3 Nights of Meals for Singles | Cooking with Leftovers Done Right!

3 Nights of Meals for Singles | Cooking with Leftovers Done Right!

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Ingredients & Quantities

Night 1: Garlic Shrimp with Jasmine Rice

• Jasmine rice: 2 cups
• Water: 2¼ cups
• Pinch of salt
• Frozen shrimp (about 5-6 shrimp per serving)
• Salt and pepper (to season shrimp)
• Oil (for sautéing)
• Garlic (amount not specified)
• Green onion (a few pieces)
• Butter (a couple pieces)
• Flour (a light dusting to coat shrimp for sauce thickening)
• Dry white wine (for deglazing and sauce)

Night 2: Chicken Fried Rice

• Leftover jasmine rice from night 1
• Carrot (finely chopped)
• Celery (finely chopped)
• Onion (finely chopped)
• White part of green onion (finely chopped)
• Green onion tops (for garnish)
• Bean sprouts (some)
• Garlic (2 large cloves)
• Fresh ginger (heavier amount, as preferred)
• Frozen peas
• Eggs (2 or as desired)
• Chicken breast or thigh (cooked extra from night 2 prep, cut into thin strips)
• Cornstarch (for coating chicken)
• Salt and pepper (for seasoning)
• Oil (for frying)
• Dry white wine (a splash for deglazing)
• Light soy sauce (to taste)
• Dark soy sauce (for color)
• Oyster sauce (for umami)

Night 3: Chicken Pasta with Bacon, Broccoli, and Sausage

• Leftover chicken from night 2
• Pasta (tripolini recommended, but any pasta will do)
• Bacon (pre-cooked strips or regular bacon)
• Broccoli (chopped)
• Garlic (some)
• Butter (a piece)
• Dry white wine (optional splash for deglazing)
• Cream (for sauce)
• Cheese: Grated Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano (to taste)
• Cracked pepper (to taste)

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Equipment & Preparation

• Pressure cooker (for cooking jasmine rice: high pressure, 3 minutes, then 10 minutes natural rest)
• Frying pan or skillet (for shrimp, chicken, and stir-fry)
• Knife and cutting board (for chopping vegetables and slicing chicken)
• Mixing bowl (for eggs and seasoning)
• Stove

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Method Overview

Night 1: Garlic Shrimp with Jasmine Rice

1. Rinse jasmine rice and cook in pressure cooker with 2¼ cups water and a pinch of salt. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, then let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Defrost shrimp by soaking frozen shrimp in cold water for about 20 minutes.
3. Remove tails from shrimp if preferred (optional, for aesthetics or ease of eating).
4. Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
5. Heat oil in pan, sauté shrimp until they develop color (don’t overcook).
6. Add garlic, green onion, and butter. Lightly coat shrimp with flour to thicken sauce.
7. Deglaze pan with dry white wine and let sauce reduce slightly.
8. Fluff cooked rice, plate shrimp over rice, and spoon sauce over everything.

Night 2: Chicken Fried Rice

1. Finely chop carrot, celery, onion, white parts of green onion, garlic, ginger, and prepare frozen peas and bean sprouts.
2. Cut extra chicken into thin strips, season with salt and pepper, coat lightly with cornstarch.
3. Heat pan and brown chicken strips in batches until cooked and caramelized. Set aside.
4. Scramble eggs in hot oiled pan, then remove.
5. Add more oil, sauté onions, carrots, celery, green onion whites, peas, sprouts, garlic, and ginger until softened.
6. Return chicken to pan.
7. Deglaze with a splash of dry white wine.
8. Add leftover rice, toss to heat through.
9. Season with light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce for umami.
10. Add scrambled eggs back in, mix well, and remove from heat.
11. Garnish with green onion tops.

Chef Tip: The ginger is key to flavor in the fried rice; adjust vegetables and sauces to your liking.

Night 3: Chicken Pasta with Bacon, Broccoli, and Sausage

1. Use leftover chicken from night 2.
2. Cook pasta (tripolini recommended) until al dente.
3. In a pan, sauté chopped bacon, broccoli, and garlic in butter.
4. Deglaze with a splash of dry white wine or water (optional).
5. Add cream and let reduce to form a sauce.
6. Add cooked pasta and leftover chicken to the sauce, toss to combine and heat through.
7. Finish with grated Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano cheese, cracked pepper to taste.
8. Serve immediately.

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Chef Tips & Notes

• Cooking extra rice and chicken on day one and two sets up meals for the following days, minimizing cooking time and waste.
• Keep a bag of frozen shrimp on hand for easy single servings; thaw only the amount needed.
• Leaving shrimp tails on is optional; restaurants often do it for presentation, but tails can be removed for home cooking.
• Use flour dusting on shrimp to help thicken the wine sauce.
• When making fried rice, finely chop vegetables for even cooking and better texture in a single serving.
• Cornstarch on chicken helps create a nice crust when browning.
• Adjust soy and oyster sauce quantities to taste for the fried rice.
• Cream is an easy way to make a rich pasta sauce for night 3.
• Tripolini pasta works well with cream sauces but any pasta can substitute.
• Bacon can be pre-cooked or fresh strips.
• The recipe encourages flexibility with vegetables and protein additions.

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Summary of Variations

• Night 3 pasta can include sausage or other proteins instead of or alongside bacon and chicken.
• White wine in sauces is optional and can be substituted with water for deglazing.
• Vegetable quantities and types can be customized per preference.

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Presenter/Channel: B. (name not fully provided) Video Title: 3 Nights of Meals for Singles | Cooking with Leftovers Done Right!