Practice Makes Perfect

Once every 6 weeks, I get together with some of my favorite women in Seattle for a book club.

Granted we have only met once, the second time coming up next week, but it could very well become one of my favorite reoccurring events.

For our first book club meeting, I was hosting at my place and our food and drinks were meant to have a spanish flare based off of our current read A Time In Between. I was a bit nervous (read: very nervous) to be cooking for 10 people, so I did a practice run the weekend before with my neighbors and flatmates as taste tasters.

Two things you should know:

• Every cooking session includes wine and oldies music
• I am starting this new "thing" of following the recipes... it is surprisingly effective

The taste test proved to successful (see below for recipe) and the dish was recreated a few days later for book club.



For book club, the other girls also brought their "A" game with tapas, plantains, churros, and tons of wine. We ate like Kings... and unfortunately, I made far too much paella which meant I ate like a king for a week.

Martha Stewart Paella (with bell peppers added)


Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 (12 ounces) chicken sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Directions

• In a heavy 12-inch saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp until just pink on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes (do not overcook). Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil and sausage to pan; cook over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and rice; cook, stirring to coat, until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in paprika, turmeric, tomatoes, and broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed almost all liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in cooked shrimp; serve immediately.