Jambalaya

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pound andouille, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
3 cups chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon Essence
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 pounds boneless white and dark chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound ham, cubed
3 bay leaves
3 cups medium-grain white rice
6 cups water
1/2 pound shelled shrimp
1 cup chopped green onions, green tops only
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Essence:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Mix all ingredients and store in air tight jar.

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook. Add the onions, bell peppers, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the Essence, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables and sausage until they are caramelized, about 15 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. †Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute. †Season the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne. Add the chicken, ham, and the bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned particles.†Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat evenly. Add the water, stir to combine, and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Add the shrimp during the last 5 minutes of cooking and cook until just pink. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. †Stir in the green onions and parsley, and serve.

†Number Of Servings:Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Rice

One of my biggest pet peaves is that people buy minute rice because they don't know how to cook regular rice. Minute rice is so much more expensive, and I don't think it tastes as good. I buy rice in bulk, saving lots of money. I had a mission companion teach me her method of cooking rice, but I didn't feel it was very accurate and consistent. But then I learned how from the Frugal Gourmet and have used his method ever since.

1 Part rice
2 parts water

In other words....put in twice as much water as rice. :)

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Ta da! that's it.

Also, I would suggest that if you eat rice often that you buy a rice cooker. What I like best about having a rice cooker is that it doesn't take up stove space, and it keeps the rice warm after it is cooked. You can buy them relatively inexpensively at Chinese grocery stores. Also, you can usually find them at thrift stores, donated by people who received them as gifts, but never had use for them. I love rice, and could eat it every day!

Mexican Rice

Mexican rice
For our family, I use this amount:
1 cup rice
1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic chopped (can use powder)
1/4 cup of either tomato sauce or enchilada sauce..whichever you have ( I think enchilada sauce tastes best. If you buy a can, you can freeze the extra in a ziploc to cut chunks from to use another time.)
2 chicken bouillion cubes dissolved in a little bit of water, or 2 tsps chicken soup base
2 cups water.

Heat a pan that has a lid to it. Add some oil, and the onions garlic. When they are tender, add the rice and stir. Add the tomato sauce. Stir until the rice is coated. Add the chicken bouillion and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.