Creamy Jambalaya Pasta

I am always throwing things in a pot with cooked pasta. I made traditional jambalaya when I was a guest on the Vicki Lawrence Show years ago. This is one of my experiments on that theme that turned out quite well. Of course, with these ingredients and a little cream sauce, how could one go wrong?

7 cups chicken broth, divided

1 (16-ounce) package rotini pasta

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chunked chicken breast (bite-size chunks)

2 cups sliced link sausage (smoked, kielbasa, or andouille)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

½ cup finely chopped celery

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained

2 cups uncooked shrimp, washed, peeled, and deveined with tails removed

1½ cups heavy cream

In a large pot bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the pasta, salt, and pepper and cook the pasta in the broth as if it were water. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes on a high boil, until the pasta is just tender. Drain, reserving the broth for later in the recipe. in a large skillet heat the oil and sauté the chicken, sausage, garlic, onion, green pepper, and celery for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun seasoning as the mixture cooks, stirring periodically to ensure even cooking. When the chicken is done, the onion is clear, and the vegetables are tender, combine all the ingredients, including the pasta, in the original large pot and place over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, blending well. When the tomatoes are hot, add 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth and the shrimp, blending. Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, stir in the cream. Serve immediately, while everything is warm. Reserve any leftover chicken broth for another recipe.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

It always tickles me to see the signs for Southern food joints.

Now, a restaurant might have a lovely sign, lit with spotlights, with a Southern plantation flair. A “joint” will have anything to get your attention, from flashing lights, to neon, to a larger-than-life smiling catfish dressed in a straw hat, wielding a cane pole. Barbecue joints almost always have a dancing, smiling pig inviting you to partake. Although most pigs aren’t dancing their way into the smoker, just look for the smiling piggies to guide you to a great meal if you are in the South.