Spanish Paella

6 C Strong Chicken Broth
1/2 tsp Saffron
1 Onion, peeled
1 Whole Chicken Cut up (small pieces) I sometimes just use about 8 thighs cut in half
Salt and Pepper
1/2 C Olive Oil
1 pound sliced sausage (Spanish Chorizo is best, but you can use Kielbasa or whatever you like)
1 Onion, chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 red pepper chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
3 C Rice (I like Uncle Ben's Converted)
2 Bay Leaves
1 T lemon juice
1/2 c white wine (substitute chicken broth if you don't want to use wine)
1/2 pound frozen peas
1 pound raw shrimp, shelled
18 small clams, scrubbed
18 mussels, scrubbed
1 bunch chopped green onions
1/2 C chopped parsley

Heat the chicken broth with the saffron and the whole onion. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove the onion and measure the broth - you need exactly 5 1/2 cups (or 6 cups if you omit the white wine). Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven. Salt and pepper the chicken and fry in the olive oil until just golden brown. No need to cook all the way through. Remove to a separate platter. Add a little more olive oil if necessary and saute the chopped onion, green pepper and red pepper until wilted. Add the garlic and cook just for a minute or two until fragrant. Don't burn the garlic. Add the sliced sausage and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the chicken broth, white wine, lemon juice and bay leaves. Stir and put the chicken back into the pan, pushing down into the rice. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer on low for about 25 minutes. Add the peas, and shrimp and stir. Push the clams and mussels into the rice with the open part of the shell facing up. Replace the lid and cook about 10 minutes longer, until the shells open up and the shrimp turns pink. Let rest about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the top with green onions and fresh parsley just before serving. 

*This recipe is able to be altered according to your taste and what you have on hand. If you don't like seafood, leave it out. If you have some ham or a pork chop, put it in there. If you like some white fish, it would go in there great too. You can experiment with different vegetables too. Be creative. The saffron is what makes this dish. Don't be tempted to leave it out or substitute something else. I have better luck finding it reasonably priced at ethnic grocery stores instead of the regular supermarket.

Pecan Banana Bread

Slightly changed from America's Test Kitchen

2 C Flour
3/4 C Sugar
3/4 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Salt
3 Very Ripe Bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 C)
1/4 C Plain Yogurt
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
6 T Melted Butter, cooled
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 C Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack to the lower-middle position. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter is thick and chunky. Fold in pecans. Scrape the mixture into the loaf pan and smooth the surface with the rubber spatula.

Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean - 55 min to 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

This is really good with some cream cheese icing.

Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

From Sue Cornwall with a few additions from me.

2 TBS yeast

1 egg
1 1/2 Cups buttermilk
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1/4 Cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 Cups flour

Filing Ingredients
1/2 Cup butter softened
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Icing Ingredients
1/4 Cup softened butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 Cup softened cream cheese (1/2 a block)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 T buttermilk
1 t vanilla

Warm buttermilk until warm to the touch. Put yeast, salt, sugar and baking soda into a large bowl. Add egg, vegetable oil and buttermilk - mix well. Gradually add flour 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 20 times. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a large rectangle. Spread softened butter and sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar liberally over the rectangle. The wider the rectangle, the more rolls you will get, but they will be smaller. Roll up into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Slice into 1 inch pieces and place on a lightly greased 10 x 15 baking pan or baking sheet. I can get 24 out of this recipe, but I like them on the small side. Cover and let rise until double. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown. Do not overcook.
Make icing while rolls are cooling. Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, buttermilk and vanilla. Whip until smooth. Spread on top of cinnamon rolls and then eat the rest right out of the bowl. Watch out, this stuff is dangerous!

Yield 12 to 24 rolls, depending on how big you roll and cut them.