Easy Seafood Paella

Recipe Courtesy of Parents Magazine

Prep Time  20 minutes
Total Time:  4-5 hours (slow cooker) or 20 minutes (stovetop)
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3/4 cup chopped assorted, colored sweet peppers; chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked regular brown rice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 12 ounces fresh or frozen shrimp; thawed and deveined with tails off
• 12 ounces tilapia fillets, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas

Substitute:  Don't have turmeric on hand?  You can substitute with ground mustard

Directions:

1.  Coat a 3-1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; add peppers, onion, and garlic and set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the broth, rice, thyme, crushed red pepper, and turmeric.  Microwave on high for 4 minutes or until just boiling.  Pour over vegetables in slow cooker.
2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 hours.  Stir in shrimp, tilapia, and peas.  Cover; cook 45 minutes more, stirring once.  Remove cooker from liner; let stand, covered, for 10 minutes (fish should flake, shrimp should be opaque, and rice should be tender).

Stovetop Method:

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add peppers, onion, and garlic.  Cook and stir for 4 minutes or until tender.  Stir in crushed red pepper, turmeric and rice.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.  Add chicken broth and thyme; bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes.  Add shrimp, tilapia, and peas.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes more or until rice is tender, shrimp are opaque and fish flakes.  Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.