Recipe for Paella

I have a dear friend who is just older than me.
Why do I have to go and say she is older than me?
Well, first of all, because it is true and second of all because our relationship is such that it feels like I have an older sister in my life.
She keeps me on track and gives me guidance and prays for me. She pushes me to be better than I think I can be, and loves my kids. She is gracious and kind and a wonderful example of a servant minded christian woman. See just like a sister!
And while I love all of those things about her, what really draws us together is food.

We are both avid foodies!
She is way farther along in her food journey than I am, simply due to life experiences! I can assure you she wasn't almost 40 before figuring out a pizza crust recipe!!
I am always amazed and inspired by her kitchen prowess.
She sent me a recipe over email the other day and I asked, and got permission to share it here with you.
While I have not yet made this particular dish myself (yet), I have absolute confidence in the result.

Paella (printable)
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces (or leftover sausage, pork or chicken that is cooked or fresh uncooked shrimp)
1 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup uncooked basmati white rice
1 small can tomato sauce or 2 chopped fresh tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 3/4 cups chicken stock (or water)
1 lemon, zested
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped

Directions:
In a medium plastic bag, mix together 1 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir in chicken pieces to coat. Cover, and refrigerate.

Heat 1 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or paella pan over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, garlic, red pepper, paprika and red pepper flakes. Cook till soft.
Add rice, stirring to coat rice with oil, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce or tomatoes, bay leaf, chicken stock, and lemon zest.
Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoons olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat.
Stir in marinated chicken; cook 5 minutes.
Add to rice pan last 5 minutes of cooking. (If using cooked sausage, pork or chicken, stir them into rice pan just to reheat. If using fresh shrimp, add in time to cook through without overcooking.)
You want a brown crust on the bottom of the paella pan. The last few minutes of cooking when all ingredients are in the pan, cook with the lid off and turn up the heat to get that brown crusty rice which is the treat of a good Paella.

Have a great weekend!!