Tag: Onions

Haroset Braised Short Ribs

Passover begins tonight so I wanted to share a recipe I found from Martha Stewart for Haroset Braised Short Ribs that is Passover-friendly. The recipe can be made ahead of time and reheated but I just made it all in one day (this is definitely a recipe that involves some time to make– 5-ish hours. It might work well as a slow cooker dish. I will have to try that in the future!)

The short ribs are braised in Manischewitz wine and then served with a deconstructed Haroset, resulting in a really delicious dish!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 5 small carrots (about 1 pound), 1 roughly chopped, 4 halved lengthwise and reserved
  • 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 4 cups Blackberry Manischewitz wine
  • 3/4 cups red-wine vinegar
  • 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
  • 1/4 bunch fresh curly-leaf parsley, plus sprigs for garnish
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup walnut halves, for garnish
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into wedges

Continue reading Haroset Braised Short Ribs

Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

I love comfort food dishes, but they can take quite a bit of time to make. And sometimes after a long day, all you want is a comforting meal without having to put forth all that effort and time. This recipe for a deconstructed chicken pot pie from Cooking Light uses rotisserie chicken meat to speed up the process without taking away from the overall taste of a traditional pot pie. The “crust” is actually a round of puff pastry that is baked separately in the oven to stay crispy.

This recipe takes about 35 minutes to make so you can have this comfort food even on busy weeknights!

Ingredients:

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped carrot
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken thigh or drumstick
  • 2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Continue reading Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

We (hopefully) just had our last snow of the season. This has been one crazy winter! I figured I should make just one more “comfort food” perfect for a cold winter day. This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore from Cooking Light uses a slow cooker to make tender chicken thighs in a slightly spicy chunky tomato broth. (Cacciatore, or “hunter”, in Italian usually refers to a dish made with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and wine.)

You only have to cook the chicken in the slow cooker for 4 hours, so this recipe isn’t exactly good for a weeknight if you work during the day. It would make a great Saturday meal; prepare everything in the early afternoon to have dinner ready that night.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup tomato puree
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted petite diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Continue reading Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon

I have somehow never even attempted Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon. I must have skipped over that week during JC100. This dish is easily adapted for a slow cooker because it is a stew recipe that takes quite a long time to cook. This Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon is a classic French comfort food, which cooks chunks of beef in a red wine-beef broth with garlic, onions, and carrots. The recipe I used is adapted from a new cookbook called The 163 Best Paleo Slow Cooker Recipes (100% Gluten-Free) by Judith Finlayson. I personally do not follow a Gluten-Free or Paleo diet (something that is probably glaringly apparent with my dairy and gluten filled posts) but have friends that do for various reasons. I wanted to learn more about Paleo and what exactly it entails so that I can hopefully post some Paleo friendly and Gluten-free recipes in the future. So what is Paleo? The general idea behind it is to eat like hunter-gatherers from the Paleolithic Age,or basically eat things in their natural state. So it is a protein-rich diet that limits carbs that are low in starch (fruits, veggies). Grains, legumes, refined sugars, and other processed foods are all not consumed on the Paelo diet.  The diet also favors organic foods and meats that have been grass fed.   Boeuf Bourguignon is honestly mostly Paelo to begin with. Only a few minimal changes have to be made (no traditional butter, sorry Julia). And instead of serving the stew with pasta, potatoes, or rice, the dish is just enjoyed as is. I kept to the recipe in the cookbook for the most part but did edit it ever so slightly to include the lovely mushrooms I picked up at the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival this weekend. I also substituted in Herbes de Provence because I couldn’t find my thyme anywhere. Ingredients (Serves 4):

  • 1 tbsp clarified butter (Ghee) – make sure its organic and comes from grass fed cows (or olive oil to make dairy free)
  • 4 slices uncured bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 lbs grass fed beef, cubed
  • 1 lb assorted mushrooms (I used beech, oyster, and trumpet)
  • 2 white onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
  • 2 cups organic dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup beef stock (make sure there is no sugar added)
  • parsley, chopped, for garnish

Continue reading Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon

Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad

I am in a grilling mood so there is going to be an influx of barbecue recipes on here, I think very few people will complain. We finally have a grill, but haven’t set it up yet (oops) so I am still making this recipe on my grill pan. This is a recipe from Cooking Light in the latest issue. I made a few changes just based on what I could find but the recipe is primarily in tact.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons 0% Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon  chili powder
  • 2 ears yellow corn, shucked
  • 1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  •  1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 sliced peeled ripe avocado

Continue reading Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad

Brisket Ragout Over Pasta

As someone who went to Catholic school for most of my life, kosher cooking isn’t exactly something I was exposed to. I have a general understanding of what it means to keep kosher, but I really never took the time to delve into what it really means. I was recently sent a cookbook called The Kosher Carnivore: The Ultimate Meat and Poultry Cookbook by June Hersh. Not only is it filled with really delicious sounding recipes, but the author took the time to even include a “Kosher 101” in the introduction.

