Rice-a-Roni's fried rice mix takes the work out of weeknight fried rice, needing only an egg and whatever vegetable scraps or frozen things you have on hand. The seasoning is already built in, so you just cook and stir.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 410 calories a serving, 10 g protein, 52 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the rice and vermicelli from the box (do not use the seasoning packet yet) and stir constantly for two minutes until the rice is lightly toasted and fragrant.
2. Pour 2 cups water into the pan and stir in the seasoning packet from the box. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer covered until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about ten minutes.10 min
3. While the rice cooks, crack 2 eggs into a bowl and beat them with a fork. When the rice is done, push it to the side of the pan and add the eggs to the empty space, stirring quickly until they are set, about one minute.
4. Stir 1 cup frozen peas and carrots into the rice and eggs, mixing everything together. Cook without a lid for two minutes until the vegetables are heated through.2 min
5. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Divide between two plates and serve hot.

Note Swap the frozen vegetables for any fresh chopped onion, bell pepper, or cabbage, or use leftover cooked chicken or shrimp stirred in at the end. Fried rice keeps covered in the fridge for three days and reheats well in a hot pan with a splash of water. Serve with soy sauce on the side or a simple fresh salad.