Jambalaya is a wonderful dish that stretches a few cups of meat to feed a crowd. A staple of Cajun housewives, it's a simple dish that does not require special equipment or fancy ingredients. Read on to learn how to make jambalaya in your own kitchen, bringing a bit of Louisiana into your home.

Jambalaya is a rice dish, flavored with beef, pork, poultry, ham, sausage, seafood, or any combination of those meats. It is typical of Cajun cuisine..

• Serve jambalya with crusty bread and Tabasco sauce on the side.

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 teaspoons each cayenne and white pepper

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon each salt, black pepper, and sage

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 cups each ham and boneless chicken, chopped

• 1 cup each onion, green peppers, and celery, combined

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 1 cup tomatoes, peeled and chopped

• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock

• 1 1/2 cups rice

• Small bowl

• 2-quart saucepan

• Long handled spoon

• Buttered 8 by 8 baking dish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the seasonings in a small bowl, and set aside.

3. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat.

4. Add the ham and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. Add the chicken, and brown for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

6. Add half of the vegetable mixture, the garlic, and the seasonings you mixed in the bowl.

7. Lower the heat to low, and cook 5-8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

8. Add the tomato sauce and cook one minute, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

9. Add the rest of the vegetables and the tomatoes and stir well.

10. Add the stock and the rice, and bring to a boil.

11. Remove from heat.

12. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

13. Bake, uncovered, until the rice is tender, which should take about an hour.

14. Remove bay leaves and serve.

1. Omit the tomatoes for a brown jambalaya.

2. For a true bayou experience, use a can of alligator meat instead of the chicken.

3. If you can find it, use tasso instead of regular ham.

• Food Network: Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

• Epicurious.com: Turkey Jambalaya

• All Recipes: Brown Rice Jambalaya

• MarthaStewart.com: Firehouse Jambalaya

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