Did you know that giraffes are considered acceptable for human consumption as identified in the Torah? (Sorry, thought that was a fun fact). Animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves are considered acceptable, which includes the more commonly eaten cow and lamb. Bird-wise, it seems a little more lenient. In general, predators or scavenger birds are prohibited but most birds are ok for consumption. Meat is considered kosher when it meets a specific criteria when slaughtered and butchered. Kosher eating also means that meat and dairy cannot be within the same meal, but neutral foods, like oil and eggs, can be used.

Whew. Ok. Now that I’ve completed Kosher 101, I’m ready to try to make a staple of Jewish cooking: brisket, specifically Brisket Ragout over Pasta! At the suggestion of the author, I shredded the brisket and served it in a ragout over pasta.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (2.5-3 lb.) brisket
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • olive oil
  • 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  •  2 leeks, cleaned and and sliced
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes, drained
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 box farfalle pasta, cooked al dente
  • 1 cup panko
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

Continue reading Brisket Ragout Over Pasta

Wine Infused Thanksgiving Leftover Empanadas

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving doesn’t even take place on Thursday. I (and I’m assuming many others) look forward to the leftovers as much as the original meal. Friday always includes a Thanksgiving sandwich (which you can actually get a version of in Delaware all year long at Capriotti‘s called the “Bobby” mmm). Saturday tends to be my own version of the Wawa Turkey Bowl. By Sunday, I’m starting to run out of creative ways to mush my leftovers into a new meal.

The makers of Clos de los Siete came to my rescue! Clos de los Siete is an Argentine red wine that is made from seven vineyards in the foothills of the Andes. The wine is a mixture of 57% malbec, 15% merlot, 15% cabernet sauvignon, 10% syrah and 3% petit verdot that is a really nice complement to turkey. Azul Argentine Bistro in New York created a recipe that uses Thanksgiving leftovers along with some spices to create Wine Infused Thanksgiving leftover Empanadas, how fantastic does that sound?

Ingredients:

  • 1 green pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 pound turkey breast, shredded (about 1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup Clos de los Siete wine
  • 1-2 packages store-bought empanada discs (note: mine have annatto in them which is why they are orange)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup water

Continue reading Wine Infused Thanksgiving Leftover Empanadas

Scallops Gratineed with Wine Garlic and Herbs

I am on a butter kick. Darn you, Julia Child, and your deliciously simple but butter-filled recipes. There are few things that change the taste of a meal as easily as really good butter. I’m talking full-fat, salted, hand-churned butter. Keep in mind, meals like this should not be a weekly staple. But my goodness are they fantastic as a treat. This recipe for Scallops Gratineed with Wine Garlic and Herbs is no different. I am obviously on a bit of a Julia Child kick at the moment as well which is well timed because her 100th birthday is coming up on August 15. Might I suggest making this lovely (but amazingly easy) recipe to celebrate? I made this as a meal for two, with a salad on the side. It would also make a wonderful appetizer, or just multiply as you see fit.

 

Ingredients:

  •  1/3 cup minced yellow onions
  • 1 tablespoon butter (I’m talking good butter, no substitutions here!)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 4 washed dry scallops
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup flour in a dish
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • 1/8 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese (I used gruyere)
  • 1 tablespoon butter cut into 6 pieces
 Excerpted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. Copyright © 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.
Continue reading Scallops Gratineed with Wine Garlic and Herbs

Creamy Spring Pasta

I was talking to my mom on the phone earlier this week and she mentioned she was making a creamy pasta with peas (her favorite) for dinner. Naturally, I had some taste bud jealousy and decided that I needed to have that as well this week. Cooking Light’s most recent issue had this Creamy Spring Pasta which sounded fantastic so I was able to!
Ingredients:
3 quarts water
2 ounces French bread baguette, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 batch of asparagus, cut diagonally into two inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas and carrots mixture
6 ounces fresh spinach fettuccine
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup packed)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the torn bread to a food processor (I just used my Magic Bullet) and process until it becomes coarse crumbs.
Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add one minced garlic clove to the pan and cook for 1 minute.  Add the breadcrumbs and cook for 3 minutes, sitting frequently. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe the pan down so that you can use it again.
Your pot should now be boiling. Add the asparagus and peas and carrots to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove from the water (you need the water to cook the pasta). Add the vegetables to a colander and rinse with cold water.
Add the olive oil to the saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic cloves and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. While the onion and garlic are cooking, add the flour to a small bowl and gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Add this to the saute pan. Also stir in the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.
Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and reserve.
Remove the milk mixture from heat. Add the Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper, stirring until the cheeses melt.
Add the pasta and reserved vegetables and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and tarragon and serve.
Doesn’t it just look like spring?
The sauce does a really great impression of a cream sauce. I honestly don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference between this sauce and one made with heavy cream.
I wish I had added some of the tarragon to the sauce as well to get more of that flavor, but it was still nice as little bites of tarragon flavor.
Asparagus this time of year is just perfect. It was still crisp and bright so it stood out through the cream sauce.
And the toasted bread crumbs were awesome. An extra crunch to top off the dish!

