Font ResizeBetween working full time as a public school teacher and racing to evening activities at the St. Paul Curling Club and school functions, Trixie Young of St. Paul has become a pro at getting dinner on the table quickly. The trick, she says, is keeping the refrigerator well stocked with such items as salad fixings, cooked rice and leftover meat from a weekend meal or a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket.
This stir-fry is for one of those busy nights. "My husband always teases me about how I could possibly have prepared a good meal in such a short amount of time," Young says.
She also offers a tip for what to do with the ramen sans the spice packet needed for the stir-fry. "I find those packets to be too salty for a single serving of noodles, so I usually cook two packets of noodles with one packet of spice powder, leaving a spare packet of spice powder for these sorts of evenings, when I throw together my fried cabbage meal. It's yummy and satisfying."
What you need: Onion, bag of shredded cabbage, leftover rice, leftover pork or chicken, spice packet from ramen noodles (Young prefers Indonesian ramen available at Asian markets).
How to make it: Coarsely chop 1 onion. Heat canola oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped onion. Sauté until translucent. Add generous heap of shredded cabbage. Cook until cabbage begins to wilt. Add leftover chopped meat and crumbled rice. Cook, tossing occasionally, until heated through. Just
How do you get dinner on the table fast? We're talking no more than 10 minutes prep time and no store-bought frozen dinners. Send your ideas to Dinner in 10 Minutes, Pioneer Press Food Section, 345 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55101. Or e-mail us at eat@pioneerpress.com.
