chicken and pound it into an even cutlet. None whatsoever, in fact.

Then, my thoughts turned to the rice, and a package of cubed ham steak in my fridge (freshly cut and packed at my local grocery store, thankyouverymuch!). Perhaps fried rice with ham? I could just see my husband’s skeptical face through the phone when I told him what I was making … I am sure he was thinking Who puts ham in fried rice?

As I was cooking up the rice, I realized the shredded swiss in my fridge would be a perfect finisher to this obviously Americanized dish. I was so right. Every last morsel of it was devoured.

Serve this up with a fresh chopped salad and perhaps some crusty bread for a wonderful, hearty, comforting meal.

Ham and Cheese Fried Rice
serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried rice, prepared
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lb ham steak, diced
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup shredded swiss cheese

Heat the olive oil in a wok. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about a minute. Add the cooked rice and stir to incorporate. Add the ham, salt and pepper and stir well.

Move the rice to one side of the skillet, exposing a section of pan. Pour the eggs into the exposed section and let cook for a minute or so. Stir to incorporate into the rice. Cook for until the eggs are set throughout.

Sprinkle the cheese on top and stir into the rice mixture. Once the cheese is melted, remove from heat.

Serve immediately.

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