Camping - All About the Food!

If you've ever gone camping you know that the day you arrive is a long day. Setting up camp can take upwards to 2 hours -- so when dinner time rolls around I usually want something that's quick and easy. Whether you cook this in a cast iron dutch oven over a campfire or a pan on your electric stove, this is good stuff.

Jambalaya (adaptation of Rachael Ray's 'Everything Jambalaya')

2 cups white rice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan
1 tablespoon butter
1 lb smoked sausage, cut into bitesize chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped (I leave out because we don't like)
1 fresh bay leaf or dried bay leaf
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce
2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (14 ounce) can chicken stock or chicken broth
1 palmful of cajun seasoning (I actually used two but we're spice hounds)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb medium shrimp, raw,deveined and peeled
coarse salt

Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat.
Add oil and butter to the pan.

Cook sausage for a couple of minutes until browned.
Add onion, celery, pepper, bay, and cayenne.
Saute vegetables 5 minutes, sprinkle flour over the pan and cook 1 or 2 minutes more.
Stir in tomatoes and broth and season with cajun seasoning, garlic, and Worcestershire.
Bring liquids to a boil and add shrimp.
Simmer shrimp 5 minutes until pink and firm.
Remove the pot from the heat and place on a trivet.
Ladle jambalaya into shallow bowls over white rice OR using an ice cream scoop, place a scoop of rice on to the center of the bowlfuls of jambalaya.