Paella makes an easy dish for entertaining

Scott and I had the pleasure of dining with friends from our church over the weekend. Robert and Adelaide Parsons had us over to dinner and she prepared a lovely paella.

Many of you right now might be saying to yourself, "What is paella?" Well, paella is a rice dish that originated in Spain. It has its name from the pan it is usually cooked in, which is a large, flat, two-handled pan. Most people do not have a beautiful paella pan like Adelaide does, so skillets and baking dishes will work for these recipes I have chosen to share with you. Nearly all recipes for paella call for saffron, which is expensive, but well worth every penny when it is used in this dish.

The Parsons had their paella prepared upon our arrival and presentation was stunning, with the lobster tails, mussels and clams piled high on the top of the large pan filled with the seasoned rice mixture. We certainly enjoyed our evening out not only for the wonderful dinner, but also for great fellowship with friends.

Seafood Paella

3 pounds chicken breasts, thighs and legs

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup uncooked regular rice

1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried whole saffron or 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron

1/4 cup boiling water

2 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 to 1 pound steamer clams in shells, drained

1/2 to 1 pound mussels in shells

Lobster tails, 1 per person

1 (10-ounce) package frozen English peas

1 (4-ounce) jar whole pimiento, drained and cut into strips

Brown chicken in hot oil in a large Dutch oven; remove chicken and set aside. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender. Add tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt; return chicken to Dutch oven. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in rice, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dissolve saffron in boiling water; pour over chicken. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Add shrimp, clams, mussels and lobster tails. Cover and cook until all are done. Spoon into center of a large serving dish. Cook the peas according to package directions; drain and stir in pimiento. Spoon peas around paella and serve immediately. Serves about 6 to 8 people.

Chicken-Pork-Shrimp Paella

1 pound Italian link sausage

1/2 cup olive oil

2 (2-pound) broiler-fryers, cut up

1 pound boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cups chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups uncooked regular rice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried whole oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried whole saffron, crushed or 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped

3 (10 3/4-ounce) cans chicken broth, undiluted

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 (10-ounce) package frozen English peas

Pimiento strips, optional

Lemon wedges, optional

Cut sausage links in half crosswise; cook in a large skillet until browned. Drain sausage, and place in a lightly greased 4 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Heat oil in skillet; add chicken and brown on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet and place in baking dish. Add pork to oil and cook until browned, stirring frequently; remove from skillet and place in baking dish. Add onion and garlic to skillet; sauté until tender. Add rice, salt, oregano, saffron and pepper; cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, chicken broth and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Spoon over meat in baking dish; cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Place shrimp and peas over rice mixture; cover and continue to bake 20 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Remove bay leaf before serving. Garnish with pimiento and lemon wedges, if desired. Yields 10 to 12 servings.

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Today starts the season of Lent and many people will be observing this day by eating fish. Rose Musgrave-Quinn shares one of her favorite recipes to use during Lent or anytime of the year because these patties are so good and inexpensive to make.

Tuna Patties

2 (6-ounce) cans tuna, packed in water, drained

1 cup mashed potatoes

1 egg

2 slices bread broken into small pieces

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dash salt

Combine all ingredients, mix well and shape into patties. Have oil hot in skillet. Brown patties on each side at medium heat.

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Last week I made a cake to take to work, and it was a big hit with those who were able to enjoy a piece. I knew I had to make a cake the next day ,so I got on the Internet and choose one of the first recipes I came to, went to the store and did my shopping, went home and baked it. It really was good. I thought the chocolate topping was plenty thick and I didn't even put it all on the cake, so the next time I make the cake I will probably cut the topping in half and only use that amount. Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy.

Almond Joy Cake

1 package devil's-food cake mix

Ingredients to prepare the cake mix

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk, divided

2 1/2 cups sugar, divided

25 large marshmallows

1 (14-ounce) bag flaked coconut

1/2 cup butter

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. In a saucepan combine 1/2 of the evaporated milk and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar. Bring mixture to a rapid boil. Quickly remove from the heat and add marshmallows. Stir until melted. Stir in coconut and toasted almonds. Pour mixture over the top of the baked cake and spread evenly. In a saucepan combine the remaining sugar and the remaining evaporated milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the butter and chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Pour mixture over the top of the coconut layer. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. This cake tastes best if made the day before serving.

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A couple of weeks ago we had a request for vegetable side dishes from a very busy cook that needed a boost with her everyday vegetables. Joan Weeks from Cape Girardeau has shared a few recipes for her to try.

Corn Side Dish

4 slices cooked bacon

6 cups frozen white and/or yellow corn

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons butter

1 large onion

2 medium zucchini, or other fresh vegetable

2 teaspoons herbs de Provence

Salt and pepper, to taste

Crisp bacon in microwave. Set aside. In a 12-inch deep nonstick skillet heat oil and butter. Add coarsely chopped onion. Cut and discard ends from zucchini and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add to onions. Cook about 3 minutes. Add corn, after it has been rinsed in warm water and drained, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook about 3 minutes. Remove 4 cups of the corn mixture. Store it in a plastic container. This will keep about 3 days refrigerated. Crumble bacon over remaining vegetables and mix well. Serve immediately. This is ready to serve in about 15 minutes.

Sour Cream Lima Beans

2 packages frozen lima beans

4 tablespoons margarine

1 small onion, diced

1 to 2 strips pimiento

1 carton sour cream

Cook beans and drain. Melt margarine; add onion, pimiento and lima beans. Refrigerate until cold. Just before serving combine beans and sour cream. Heat and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Sweet and Sour Green Beans

1 can French-style green beans, drained

4 strips bacon

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1 medium onion, diced

Rinse beans in cold water. Fry bacon until crisp; drain and crumble. Stir sugar and vinegar into drippings. Add beans, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Serve topped with bacon. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

We must close for this week. I hope you try the paella and have fun with it. Let me know how yours turned out; I'll be anxious to hear. So, until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.