Asian Rice and Roni

I prefer home made over boxed any day. The sodium they add to boxed goods is outrageous and when you have to be careful of sodium levels it's much better to make it in your own home and control the sodium level. So for this recipe calling for chicken broth decide if you want to use a low sodium broth or not.

Stir-fry meals are not only what I love to cook but I love to eat them as well. Since we both enjoy them I'll often use Asian ingredients in those dishes. When I set out to menu plan this week one of my choices was to make chicken wings and serve them up with an Asian style rice. Since I had already made and blogged my Homestyle Rice and Roni I decided that I would create one with some ingredients typically found in Asian cooking.

While I was shopping around for ingredients I picked up some sno peas and a bunch of scallions to add flavor and color to the dish. Now my husband is not a fan of Chinese Five Spice so I put just a pinch in and with just that pinch you can taste it. So decide if you want to add just a bit more, but I think just a pinch works.

The regular homestyle rice and roni cost me $1.60 to make and this recipe didn't really drive up the cost. The total came to $2.05. This makes quite a bit and would easily serve six to eight side portions. Therefore the cost respectively would be 34¢ for six and 25¢ for eight.

Definitely an inexpensive side dish and you could even have it as a meal all by itself if you are not craving a protein. After you put everything together it takes a mere 15 minutes to cook. It's the perfect week night side dish to make.

• 1 cup white rice
• 1/2 cup sno peas - cut on bias
• 1/3 cup cut spaghetti
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 bunch scallions - cut the white part
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic - minced
• 1 tsp. finely minced ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt (I used kosher salt)
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper (I used a fine table grind)
• 1 pinch Chinese five spice 

1. In a wide skillet that has a lid, melt the butter. When the butter sizzles, add in the cut spaghetti. Keep stirring until it starts to brown a bit.
2. Turn the heat down to medium low and add in the garlic and scallions along with the rice, salt and pepper. Stir and slowly add in the chicken broth.
3. Next add the sno peas and soy sauce.
4. Turn the heat up until it comes to a bubble, lid it, turn the heat down to low and cook for 15 minutes. Your rice should be perfectly cooked and ready to plate.