Paella Fried Rice

This is a recipe I found in my Gourmet Cookbook, they even said it was "wacky" so I thought I'd try it. Being the big gambler that I am, I made it for the first time for a church potluck. I forgot that I'd bought a red bell pepper and overlooked adding the baby peas -- and I doubled the rice, oil and chorizo, but kept everything else the same -- and it was STILL good. One lady even asked me to send her the recipe! Next time I'll stick to the actual instructions...

“Paella” Fried Rice
From the Gourmet Cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl

¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. cumin
½ t. red pepper flakes
1 large onion chopped
1 large red bell pepper cored, seeded, chopped
2 links mild Spanish chorizo, cut into chunks
4 c. cold cooked long grain rice (1 ½ c. uncooked rice)
11/2 t. salt
1 (10 oz.) package of frozen baby peas
1/3 c. pumpkins seeds, toasted
1 c. finely chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a 12” nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add cumn and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chorizo, increase heat to moderately hgh, and cook, stirring, until sausage begins to brown, about 3 minutes (or longer, make sure sausage is completely cooked).

Add rice, crubling it to break up lumps, and salt. Cook stirring until some grains of rice begin to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Add peas and cook, stirring just until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin seeds and cilantro.

This Blogging Thing Is HUGE

One of my work assignments was to reach out to "Mommy Bloggers" to promote Take Your Kids 2 Vote (and organization that advocates....wait for it.... taking your kids to vote). I got to spend all day yesterday looking for and emailing these women who are hugely talented and have either the fastest minds in the world, or lots of time on their hands... but it's amazing -- there are so many of them out there!

I want to sign up for the BlogHer convention and go make a difference TODAY. No more recipes and picky eaters -- I want to change the world (and get free trips to Disney on the way).

Anyway, back to brass tacks -- I found a great recipe for Spicy Peanut Butter Chicken last night and made it for the kids (Chris, the king of pickiness has been unavailable for dinner since Sunday -- and you know that means MEATLOAF tonight!)

Here's the link to the chicken -- PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN

Here's the recipe, in case the link ever fails:
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup water
2T soy sauce, or Tamari (which is basically gluten free soy sauce)
1T brown sugar (if your peanut butter is sweetened skip this)
2T veg oil
3 cloves garlic, minced OR 6 cloves roasted garlic (30 minutes at 325)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (use more if you would like this anything but mild)
4cups broccoli
4 chicken breasts
Mix all the ingredients through the crushed red pepper into a mixing bowl.
Brown the chicken in a bit of oil in a large pan (do it in batches if you don’t have room)

Once browned, put all the chicken in the pan, add raw veggies (I used red pepper and snow peas, the recipe calls for broccoli) add some water, bring to a boil, put a lid on the pan, and then reduce heat to simmer, to steam everything for 7-9 minutes.
Once steamed, remove chicken and veggies to serving bowl, top with peanut butter sauce. Serve with rice.


I'll start my world changing blog (and promotion thereof) tomorrow.