Jambalaya

Really good. I do cook the rice separate, that way I don't make glue, and you can make it hotter-I do!

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons shortening
• 1  cup onion, finely chopped
• 1  cup green pepper, finely chopped
• 1  cup celery, finely chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  chicken, cut into pieces
• 2  lbs chorizo sausage (or a good reliable hot sausage you know of) or 2  lbs andouille sausages (or a good reliable hot sausage you know of)
• 3  cups  fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped or 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 1⁄2 cups  chicken stock
• 2  teaspoons thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon parsley
• 1  teaspoon cayenne (what ever your taste buds can handle) or 1  teaspoon chili powder (what ever your taste buds can handle)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon black pepper
• 6  cups cooked long-grain rice
•  cayenne (to offer at table) or  Tabasco sauce (to offer at table)

Directions

1. Melt shortening in a large/huge saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook chicken pieces until brown on all sides and cooked about half way through, around 20 minutes or so.
3. Remove and add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic.
4. Cook slowly stirring now and again until onions are tender.
5. Add sausage and cook 10 min more.
6. Return chicken and add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT rice and stir together well.
7. Cover and simmer for 30 min stirring now and again.
8. Remove cover and continue to cook until broth cooks down a bit-you don't want it too thick as the rice will soak up the juice.
9. Serve up the rice in bowls and ladle the Jambalaya on top, and offer more cayenne or Tabasco at the table.
10. ***I know that cooking the rice on the side and not in the dish will cause some to have a heart attack, but I've found the flavor much better this way, IMHO.
11. Diana.