Easy Weeknight Jambalaya

One evening this week, I walked in the door and threw my bags down. I didn’t feel like doing a single thing. I didn’t rinse out my coffee mug that I took to work. I didn’t fold the clean laundry in the basket. I didn’t even last five minutes before I put on my pajamas (and it was only 3:30 in the afternoon). I sat at the kitchen table and played Words with Friends, looked at Pinterest, and checked Gmail, all the while hoping that my husband was motivated to cook dinner. When he walked through the door, he took off his police uniform and threw it on the floor. It didn’t even make the laundry basket. He sat at the kitchen table with me and asked, “What’s for dinner?”

“I don’t know,” I replied. “What are you going to make?”

“Nothing. What are you making?” he finished.

I think everyone has had evenings like this, coming home really tired and completely unmotivated. At the same time, a good meal is really needed, and it is needed to be served while wearing pajamas. 

After rifling around the kitchen, looking at ingredients and thinking about cooking times, we came up with making something that was absolutely delicious and rather easy. We had a box of Zatarain’s Jambalaya and decided to add a package of shrimp, a package of Andouille sausage, and onions. This was a quick and easy dinner fix four our lethargic malaise.

Ingredients

1 box Zatarain’s Jambalaya (we used a low sodium box)
Ingredients for rice mix listed on box (water and oil)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 package Johnsonville Andouille Sausage
1 8oz. can petite diced Redpack tomatoes, drained
1 medium onion, halved and cut in ½ inch thick slices
2 tablespoons Cajun black seasoning
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste (we used about two tablespoons)
Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Method
1. Follow the directions on the Zatarain’s Jambalaya and cook the rice  mix while preparing the rest.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shrimp, sausage, tomatoes, onion, Cajun seasoning, and red pepper flakes. 
3. Cook the skillet mixture until the moisture has evaporated and the onions are translucent, about 7-10 minutes.

4. Add the finished skillet mixture to the rice mixture and stir together. Garnish with ground black pepper.