So Easy Jambalaya

I've always thought of Jambalaya as a hard recipe to fix. It seemed to have so many ingredients and that to me indicated it was tough to make :) So this morning when I got a sudden idea to make Jambalaya for dinner tonight, I was prepared to switch plans if the recipe turned out to be too hard. To my surprise, it was extremely easy to fix and very good! You can change the ingredients around and use 8 oz. sausage instead of chicken or in addition to it, if you like. Or add 8 oz. ham. It's so easy to alter, and there are so many versions, everyone can find a favorite. But anyway you like it, hot sauce is the only condiment needed for this dish!

Jambalaya

1 pound medium size peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed if frozen

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 chopped celery (I omitted this- didn't have any on hand)

1/4 cup chopped green pepper (omitted too)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups chicken broth (I used canned)

1 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 bay leaf

Spray a 12 inch skillet with cooking spray. Cook onion, celery, pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir in chicken broth, undrained tomatoes, chicken, rice and spices. Add 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes (longer if needed).

Stir in shrimp. Return to boiling. Simmer, covered, for about 5 more minutes or until shrimp turn opaque. Discard bay leaf and serve.

Here are some different versions of Jambalaya:

http://southernfood.about.com/od/jambalayarecipes/Jambalaya_Recipes.htm

"There are no set recipes. I go with whatever I'm feeling. I love just about anything, but I like it spicy."
-Tony Furtado

"A lot of people don't understand the cuisine. It's not all about the hot and spicy. It's a fusion of Creole, Cajun, Low Country and French."
-David Malone