Seafood Paella

4 1/2 c chicken stock
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crumbled and loosely measured
1/4 tsp salt
3 T oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 yellow red bell pepper, finely chopped (I used a yellow bell pepper)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 oz smoke sausage, sliced think and half moon size
3 c short grain rice - Bomba or Arborio Rice (I always use Arborio)
14 oz fire roasted tomatoes, diced
1 c frozen peas
1 lb shrimp, peels removed
1 lb clams, rinsed and scrubbed 
1 lb mussels, rinsed and scrubbed (I could not find these, so I just doubled up on the clams)
1/4 c chopped parsley, for garnish (I did not use this. I bought it, just never used it.)
2 lemons, sliced for garnish

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a boil. Add the saffron and salt. Turn off the heat and let the saffron steep for at least 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed. 

Cook the base: In a big skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions and bell peppers. Cook 5-7 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Stir in garlic and sausage and cook. 

Assemble ingredients next to the stove:
1. Base
2. Rice
3. Tomatoes
4. Infused Stock
5. Salt
6. Peas
7. Seafood

Set skillet with base on burner over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until rice is coated with oil and lightly toasted. The lightly toasted part took a little longer for me than 5 minutes. I might have cooked it for an extra 2-3 minutes. Stir in the stock, tomatoes and peas. Spread rice evenly over the bottom of the pan. Simmer without stirring for 15 minutes or until rice absorbs most of the liquid. I doubled the recipe, so this took way longer than 15 minutes. It was about an extra 20 or 25 minutes before the liquid was mostly absorbed, and I did stir it after 15 minutes. If the mix looks dry, add 1 c hot water, don't stir.

Add seafood. Put clams with the hinges down so they can open when cooking. Arrange shrimp around shellfish. Cover pan with foil and cook 6-10 minutes. I cooked it a little longer waiting for the seafood to cook and the clams to open. Once shrimp are done and most clams are open you are good to go. Discard any closed clams. 

If bottom isn't golden, set over heat for a few minutes to caramelize the bottom. 

Serve with the parsley. 

*** I cooked Paella before, but couldn't find the recipe I used. I searched for a while to find this one and it was perfect. I now have the recipe in my recipe box for future use!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Wraps

1 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
2 T freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Lettuce Boats, or Romaine - my store has the lettuce boats
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/4 c sour cream, for serving

In a large bowl, mix together shrimp with seasonings and lime juice, and 2 T olive oil. Toss to combine and let it marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the shrimp in the remaining T of oil. Cook until pink on both sides. 

Assemble wraps:
- Add shrimp and avocado to lettuce wraps and drizzle with sour cream and garnish with cilantro. 

**** I did not see the chili powder, so my recipe did not have that or the garlic. I also added cheese to my lettuce before adding the shrimp and I ate it with Thousand Island dressing. My kiddo and husband did not use any dressing. 

WE ALL LOVED IT! Another new recipe that became a winner... and will go on our monthly rotation!

Brushetta Chicken

For the chicken:

4 chicken breasts
2 T olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c shredded mozzarella

For the brushetta:

1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
11/2 c chopped basil
1/2 tsp salt

Add the chicken breasts to a 9x13 baking dish. 

Add the oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, italian seasoning and salt to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over chicken and turn to coat. 

Let the chicken set for 10 minutes while the oven heats to 425 degrees. 

Place chicken in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees. 

While the chicken is baking, add all the ingredients for the brushetta and toss to combine. 

When the chicken is cooked through, remove and top with mozzarella and top with the tomatoes. Return to the oven to melt the cheese and warm the tomatoes, about 5 minutes. 

Yield: 4
Calories: 355
Total Fat: 18g
Cholesterol: 64mg
Sodium: 833mg
Carbs: 6g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 45g

***My husband and I really loved this dish. I did not use the cloves of garlic and I forgot to get basil and the onions. But it was still delicious.