Kat’s Kentucky Paella {Recipe Revealed!!}

Edit: Recipe loosley inspired by this one.
Paella=pah-EH-yah.
The double L is pronounced like the Y in ‘yet’.
Paella is a Spanish dish with the main players being rice, saffron and different types of meats. Typically a mix of seafoods, chorizo, or chicken.
To me, it is a Spanish version of jambalaya. Don’t tell either ethnic group I said that, it was not meant to be a slight on anyone’s cooking.

I wanted to make something special for our 2nd wedding anniversary. For my version of paella, I cut some corners that helped me save time in cooking, but definitely did not show in the final product.

I used pre-spiced box rice mixes rather than plain white rice. And I used paprika in place of saffron. Initially, I wanted get fancy and use real saffron, but there were no grocery store options under $18. Maybe next time, Mom mentioned she had some saffron in the back of her spice cabinet somewhere.

Kat’s Kentucky Paella

• Two 12 oz. boxes of jambalaya rice mix (Tony’s or Zatatan’s)
• Water and oil/butter as called for on box

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 8 oz Smoked sausage, kielbasa or chorizo. (I used half a link of smoked sausage)
• Salt, paprika, and poultry seasoning to taste

•Olive oil for pan
• 1 Sweet onion, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• Paprika, salt and pepper to taste
• One 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

• 12 oz fully cooked/cleaned small salad shrimp
• Olive oil
• Paprika

Step One
-Follow directions on jambalaya rice boxes.
-At the end of the cook time, do not worry about complete tenderness or all water being cooked away.
-Allow rice to rest.

Step Two
-Sprinkle chicken breasts with poultry seasoning, salt and paprika.
-Grill chicken and smoked sausage. Note: You could also bake or pan fry these meats, whatever you prefer. Basically, get it cooked up!
-Once fully cooked, chop up meat into preferred (bite sized) pieces and mix into cooked rice pot.

Step Three
-Toss spices, minced garlic and chopped onions into a large wok or skillet with olive oil and cook until transluscent.
-Add undrained can of diced tomatoes and cook for about five minutes.
-Dump skillet contents into pot with cooked rice and combine well.

Step Four
-Dump shrimp into skillet.
-Cook for about five minutes.
-Mix shrimp into rice pot reserving 1/3 or 1/4 of the shrimp for a topping.

Step Five
-Dump rice, veggies and meat into casserole dish.
-Top with reserved shrimp
-Cover and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.

Happy Cooking!
~Kat

Day 138: 1st Anniversary

Sorry for the jump in posts. My wedding anniversary was the 10th and I got a bit distracted with my kissy faces with Kit.

I got off work early and Kit came to pick me up. I had flowers waiting in the mini vase in the car. The new VW bug’s come with a small vase by the steering wheel.
I got home and there was a huge vase of flowers (pictured). The reason the floaers are so special to me is I went back and forth with both Mom’s about what kind of flowers for the wedding. Silk flowers (gravestone); bunch of expensive roses; paper origami flowers; none at all.

A day or two before the wedding I was exclaiming to Kit how the wildflowers were blooming just for us. And then everything clicked.
Not storebought or fake but wildflowers for my wedding. Handpicked by my husband to be the morning of the wedding.

Pictured also is a slice of our wedding cake left over. Happy first year anniverasaey to Kit! The best man for Kate :-)

That Girl Wears Flowers in her Hair

I’m trying to figure out what to do with my hair for the wedding. There is a strong possibility that both my soon-to-be husband and I will both have long hair. I love braids because they are both sexy, and functional.

His hair is simple to figure out. Wash it, brush it, simple braid straight down the back of his head. Attack his hair with product where the unruly Apache hair sticks out.

My hair I want to be a bit fancier. I have several girlfriends who love doing braids and are amazing with their hands. *wink*
I’m hoping that my hair will be a bit longer in the fall. Right now it’s just past shoulder length. Not anywhere near the length I had before I cut it last fall. Where was the sensible me saying “Girl, you know you hate your hair when it’s short!”??

Did some google searches for some pretty braids and didn’t come up with a lot. Apparently, most women go for the huge prom fluffy style hairdo or tight buns for their weddings.

For example, Sarah Michelle Gellar has a really pretty up-do braid. The only part I don’t like about it is the rat’s nest at the back of her head. That could have been done different to make her look more glam.

I also would kinda like some hair hanging down so when I get to dancing I look super amazing.

I could even go with a simple braid down my back, but I could have it adorned with bunches of real flowers tucked into the braid itself.

Or does that sound too cheesy?

Let’s say that the big day gets closer and closer, but I still haven’t found the perfect braid or hairstyle. I will probably fall back on something easier to put together. Like having my hair down and similar to Sarah’s braid above making a circlet of flowers.

You have to imagine me and not a seven year old wearing that though. Probably in one of my colors too…perhaps yellow?

Here’s an extra pretty one. The original link shows you how to DIY. No I didn’t pick it out because it’s modeled after a Narnia circlet.
This headband is a slightly different style of head dressing. It’s gaudy and rather cute. via.

Look a shiney!

The super awesome side of going for a cheap wedding is not feeling sick at your stomach guilty for spending thousands of dollars on jewelry you will (theoretically) only wear once. My fiance has offered to pay for my wedding earrings so I don’t have to stress over that tiny detail. It’s between the above set and…

Which is better?

I know I haven’t picked a hair style yet, but I will probably end up on a half-do. Half up/half down, which is why I think a smaller earring with a little bit of dangle will be just perfect.

Has this post gone on too long?

Ed.: $20 may not seem like a huge sacrifice, but until I get real employment this summer my back account is slowly waning. I have a screwy class schedule this semester which limits my regular 20 hours per week of work study to equal more bare bones pay checks.