Hey, check it out, received a great recipe from Sharon in Atlanta. Thanks Sharon for sharing. I hope others send along their favorites as well. Here it is:

Hi Eric,

I’m not sure how jambalaya is made traditionally, but I got inspired one afternoon and created my own version. I served it to friends and got all thumbs up! Here it is:

Sharon’s Jambalaya

2 andouille sausage links – cut up
1 lb of chicken (marinated in Zataran’s Cajun Seasoning for at least an hour, preferably over night) ½ lb of peeled de-veined shrimp, marinated in the same manner as the chicken ¾ cup chopped green onion
1 small OR ½ large green bell pepper diced ½ small Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
1 ½ cups of celery, chopped
2 large tomatoes diced
1 regular can of chicken broth (16 oz)
1 small can of tomato sauce (8oz)
Zataran’s Cajun Seasoning
Chili powder
Olive oil
2 tbsp of flour

I. In a large pan/pot mix the chicken broth and tomato sauce, and simmer on low heat. Add the chopped vegetables (peppers, celery, tomatoes, onion, green onion) and simmer.
II. In a separate pan, heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the marinated chicken until done (about 15 minutes or so). In the same manner, brown the shrimp separately, and also cook the chopped sausage (no oil should be added to the pan to fry the sausage). As each meat is completed, add it to the pot with the broth/tomato sauce, etc.
III. Once all of the components are added, allow it all to simmer for 15-20 minutes or so. Season to taste with chili powder and the Zataran’s Cajun seasoning. I only used a couple of dashes or each.

To make the sauce thicker, mix 2 tbsp of flour in a ¾ cup of cool or luke warm water until totally smooth. Slowly add this mixture to the hot pot of Jambalaya, being sure to whisk it in very quickly to avoid creating lumps. I created a space in the middle of the pan (moving the chicken, sausage, etc. to the sides) for this step. It will thicken it perfectly.

Serves about 4-6 people. Serve over rice. As a healthier alternative, I used Uncle Ben’s brown rice.