Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to take short cuts in cooking your meals. Here's a perfect example.
I needed to prepare a huge pot of jambalaya. I mean, like enough to feed several adults and hungry kiddos with leftovers for lunches during the upcoming week, pot of jambalaya.
Zatarain's to the rescue. Click the link for more information on Zatarain's product line! I had several boxes in my pantry. I had chicken breasts in the freezer and Conecuh Smoked Sausage in the refrigerator.
I cooked four chicken breasts in the slow cooker on high for four hours with about 2 t. of chicken base added to the cooking water. You'll need enough water to cover the chicken. The chicken base adds a great richness to the broth. More on that in a little bit.
When I was ready to cook, I sliced 1 pound of the sausage into 1/4" inch slices and browned it in a 7 quart Dutch oven. Place the sausage in a large pot over medium high heat and let the sausage brown, frequently stirring. It's okay if it sticks a little on the bottom of the pot. You're getting a great layer of flavor there.
While the sausage is browning, remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place in a medium bowl. When it's cool enough to handle, shred the chicken. You'll need about 3 cups of shredded chicken. Freeze the remaining chicken for another meal, or refrigerate for 2 - 3 days. (This would be a great time to boil a few eggs, chop those, mix in the chicken with some pickle relish and mayo. Presto! You now have chicken salad for lunches!)
Back to the jambalaya. All that rich chicken broth in the slower cooker? You're going to use that to cook the jambalaya instead of plain old tap water.
I had three boxes of mix which resulted in 7 cups of broth needed for the recipe. Ladle the broth through a strainer over a large measuring cup. Slowing add the broth into the pot with the sausage using about 2 cups at a time. Scrape up any browned bits of sausage from the bottom of the pot. When all the broth has been added, add the jambalaya mix and stir to combine.
Add in the chicken, and reduce the heat to low so that the mixture is simmering. Cover, and let cook about 20 - 25 minutes. When all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, remove from heat. If the rice is not cooked through when the liquid has been absorbed, add another ladle or two of chicken broth and let the jambalaya continue to simmer.
If you would like to add a can of diced tomatoes, feel free to do so. Top with some chopped fresh parsley, and serve with toasted French bread. Don't forget to offer some Louisiana Hot Sauce on the side for those who like things with heat!
Zatarain's to the rescue. Click the link for more information on Zatarain's product line! I had several boxes in my pantry. I had chicken breasts in the freezer and Conecuh Smoked Sausage in the refrigerator.
I cooked four chicken breasts in the slow cooker on high for four hours with about 2 t. of chicken base added to the cooking water. You'll need enough water to cover the chicken. The chicken base adds a great richness to the broth. More on that in a little bit.
When I was ready to cook, I sliced 1 pound of the sausage into 1/4" inch slices and browned it in a 7 quart Dutch oven. Place the sausage in a large pot over medium high heat and let the sausage brown, frequently stirring. It's okay if it sticks a little on the bottom of the pot. You're getting a great layer of flavor there.
While the sausage is browning, remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place in a medium bowl. When it's cool enough to handle, shred the chicken. You'll need about 3 cups of shredded chicken. Freeze the remaining chicken for another meal, or refrigerate for 2 - 3 days. (This would be a great time to boil a few eggs, chop those, mix in the chicken with some pickle relish and mayo. Presto! You now have chicken salad for lunches!)
Back to the jambalaya. All that rich chicken broth in the slower cooker? You're going to use that to cook the jambalaya instead of plain old tap water.
I had three boxes of mix which resulted in 7 cups of broth needed for the recipe. Ladle the broth through a strainer over a large measuring cup. Slowing add the broth into the pot with the sausage using about 2 cups at a time. Scrape up any browned bits of sausage from the bottom of the pot. When all the broth has been added, add the jambalaya mix and stir to combine.
Add in the chicken, and reduce the heat to low so that the mixture is simmering. Cover, and let cook about 20 - 25 minutes. When all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, remove from heat. If the rice is not cooked through when the liquid has been absorbed, add another ladle or two of chicken broth and let the jambalaya continue to simmer.
If you would like to add a can of diced tomatoes, feel free to do so. Top with some chopped fresh parsley, and serve with toasted French bread. Don't forget to offer some Louisiana Hot Sauce on the side for those who like things with heat!
That's a good idea!
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