Holy CATS that’s hot…well, I’m not sure I used the word “cats”, but you get the picture. My entire family is a bunch of recipe explorers – we all love to try new recipes. My dad collected chili recipes, made new ones of his own, and some you wouldn’t dare eat with beer or you’d be one drunk skunk by the end of the bowl trying to put out the fire! My mom was forever clipping recipes out of magazines, the newspaper, or getting them from her sisters and neighbors. When we had family gatherings, we never knew what new recipe would be on the table. So, when it comes to my siblings and me, let’s just say the recipe cards didn’t fall far from the box.
So, when my sister invited me to dinner to try a jambalaya recipe she found, I jumped at the chance. Prior to that point I don’t know that I’d ever eaten jambalaya, so truth be told I really wouldn’t know if it was any good or not. But….I always welcome the opportunity to try something I’ve never had before.
Ohhhh…Aroma Heaven!
When I walked into her home I was immediately hit with so many smells – shrimp, sausage, bay leaf, and just a hint of a spice I couldn’t quite put my finger on – oh it smelled heavenly. I was excited to dig in. As we sat down at the table, I saw a really colorful dish – beautiful pink shrimp, rich brown sausage, red and green pepper dice. It truly was a pretty dish. Did I mention the smell? WOW! Believe me, I made a good size pile on my plate and dug right in. Within seconds, I broke into an uncontrollable sweat, eyes watering and my mouth on fire. “What the heck is in this stuff?!” We looked at each other, both sweating profusely, and laughed ourselves silly. Either we were total wimps on the flavor front or this was one spicy dish. No matter…we kept right on eating this delicious dish…with a box fan on high and pointed directly at us!
And the Crowd Goes Wild!
Of course I asked for the recipe, and ultimately made a couple 9×13 pans for a team meeting. The spicy food lovers were in heaven….the rest of us shed about 10# in water weight! But, the recipe was again passed along and made anew. Whatever level of spicy, I hope you enjoy this dish. It’s a keeper – quick to make and can easily be increased for large crowds. If increasing for a crowd and using a crockpot or Nesco roaster, keep a close eye on the rice so it doesn’t turn into wallpaper paste! Put into the roaster or crock while it’s hot but keep the temperature very low. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
First Rule of Cooking with Spice
If you’re making a new recipe, start with half the quantity of anything spicy. You can always add, but you can’t take away! So, I share with you this Jumpin’ Jumbalaya recipe with the caution that this recipe is in its original form with full spice content. Some of you might not think this is hot at all but….fair warning! Now when I make it, I cut the red pepper spice at least in half, thanks to menopause! No need to trigger another meltdown when I can do that all on my own.
Happy sweating…I mean, eating!
Delicious Jumpin’ Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 2 T canola oil
- 1 pound kielbasa cut in ¼” slices
- 1 pound peeled & de-veined shrimp
- 2 C onion diced
- ¾ C bell peppers diced – red, green, orange, yellow
- ½ C celery diced
- 1 C long-grain rice
- 1 can whole tomatoes chopped (14 oz can)
- 1 T minced garlic
- 2 C water
- 4 bay leaves
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- ¼ C green onions sliced greens and whites
- 1 tsp Cayenne pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Heat oil in dutch oven. Cook sausage 2 minutes, then add onion and peppers. Saute 6-8 minutes until vegetables are golden and soft. Add rice, stir to coat. Add tomatoes, including juice, garlic, water, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Cook on medium heat 20 minutes.
- Season shrimp with salt and ¼ tsp cayenne. Add to pan and cook until shrimp is done, rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, taste for spiciness. Add cayenne to your taste, and let rest 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir half in of the green onions. Pour into serving dish and sprinkle with remaining green onions.
