Jambalaya: I wrote a recipe!

Well maybe wrote isn't the best description: modified. But modified successfully! So that definitely counts for something. One thing that the past has taught me about my own cooking skills is not to divert too far from the recipe. Constantly looking to cook and eat as healthy as I can means trying to substitute ingredients to save on calories or fat. But good intentions can still produce yucky results. Lately, I've learned that you can substitute up a couple of ingredients as long as you don't go overboard. Chemistry is such an important part of cooking and it can be easy to throw the whole concoction of balance. Here's a recipe I researched, read some suggestions and then modified with some decent results.

I got the original recipe from epicurious.com for Smoked Sausage Jambalaya. After reading some reviews of the recipe, I changed it by using a different type of rice and cooking everything in a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies instead of chicken broth. I also added some cooked shrimp in the end for that authentic jambalaya flare. Many reviewers commented that the recipe as is was very bland. This was definitely not the case, for as the rice simmered for 45 minutes, it picked up a ton spice and flavor from the tomatoes and chilies. I did not add any extra spices to this dish. In fact, when I make it next time, I think I'll use plain diced tomatoes without the chilies. Matt loved the dish, but it was a little too spicy for me.

Andouille Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya

1 cup Texmati Brown & Red Rice
1 can (14 oz) Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 can (8.5 oz) Whole Kernel Corn
1 small Onion, chopped
1 small Red Pepper, chopped
1 package (12 oz.) Aidells Andouille Sausage
1/2 pound of cooked shrimp
4 scallions, diced

1. Place Texmati rice in a large skillet. Add canned tomatoes, undrained with one cup of water and 1 tablespoon of margarine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover tightly with a lid for 45 minutes.

2. When there is 30 minutes remaining on the rice, saute sausage, onion, red pepper, and corn on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Sausage is already cooked. You just need to warm it through and saute vegetables until onions are soft.

3. In the remaining 15 minutes, add the sausage and vegetables to the rice mixture. Stir so combined and re-cover.

4. When done, remove from heat and add cooked shrimp. Sprinkle lightly with cayenne or paprika for color (optional). Cover and let stand for 5 more minutes.

5. Serve in bowl and sprinkle top with scallions. Makes 2-3 servings.

If you try it, be sure to post and let me know how you liked it or what you would do to change it up a little. These rice dishes seem to be pretty forgiving when it comes to modifications. In the end, it tasted good and even looked pretty. I call that a successful experiment! I will try to add this recipe to the our web site for an easy downloadable PDF soon. Enjoy!