Jambalaya

 
 

I may have spelled Jambalaya wrong...but I cooked it right! A crowd pleaser, even for my picky eaters, and a mom pleaser on a busy school night. This recipe is not a "fully-homemade" meal, as it uses a boxed mix, but that Zatarain's sure knows Cajun. We have tried this dish at dine in restaurants and even the local Popeye's, but nothing even comes close! We can choose our level of heat based on the ingredients we add, so everyone enjoys their meal. There may be a wrong way to make this (like adding shrimp... blech!...) but I haven't had bad luck yet. These are my basic steps for this quick-prep family fave:

Buy Zatarain's boxed Jambalaya rice mix (not a fan of the pasta version, but I know others who love it, so be aware of the option)

Put in pan according to directions (I like the family size that calls for 3.5c. Water)

Layer 3 whole raw carrots, cut bite-sized(or an equivalent of the snack sized staples)

4 ribs of celery (cut about the same size as the carrots)

3 boiled and cubed breasts of chicken

Then add your sausage of choice- this batch has 3 hot links (by hilshire farms). If you want it mild, don't even use sausage. We take that option fairly often. 

Add an extra half cup of water to the pot to help steam the veggies. 

Cook on high until boiling then cover and simmer for 25 min. 

Enjoy!