How to Make Jambalaya

Patty Millay of Owensboro, KY was recently helping a friend with a huge garage sale. She happened across a copy of a cookbook celebrating stories and recipes from the stars of The Grand Ole Opry. Around the Opry Table: A Feast of Recipes and Stories from The Grand Ole Opry by Kay West was released back in 2009 and featured some of the biggest names in country music.

Whey Patty saw the book, she picked it up and started thumbing through the recipes. One immediately jumped off the page. There was a Jambalaya recipe inspired by the old Hank Williams song. If you've ever seen the movie Steel Magnolias, you will know that song. It's what everyone danced to at Shelby's wedding reception.

Here's what Patty had to say about her garage sale find:

I found the coolest cookbook at my friend Robyn's garage sale! This was such a fun read and a great inspiration to get me into the kitchen! Hank Williams Senior Jambalaya! This is the song from movie "Steel Magnolias" in the dance wedding reception scene! I just learned that!

While there is no evidence that Hank Senior ever made this dish, there was a recipe from the Carter Family! This inspired me to make this a bit more modern and it was AMAZING!

JAMBALAYA

2 boxes Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix
1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

4 stalks celery

1 bunch green onions (optional)

1/4 small red onion (optional)

1 stick butter

6 cups chicken stock

6 cups of water

2 cans diced tomatoes with juice

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

2 bags instant rice cooked

1 lb smoked sausage

1 lb diced ham

1 lb salad shrimp

1 lb of boiled chicken tenderloins

1 lb diced turkey

1tsp red pepper flakes

Tabasco Sauce to taste

1/2 cup chopped parsley or 1/4 cup parsley flakes

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

According to Patty, this all starts with your biggest stock pot you own or you can split it into to two medium pots. Make your trinity by dicing your celery, peppers and small red onion. Patty's not an onion fan, so she only used 1/4 a small onion. If you love onion, add the whole thing! Add the trinity and one stick of butter to your stock pot with 1 cup of chicken stock and simmer until tender. This takes about 15 minutes or so.

Add remaining chicken stock, the two cans of diced tomatoes (including the juice) and 4 cups of water - bring mix to a boil. Add the Zatarian's, cover and turn down to a simmer for 30 minutes. Stir frequently, Watch your liquids and add additional water as needed. The rice in the Zatarian's will soak up a good bit of your base.

Here's a secret- use hot water to rinse out your chicken stock box and your canned tomatoes to capture that extra flavor.

While you are simmering your base, slice and brown your sausage and drain off excess grease. Dice your ham, turkey and cooked chicken. Cut the tails off your shrimp. Keep your shrimp for the very last ingredient. Pro tip! Patty used salad shrimp, and the work is already done for you.

After thirty minutes of simmer, add the tomatoes and meats (minus the shrimp). Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Reduce to a low simmer for half an hour. Stir frequently and keep your liquid levels up.

Chop the green onions while your half hour simmer is going and set them aside for a final garnish.

Add shrimp and turn the heat off for 15 minutes then serve. Make your rice in the microwave while your shrimp is tendering. Patty likes to serve her Jambalaya over a bed of rice and sprinkle the green onions on the top. It makes a pretty presentation and is 'extra filling' for the family.

Patty Millay

Patty confesses that the recipe got bigger than her stock pot so she split it into two pots. She added, "My house smells heavenly, and I am so happy to serve this to my family tonight."

Another pro tip! You can switch up your veggies as you like. Patty's husband loves okra, but she drew the line on that addition. You can also change your meats to what you have on hand. For instance, Patty simply used what she had in the freezer! Luckily her garden produced an abundance of peppers and tomatoes, so she was in good shape even before the grocery run.

Patty says, "I got all excited and tripled this recipe so that I can share it with friends and family." Plus, it freezes well and will also make a yummy fall dinner!

Serve this with cornbread and you will be a happy diner!

If you want to order your own copy of Around the Opry Table, the book that inspired Patty to make her version of Jambalaya, CLICK HERE!