One Pot “Cheater” Sausage Paella

I love dinners that come together quickly with little clean up! True paella takes not only a lot of time but typically a lot of ingredients as well. This dish has some of the same components and is much easier to make! This dish will also serve 6 hearty portions!

INGREDIENTS
1 pound of Italian sausage, casing removed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 pinch of saffron threads
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups uncooked short grain white rice
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup or more of frozen peas

DIRECTIONS
Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat breaking the sausage up into bits as it cooks. When cooked through, remove sausage to a plate and set aside. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet,  sauté onion and garlic. Add red pepper flakes and rice. Cook stirring rice until coated with oil, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in saffron, bay leaf, Italian seasoning and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 20 minutes. Add peas and put the sausage back in the pan and heat through.
Serve warm.

Enjoy!