Chicken and Chorizo Paella

As I cook dinner I think to myself, "I really must share this recipe on my blog."

It is a family favourite in our home, so here it is.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
1 pinch saffron threads
2 chorizo sausages, thinly sliced
4 (600g) chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm pieces
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, seeded, finely chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 cup (220g) calrose rice
1 cup (150g) fresh or frozen peas
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve

1. Combine the chicken stock, wine and saffron in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat a large frying pan or paella pan over high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, turning occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Add half the chicken to the pan and cook, turning occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until brown and heated through. Transfer to the plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
3. Add the onion and capsicum to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the tomato and paprika and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Return the chorizo and chicken and stir to combine. Sprinkle over the rice and pour over the chicken stock mixture. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is almost absorbed. Scatter the peas over the rice and cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Photography: Chris Chen

Published in Notebook: Magazine

Issue: September 2008
It's super-easy and super-yummy.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

It's holiday time!

Ooooh, I'm so excited!

We are planning our next family holiday for 2011 and, seeing as it's also the year of our 10th wedding anniversary, we've decided to make a big deal of it.

Now, if we could only decide where to go.....

Hmmmm.......

Here are some pics of a resort we're considering.  After years of backpacking around the world we thought we'd treat ourselves to a relaxing beach holiday with our boys.

Can you guess where it is???

Awesome Things

Leanne over at Mrs A in the Cove has listed some 'awesome things' in her life and, since she is the inspiration behind me starting up my blog in the first place, I thought it would be fitting if I did the same.

Ditto to all of Leanne's, plus here are some of mine:

Waking up after a good night's sleep

Cuddles from my boys that I didn't need to ask for

Hearing my Middle Man say 'I wuv you Mum'

My Big Man kissing my eyes in the morning

My Littlest Man's beaming, cheeky smile 

A spontaneous gift from my darling husband; because he was out, saw something and it made him think of me so he bought it

My mother running her fingers through my hair 

The excitement I feel before a holiday

Going to bed with clean, crisp sheets and after a long hot shower

Eating a delicious cake

A beautiful bunch of flowers sitting in a vase

The smell of dinner cooking

The fresh scent of soap

Crisply ironed clothes

The sounds of a thunderstorm (as long as I am indoors)

Drinking a cup of tea on the couch as my piglets play around me in the living room

Lazing in the warm sunshine

The feeling of my baby's skin against mine....

Oh, I could go on and on.

And isn't that an awesome thing!

Pass it on.

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 fever has hit our home!  

Over the weekend all four boys and I headed off to the cinemas for our 'special screening' of Toy Story 3.  The boys, with their popcorn and lemonade, each received a toy pack consisting of miniature figurines from the movie and got to meet Woody and Buzz.  Check out the pic: my friend thinks Woody is 'kinda cute'.  What do you think?

The movie itself was fab.u.lous!!! The 3D wasn't great (I thought Shrek Forever After was much much better in 3D) but the story was incredible.  I was in awe of how the writers manage to twist and turn the story at every corner.  I totally believed that the toys were real.  And, of course, I cried at the end.  It's those stupid breastfeeding hormones again.


Most importantly though, the boys LOVED it.  In fact, since seeing the movie my Big Man has taken a lot more care when playing with his toys.  I've noticed that play has become more imaginative and a simple "Would Andy crash his toys like that" put a quick end to any rough play.