The Paella!

This was my first attempt at the traditional Spanish fare, and according to the rest of the group, it was pretty good (but they're all really nice, so they could be lying). There are a TON of variations, and since I'm scared of cooking mussels, clams, and other odd things from the sea, I stuck with chicken and shrimp, but you can add in all that stuff if you've got mad kitchen skills.

1 orange bell pepper chopped
1 Spanish onion chopped
4 roma tomatoes quartered
1 cup frozen peas
1 lemon, squeezed for juice
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken
1/2 lb peeled, divined shrimp
3 cups Bomba or Calasparra rice (you can get this at most specialty shops)
5 cups Chicken Stock
2 tbl olive oil
2 tbl butter
pinch of paprika
pinch of saffron

1. Quarter the tomatoes and let them sit in a bowl of olive oil, salt, and pepper until you're ready for them.
2. Season the meat and fish with salt, pepper and paprika.
3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet.
4. Saute onions and peppers until transluscent, 1-2 minutes.
5. In a separate pot, heat the broth on low heat. Add saffron 1-2 minutes before you're ready to add the broth to the skillet. It needs to be warm when you add it to the skillet.
6. Add the frozen peas and the chicken to the skillet.
7. When the chicken is browned, add rice to the skillet.
8. When the rice is just starting to toast, add the broth and bring to a boil.
9. Place the tomatoes in the skillet under the rice.
10. Put on a tight lid and let it simmer for 13 minutes on medium heat.
11. Add the shrimp to the top of the mixture and replace the lid. Let it cook for about 4 more minutes or until the shrimp is pink.
12. Squeeze the lemon over the top and serve!