Teresa asked for the jambalaya recipe, so here it is. It’s from Self, July 2002, and is aimed at being lower in calories and fat than regular jambalaya recipes. My comments on the changes I made appear in parentheses and below.

1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped (I use the jarred, minced kind)
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
3 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, minced (I denuded my sad little parsley plant, and used fresh cilantro as well)
4 oz extra-lean smoked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (we had leftover ham-in-a-can, or whatever you call those things)
5 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced
1 large bay leaf (I didn’t have any)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (I probably put in a bit more, as I like things spicy)
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (omitted—I hate diced tomatoes)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (I used a 30 oz or thereabouts can, along with extra water)
3/4 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped into bite-sized pieces (I bought them pre-cleaned, and didn’t chop them)

Add oil to a large nonstick saucepan. Over medium heat, sauté onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery utnil onion is translucent. Add parsley, ham, chicken, bay leaf, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, and 1 3/4 cups cold water. Gently simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour rice into the pan and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until rice is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in shrimp and cook 5 minutes more. Remove bayleaf. Season to taste with cayenne pepper and salt.

(Because my large pan doesn’t have a lid, I had to simmer uncovered after I put in the rice. Also, we have an old stove that doesn’t adjust well, and my choices are “almost off” and “hotter than a simmer”. As a result, the rice didn’t cook in 45 minutes. I put in more water and cooked for another 45, until it was edible, but it still wasn’t as soft as it should have been. YMWillV.)