If you are in the sales world, you know what I mean about good checks and bad checks. If you are a regular at Friday Night Porch Party, you can probably guess when I’ve had a bad check for the month by what is on the menu. Uncle Ben’s Jambalaya is a bad check dish. It inexpensively feeds a ton of friends. Sadly, I’ve used the recipe for so many years I don’t even remember its origin, but I wanted to be sure to include it for those who might experience a bad check month. Don’t let money be a reason to not entertain. Friends aren’t coming over to judge what you’re cooking. They’re coming because they love you and enjoy your company.
Uncle Ben's Jambalaya
Ingredients:
1 pound package crawfish tails, drained and rinsed or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 pounds of any cut boneless chicken (I prefer thighs)
1 pound link sausage, diced
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup bell pepper, diced
3 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 fresh chopped tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
2-3 good dashes of hot sauce
6 cups chicken broth
3 boxes Uncle Ben Wild Grain Rice
Directions:
In a Dutch oven, cook the meats in the olive oil until done. With a slotted spoon, remove the meats to a platter to add back later. Sauté the onions, celery, and bell pepper until tender. Add more olive oil if needed. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook about 5 more minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients including the rice seasoning packets. Bring to a simmer and cook until most all of the liquid is absorbed. Fold back in the cooked meats.