Amazing Jambalaya!!!

One of my favorite ways to get ideas for recipes is to use mainstream cookbooks from the local library.

I'm convinced our library is highly underutilized.  

The public library has TONS of fabulous books, ebooks and other online freebies.  

Find what you want on Amazon and then toggle over to your library website and put it on hold or request it for purchase!

It will save you tons of money.

Okay, now that that's out of the way let me tell you about this recipe.

It comes from Leanne Brown's Good and Cheap cookbook.  

This recipe is actually for vegetable jambalaya but I can't have jambalaya without spicy sausage and shrimp.

As an added bonus this recipe gave me an excuse to try a new product I'm really excited about.

I often use the brand name Better Than Bouillon for my broth or soup base but I never knew they had lobster flavor bouillon!

I heard about it on CONNECT.  

I couldn't find it at my local grocers so I splurged and ordered it on Amazon.

It came a couple days ago and, like a kid at Christmas, I couldn't wait to try it!

If you don't have this flavor, no worries!  It'll still be fabulous with any broth of your choice.

Let's get to it!

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped(the recipe calls for a green pepper but I don't like them.  Use what you like)

3 cloves of minced garlic(I used pre roasted minced garlic)

3 stalks of celery, finely diced

1 Anaheim pepper, finely diced(the recipe calls for 1/2 of a small chili pepper)

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 bay leaves(I skipped this since I didn't have it on hand)

1 tsp paprika(I used smoked paprika!)

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cayenne(the recipe calls for a whole tsp but that's a little to hot & spicy for me)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano 

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce(I used 1 tsp of BOTH)

3/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice(I used Jasmine)

3 cups broth(I used Lobster as mentioned above)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 oz white wine(I added this one in on my own)

8 oz pre-cooked medium shrimp, tails off

2 Johnsonville New Orleans Spicy Smoked Sausage Links cut into thin oblong pieces 

***The recipe calls for added oil.  I skipped this to save points and used broth to prevent scorching and sticking while cooking***

Instructions

Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add onion, bell pepper, and celery.

Saute for at least five minutes, using broth to prevent scorching or sticking.

Add in the garlic, Anaheim pepper, tomatoes, bay leaves, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, soy sauce and white wine.

Stir to mix well.  

Let everything cook until some of the tomato juice releases, about 1 minute.

Here's my new Lobster flavored soup base!

Add in the rice and slowly pour in the broth.  Lower the heat to medium and let the dish cook until the rice absorbs all the liquid, 20-25 minutes.  If you're adding in sausage as I did add this in after the rice has cooked 15 minutes.  Then throw the sausage in and let it cook another 10 minutes.

Don't add the shrimp in until this is completely done!  

If you're using uncooked shrimp you can add it in 2-3 minutes before it's done but otherwise wait until the dish is done cooking.  It's very easy to overcook shrimp and this leaves them rubbery.  

This is what it looked like at the end.  

Let's talk points~

This serves 6 and comes out to 6 points per serving.

I really don't want to come off as arrogant here but this is the BEST JAMBALAYA I HAVE EVER MADE!!!!  

My husband and I both thought this was out of this world delicious!  

This recipe is a total keeper.  

The only danger?  It's too good.  I had to immediately put the leftovers away in the fridge so we didn't make ourselves sick on it.  

If you like this sort of dish definitely give it a try.  

This is oh so good!  Nothing here tastes "diet", just delicious.  

Happy Cooking!