Frost covered the trees and grass and rooftops this morning as I trekked out in the minus 30 degree temperatures with Big Zoom to do the grocery shopping. I’m a big fan of one pot meals, especially during the winter months when warm dinners are an absolute must. They also make for quick cleanup and typically freeze well for leftovers.

A few years back, my mother made an incredible gift for me for Christmas. I was living in Dublin, Ireland at the time, trying to find my way around Irish cooking, and failing pretty miserably with the slightly different ingredient lists and somewhat bland flavors. For Christmas that year, as I was celebrating far away with Mr. Zoom’s family, my mother sent me over a handmade scrapbook style cookbook full of some our family’s favorite recipes. This Jambalaya recipe was in there, and is in my opinion one of the best one pot meals in my repertoire. It may not look like much; it certainly isn’t the most beautiful dish to come out of my kitchen but it warms us and tastes delicious.

Mama’s New Orleans Style Jambalaya

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1/2 cup bell pepper (chopped)
• 3 cups raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped (I omit this, as we don’t like seafood)
• 5 cups tomatoes, diced (I use canned, drained)
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 large onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 2 cups raw rice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Shredded cheese (if desired-probably not very authentic, but sooooo good)

Melt butter in large heavy pot. Add flour and stir until blended; then add sausage (crumble) and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, tomatoes, water, onions, garlic, and parsley.  Bring to a boil, add rice, and stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender.  Sitr occasionally.

This recipe makes an absolute ton of food. You’ll definitely have leftovers (unless you are feeding an army of teenage boys), and it will certainly freeze well.