Easy Paella

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1-1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces
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• 1 Tbs olive oil, divided
• 1-1/2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 cup uncooked short-grain white rice

• 1/2 pinch saffron threads
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp lemon, zest
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• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed and crumbled
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined  (optional - David doesn't like shrimp)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir in chicken pieces to coat. Cover, and refrigerate.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet or paella pan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, and rice. Cook, stirring, to coat rice with oil, about 3 minutes. Stir in saffron threads, bay leaf, parsley, chicken stock, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir in marinated chicken and onion; cook 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and sausage; cook 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp; cook, turning the shrimp, until both sides are pink.

4. Gently combine the meat and seafood into the rice and serve with crusty bread - makes 4 servings.

Slow-Cooker Braised Beef Short Ribs with Ginger and Soy

Ingredients:

• 3 lb. beef short ribs, (I mixed with and without bones so I got the flavor boost of the bone while not paying for a lot of bones)
• 1 bunch green onions, white and light green portions, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced- or 1 1/2 tbs minced garlic
• 1/2 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce (Tamari is Gluten Free)
• 1/4 cup honey
• Juice of 1 lime (2 Tbs lime juice)
• 1 tsp. sesame oil(or olive oil)
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 large carrots, peeled; cut into 1-inch pieces 
• 1 Tbs. cornstarch 
• Steamed Rice

In a bowl, combine half of the green onions with the garlic, ginger, tamari, honey, lime juice, sesame oil and water. 

Heat 1 tbs oil in a skillet . Add the short ribs and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Lightly grease slow-cooker.  Arrange short ribs on their sides in bottom of cooker.  Add carrots in and around ribs.  Pour sauce over ribs and cook for 6 hours on high.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ribs to a cutting board; if desired, remove the bones. Transfer sauce to the skillet or small pan and skim the fat off the sauce. Heat the sauce to a simmer and thicken with cornstarch.  Transfer the ribs, carrots and sauce to individual bowls and garnish with the remaining green onions. 

Serve immediately with steamed rice. (I used Jasmine rice - Basmati would also be good) Serves 4.