One can legally change a name. Can I legally change my birthday?

Mark had a birthday yesterday.  He always tells me that he hated having a July birthday as a kid.  All his friends were on vacation and he didn't have that classroom cupcake experience.  But I've decided that I would gladly take that as child in order to have the birthday dinners he has as an adult.  His birthday falls at the perfect moment when the best of summer produce is just hitting its peak.

I'll break down his birthday dinner this week into its three elements to do justice to each recipe.  The first one, Summer Vegetable Paella, is a great vegetarian dish that can certainly stand alone as a side.  And it makes a lot of food, as you might guess from the size of the paella pan.  We had enough for large side servings for all, leftovers for lunches for the week, and a large Tupperware to freeze for dinner later in the year.  (Again, a rice dish that freezes well.) Its not the speediest dish to make, what with chopping all those veggies.  Also, like all risotto or paella recipes, you must be watchful so it doesn't stick and burn.  But the end result is worth it.

This lovely, huge paella pan was a Christmas gift from my parents.  A case of getting exactly what I asked for, my mom bought it off my Amazon wishlist.  I didn't realize just how big it would be when I added it to my list (its 18 1/2").  It's too large for our stove top; it wouldn't get even heat from the three burners needed to hold it.  But it works on the new grill.  Paella is after all meant to be placed on a grill in the most traditional Spanish fashion.  But this lovely large pan allowed us to cooked the dish faster that we ever have in the past.  But I'm going to assume you don't have a large paella pan and will give the instructions for a stove.  Just use the largest pan you have; we used to use our wok for this one. 

How to Make Summer Vegetable Paella:
Serves: 8-10
Prep Time: 15-20 min.
Total Time: 1 hr.

Ingredients: 
good pinch of saffron strands
6 T. olive oil
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and sliced
1 red bell pepper, halved and sliced
2 t. paprika
1 1/4 c. arborio (short-grain) rice
2 1/2 c. stock, either chicken or vegetable
1 lb. plum tomatoes, chopped
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced
14-oz. can of chickpeas, in juices
salt and pepper


1.  Steep the saffron in 3 T. of boiling water.  In large pan, heat the oil and saute the zucchini, onion, garlic, and peppers for 5 min., stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle in the paprika and saute 30 sec. longer.

2.  Mix in the rice and saute for about 1 min., just to slightly toast the rice.  Pour in the stock, tomatoes, and saffron.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 min., uncovered, shaking the pan frequently and stirring occasionally.

3.  Stir in the mushrooms, green beans, and chickpeas with their juices.  Continue cooking for 10 min., then serve hot from the pan.

Adapted from Chunky Vegetable Paella, Mediterranean: Food of the Sun, 2005