roasted bell peppers

I love paella but always thought it was a complicated dish to make at home. Recently a friend gave me a paella pan to prove how uncomplicated it is to put together. After my first attempt, I stand corrected: this dish is simple and can be easily made in a large saute pan. Once most of the ingredients are prepped, the scallop paella takes about an hour from start to finish.

The recipe calls for sea scallops, but a cheaper protein like shrimp or mussels would be just as tasty. The paella is perfect, with the essential crunchy crust along the bottom and moist almost-creamy rice on top. I fretted about overcooking the scallops, since they are such a delicate protein, but they were moist and full of flavor, thanks to the green chiles and roasted bell peppers.

If you want to celebrate Spring with a Spanish feast, keep reading for the succulent recipe.

Over the holidays, I made a tasty white bean dip, but while I ate it, I thought of a ton of ways to jazz it up. So last weekend, I finally tested out my twist on the classic dip. First, I skipped the cream cheese and opted for a more tangy cheese — goat cheese. To give the dip more texture, I then added chopped roasted bell peppers and scallions. Finally, to further enhance the flavor, I warmed it up and browned the top just before serving. The resulting dip was divine with both crudités and crackers. Ready to try this dip? Get the recipe.