Jambalaya - redone; plus Cornbread Muffins!

 So my last post, (sorry it's been so long!), has really been bothering me. I thought I had made Jambalaya... but once I went on an online search about it, I realized Jambalaya is more of a rice pilaf than a soup. So I've been itching to try it again. Today provided perfect conditions for doing so: rain, rain and more rain (with a few thunderstorms and tornado watches thrown in the mix, ugh). 

But first, I must rave about our side dish, Sweet Cornbread Muffins.  

Recipe inspiration comes from The Galley Gourmet! Love her recipes and her site! 

My hubby usually doesn't eat a bread side dish, but tonight, I had to tell him to slow down and to save some for tomorrow! Even our 3 year old-picky son loved them! 

I thought I had "corn meal" but when I pulled it out I realized it was "corn masa." I'm not sure if they're different... but just in case, I decided to add 2TBS ground flax to the mix of dry to give it the texture I thought it was missing. Maybe I was mistaken, but it was good regardless! Everything else I followed, and mine aren't as pretty (really, I'm not a baker. I'm just happy they turned out at all!), but they were perfect for us! 

Go check her out!! 

So what did I do differently from last time? 

Well, I kept to one can of chicken broth, and halved the onion, oregano and parsley. I cooked it on the stove this time for fear of losing power. I basically brought it to a boil, then let it simmer for about 2 hours, then added the rice directly to the pot (already cooked rice that was a leftover, that is) to allow the juices to be soaked up by the rice.  I accidentally allowed it to boil too long (losing a lot of juice), so I added about a cup of water. 

And... I didn't have a green bell pepper. I know I committed a Southern sin, but in my defense, I thought I had one in the fridge. I was mistaken. Oh well. It was good regardless. It's a bit spicy, but sided with the cornbread (and cottage cheese), it helped. 

The recipes: 

Jambalaya

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, cut in pieces

1 pkg Andouille sausage, sliced

1 can diced tomatoes, with juice

1/2 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1C celery, chopped

1 can chicken broth

1tsp Oregano

1tsp Parsley

2tsp Cajun

1tsp. Cayenne

1/2tsp. Thyme 

2 handfuls frozen peeled/deveined shrimp *optional

2C Rice, prepared. 

Instructions:

Add everything to a large stock pot or crock pot. If using stock pot, bring to a boil, then lower heat to low and allow to simmer about 30min - 1 hour. If using crock pot, add everything cook on LOW 7-8hours, or HIGH 3-4 hours. If adding shrimp, do so with about 10 minutes remaining. Add rice, mix well and turn of heat. Allow to cool a few minutes. 

Sweet Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients:

1C flour

1C cornmeal (or 1C corn masa + 2TBS ground flax)

1/4C sugar

2tsp baking powder

1/2tsp baking soda

3/4tsp kosher salt

1C milk

1TBS white vinegar

1 lg egg, room temp. 

1/4C butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Combine milk and vinegar and allow to sit for 30 minutes. 

2. Preheat oven to 425. Place liners in muffin tin and spray with a bit of Pam. (Follow The Galley's recipe for a cake pan). 

3. In a large bowl, combing flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine milk mixture, egg, and butter. 

4. Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix just until combined. 

5. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. 

6. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.