The Blue Bayou's Jambalaya

Welcome back for our awesome dining challenge! This week I decided I wanted to do things Cajun style - it's something my family loves (me especially as I have been to New Orleans, and truly connected with the food and state) and whether it's gumbo or beignets it's being eaten every few weeks. In looking through all of the Disney recipes I could choose from, this Jambalaya from the Blue Bayou jumped out at me as it's the one thing I have yet to try. I can truly say I was not disappointed, and will be adding this in to our family dinner rotation.

Ingredients
1 lb boneless fresh pork, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 tsp thyme, dried
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 16-ounce can tomatoes, crushed
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups rice, uncooked
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 1/2 cups onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup zucchini, diced
1 tsp yellow chili pepper
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 cup ham, diced
1 cup Polish sausage, cooked & diced
1 cup Italian sausage, cooked & diced
1 cup okra, frozen, cut
1 1/2 cups small shrimp, cooked
Yield: 6-8 servings

Begin by sauteing pork in a large pan for about 15 minutes. Then, add all of the spices plus tomatoes. Cover the pan and cook for about 15 minutes.

Now it is time to add the water, rice, bouillon cubes, onions, celery, green pepper, zucchini, chili peppers, scallions, and parsley. Bring all of this to a boil. Stir everything well just to make sure the ingredients are mixed through, then cover back up and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the rest of your meat ingredients.

Veggie mix

Meat after cooking

Liquid/Rice coming to a boil

Cook for an additional 10 minutes after adding okra and shrimp.

Everything simmering away

Additional Tips:

1. I replaced some of the meat with things I know my family likes better. For example, instead of the ham and shrimp I added diced up bacon and beer brats. Mixed in with everything else it added a truly  wonderful meat flavor.
2. There are some great stores out there that sell gumbo mixes in the frozen vegetable section. Though I did not do that this time, it really is a time and money saver. 
3. If you're really low on time, but want this for a tasty family dinner, purchase the boxed jambalaya and add in the meats plus the frozen gumbo veggies. The taste is similar, but this simple step cuts the time in half.   
4. Put in a little bit of Creole Seasoning (it can be found pretty much anywhere in the spice aisle) for an extra punch!

Krystal is up next for another tasty, beautiful meal at www.partnersbehindthemouse.com