Easy (and Delicious) Jambalaya

All morning Emily kept asking if she could show something to her friends at school and I assumed she meant a toy or picture.  I later found that she had a whole show planned for her preschool class.

As I entered the preschool building, Emily’s teacher laughed, telling me that Emily was certainly the "singing queen" today.

 

I smiled and asked, "ABBA?"   

The teacher asked if Emily watches Mamma Mia because she was teaching the entire class how to sing Dancing Queen today.  I explained that her favorite Pandora channel is ABBA, and Dancing Queen is her favorite song along with many other 70’s and 80’s hits such as Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Tell Me Lies (which she confidently belts out as "Tell me EYES, tell me sweet little EYES." )

I can only imagine Emily teaching the other four year old children to sing the popular ABBA song.  I hope her eagerness to teach and share with them, created an eagerness to learn and play along as well.  Emily has such energy with everything she does and I love to watch her dance and sing with the intensity of a professional performer. While a good Lincoln Brewster or Mercy Me song would have been better suited for the Christian preschool class, the joy she shared was God given none the less and her eagerness to share His joy in song and movement will always make me smile.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!  Serve the Lord with gladness!  Come into his presence with singing! (Psalm 100:1-2)

Easy (and Delicious) Jambalaya

Ingredients:
1 Green Pepper
1 Onion
5 Cloves of Garlic
2 28oz Cans of Diced Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Chili Pepper Sauce
Cajun Seasoning Blend
Adobo
1Tb Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 Tb Chopped Fresh Parsley
1lb of Chopped Smoked Sausage
1lb of Peeled and Deveined Shrimp*
Cooked Rice

Directions:

1. Dice green pepper, onion, garlic and add to pot with tomatoes. 
2. Add seasonings (salt, pepper, chili pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning and adobo to taste)
3. Add cilantro, parsley and sausage and mix all ingredients together.
4. Simmer all ingredients until veggies are tender and flavors married, adjusting seasonings as needed.  (approx 45min – 1hr)
5. Add the shrimp and cook until pink through.
6. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Crock Pot Variation:

This recipe can easily be prepared in the crock pot as well.  Add veggies, seasonings and sausage to crock pot and cook on low for 6-8hrs or high 4-5 hrs.  Add shrimp at the last hour and cook until pink through.

*If you are not a shrimp fan, you can also substitute chicken, cooking prior to adding.