Jambalaya

Some friends of ours live in St. Louis.  Every year, a group of us from Cincinnati make the trek to visit them for the second-largest Mardi Gras Parade in the nation.  Being a teacher, it's hard to make arrangements to call off of work in the middle of the school year; so more often than not, we can't attend.  But this year, it just so happens that I have a 4-day weekend built into the school calendar the same weekend as the annual Mardi Gras festivities.  

And whenever I think of Mardi Gras, I think of jambalaya. 

Let me be clear about something-- I am an absolute WIMP when it comes to spice! So when I found a recipe that only used 1/8 tsp. of cayenne pepper, I figured this would be a safe start. 

And it is.  The combination of meats, rice, and veggies in this dish are delicious.  It's a lot of prep work, which is why I classify it under "Sunday Meals" (when else do you have the time to do all that chopping??) But in the end you have a one-pot meal that will feed you for a couple of meals that tastes great.  What more could a girl ask for?

Modified from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced (I used the prepared minced garlic I keep in the fridge)

2 carrots, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced

1 can of diced tomatoes

32-oz. carton of chicken broth (Next time, I will cut this in half. The end result was too wet.)

2 c. long grain, uncooked white rice

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 lb. uncooked shrimp

Directions:

In a large pot (I used my cast-iron Dutch oven), heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add green pepper, onion, carrots, celery and garlic and saute till onions are soft.

Add chicken to mixture and brown. 

Add broth and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add rice, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, stir, and add shrimp.  Cover and cook for 10 more minutes.

Verdict:

Definitely a keeper... but I need to cut the broth down to 2 cups.  Also, I may try to add more seasoning (either more cayenne, or some Cajun blend seasoning).