Reuben with Homemade Sauerkraut

What do you do with left over Corned Beef and Cabbage? Make Reubens of course!
Because we still had some of the Creamy Horseradish Dijon sauce from the Corned Beef and Cabbage, I substituted that for thousand island dressing. Past that, this recipe is pretty traditional.
I still had half a cabbage left so I decided to make my own sauerkraut using a “fast” method so I could enjoy a Reuben with Homemade Sauerkraut today instead of waiting days for the sauerkraut to be ready.
Ingredients:
Sauerkraut:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 a small onion, chopped
  • 1/2 a head of cabbage, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds

Reuben:

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • Left over corned beef, thinly sliced
  • Sauerkraut (recipe above)
  • Rye bread
  • Swiss cheese
  • Creamy Horseradish Dijion (recipe here), or thousand island dressing

Continue reading Reuben with Homemade Sauerkraut

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, which means Americans nationwide are gearing up for a corned beef and cabbage feast. Despite being Irish-American myself, I’ve never eaten this St. Patrick’s Day staple before. My boyfriend, a huge corned beef fan, was really looking forward to having some, so I finally decided it was time to try to make it. I choose to adapt this recipe from Food Network for Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage so that I could use my slow cooker and not have to watch over it for hours.

Ingredients:
  • 4 pounds raw corned beef brisket
  • Pickling Spice (included with brisket)
  • 1 medium rutabaga, halved, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 5 large carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces
  • 1 bag red potatoes
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, white and light-green parts only, sliced
  • 1/2 head cabbage, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup Dijon mustard with horseradish
  • 1/3 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
Continue reading Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Tomato Basil Soup

Grilled Cheese and tomato soup is the perfect combination of comfort foods. Rainy, snowy, or just plain crummy days are instantly better after a warm bowl with cheesy bread for dipping. Cooking Light had a quick recipe for Tomato Basil soup in their March issue that sounded so easy I had to try it. (It helped that I had most of the ingredients on hand as well!) The soup is served with toasted bread topped with melted Asiago cheese.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I just used the whole bag shown in the photo)
2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (half a container)
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices French bread
Cooking spray
1 garlic clove, halved
1 ounce shredded Asiago cheese

Preheat your broiler to high. In a large pot, add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the cans of tomatoes and chopped basil.
Stir and bring to a boil.
Add the cream cheese.
Stir until melted.
If you do not have an immersion blender, pour the mixture into a normal blender and remove the plastic center from the top. Place a paper towel over the opening and blend until smooth. Be very careful not to burn yourself, the liquid is really hot! Pour back into pot over medium high heat.
I received an immersion blender for Christmas so I was so excited to use it for this recipe. This is my first try with it and it was awesome! So much simpler than pouring into a blender and pouring back into the pot. If using an immersion blender, blend until desired consistency (I wanted a few chunky pieces left in mine).
Stir in milk and season with salt and pepper.
Cook for 2 minutes over medium high heat.
To make the bread, arrange bread on a cookie sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. Broil for 1 minute.
Remove from the oven and rub garlic over the bread pieces. Turn bread over, top with cheese and broil for an additional minute.
Serve with the soup.
The soup managed to taste light and creamy at the same time, very impressive!
The basil flavor shown through which was a really nice enhancement to a normal tomato soup.
I loved the crispy bread topped with cheese. This would be a great appetizer at a party (using the tomato soup as a warm “dip” for the toast).
The entire meal ended up taking about 30-40 minutes so it is definitely an option for a weeknight.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

So I realized today that this post for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese is my 200th! How crazy is that? Okay, back to your regular programing… time for an awesome recipe for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese!
Winter weather really makes me crave comfort food. When it snows (like it did this weekend) my need for comfort food escalates.
I’ve been looking for any excuse to make another mac and cheese recipe, so I jumped at the chance to make it during the snow.
I originally printed out this recipe from Cooking Light, but I changed it so much to fit what I could find it’s barely recognizable. The overall method is basically the same though.
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 an onion, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 1/4 cups 1% low fat milk
  • 1 box uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 4 ounces cubed sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4ounces cubed gouda cheese
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh parsley, chopped

Continue reading Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Angel Hair Pasta with Mussels in a Red Pepper Sauce

I’m on a slight mussel kick at the moment. I can’t stop thinking about Eulogy’s beer mussels, Bona Cucina’s mussels in white wine, and most recently, a mussels in red sauce I had back in college. I found a recipe for Angel Hair Pasta with Mussels in a Red Pepper Sauce in an old Cooking Light I thought I’d try. I was hoping for a slightly spicy dish, so I altered some of the ingredients.
Ingredients:
  • 8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 a yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 bag mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the directions on the box. Drain, and keep warm.
I wrote in my paella post how to clean and debeard mussels. It’s not terribly complicated, but it took me a while to be ok with debearding. Once the mussels are cleaned and debearded, you can begin cooking.
Add olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat. Chop your onion, garlic and bell peppers.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the bell pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
Remove the tomatoes from the can, reserving the liquid. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, liquid, and wine to the pan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Add mussels, increase the heat to medium and cover.
Cook for 7 minutes or until the shells begin to open.  If any do not open, throw those out; do not eat them. Add the pasta to the same pot and mix to coat with the sauce.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
When I first tried this, I didn’t add any cheese. And there was a little something just missing. It was ok, but somewhat bland.
I’d add a bit more spice next time. Maybe more red pepper flakes, or even a few drops of hot sauce.
My boyfriend suggested adding Parmesan cheese, and it did really help the flavor of the dish, so be sure to add some at the end!
This could be a really stellar recipe with a few modifications. What would you add to change this from a three star recipe to a five star recipe?
Print
Angel Hair Pasta with Mussels in a Red Pepper Sauce

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 a yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 bag mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the directions on the box. Drain, and keep warm.
  2. Clean and debeard the mussels.
  3. Add olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat. Chop your onion, garlic and bell peppers.
  4. Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the bell pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
  6. Remove the tomatoes from the can, reserving the liquid. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, liquid, and wine to the pan and bring to a boil.
  7. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Add mussels, increase the heat to medium and cover.
  8. Cook for 7 minutes or until the shells begin to open. If any do not open, throw those out; do not eat them. Add the pasta to the same pot and mix to coat with the sauce.
  9. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
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Thirty Minute “Paella”

I absolutely love paella: rice, saffron, seafood… what isn’t to like? If I could, I’d eat this amazing dish once a week. Traditional paella takes a good hour at least to make, so it would be quite the task to make it all the time. However, I found a paella-like dish from Cooking Light that can be made in 30 minutes! My parents and sister recently went to Spain and brought me back some amazing, but vague, spices. One was just labeled as “paella spice” and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try it out.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 a white onion, chopped
2 chicken sausages, cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound large shrimp
2 cups uncooked  rice
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon “paella spice” (sub in 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron for this)
1/4 teaspoon paprika, smoked would be ideal
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen green peas
the juice of 1/2 a lemon juice

Using a Dutch oven or a heavy bottomed pan, head the olive oil over medium-high heat. Chop your onion and sausage.
Add to the pot and cook, stirring, for three minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir in to the other ingredients.
Add the rice, water, oregano, salt, paella spice (or saffron), paprika, black pepper, and chicken broth.
Mix so that the rice is coated in the liquid.
Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in the peas, and squeeze with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
So, traditional paella has that nice crispy bottom where the rice has started to stick to the pan. Twenty minutes obviously won’t give you that result. But the rice turns out fluffy and has the flavoring of not only the saffron/paella spice, but also the smokiness of the chicken sausage and a subtle fresh seafood flavor of the shrimp.
The little bit of citrus really enhances the dish. It brings out all of the flavors and adds such brightness to the rice.
I am so impressed and pleased with how this turned out. For just thirty minutes of your time, you can have a paella-type dinner prepared!
I kept the tails and shell on the shrimp so that they could soak in the liquid while cooking the rice. It helped so that the shrimp wouldn’t overcook. Also, I think it makes the paella look a bit more authentic. 🙂
If you are a bit squeamish about it, feel free to use deveined shrimp. I’d suggest not adding them to the pot until the rice is about half way cooked, so as to not overcook the shrimp.
I wish I could figure out what exactly was in the “paella spice” I had because the flavor was really amazing. Saffron, tumeric, spanish paprika? Sigh. Who knows. But if you come across any pre-made paella mix, be sure to buy it and try this dish! However, I do think that using saffron would make a really solid substitute.
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