Jambalaya

**Jambalaya** is the tenth recipe featured in Raspberry Danish Murder

(Make this recipe in a 3-and-a-half or 4-quart slow cooker.)

## Ingredients

* 12 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 2 green bell peppers
* 1 medium onion
* 2 stalks crisp celery
* 4 cloves of minced garlic ***(approximately 5 Tablespoons of jarred minced garlic)***
* 1 can ***(14 and a half ounces by weight)*** canned whole tomatoes
* ⅓ cup tomato paste
* 1 can ***(14 and ½ ounces by weight)*** beef broth ***(I used Swanson)***
* 1 Tablespoon dried parsley ***(or fresh parsley, but cut it up and use 2 Tablespoons)***
* ¼ teaspoon powdered oregano
* ¼ teaspoon powdered sage
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce ***(I used Slap 'Ya Mama because I like it much better)***
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 pound shelled and deveined shrimp ***(I used frozen salad shrimp—it's already cleaned, and Moishe and Cuddles love it)***
* 3 cups cooked rice

**Hannah's 1st Note: Traditionally, white rice is used in this recipe, but you can use brown or mixed rice if you prefer—just follow the package directions to cook it.**

## Directions

* Spray the inside of the slow cooker crock with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: This will make it easier to wash later.**

* Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and put them into the bottom of the crock.
* Clean the green bell peppers by taking out the seeds and stems. Chop them in pieces and add them tot he crock.
* Chop the onion and add it to the crock.
* Chop the celery into slices ***(you can use the leaves if your stalk has them)*** and add them to the crock.
* Add the minced garlic to the crock.
* Add the whole tomatoes ***(and their juice)***. Also add the tomato paste to the crock.
* Open the can of beef broth and add the broth to the crock.
* Sprinkle in the parsley, oregano, sage, and salt.
* Add the Tabasco sauce ***(or your favorite hot sauce).***
* Stir in the cayenne pepper.

**Hannah's 3rd Note You will add the cooked rice and shrimp shortly before serving after the rest of the ingredients above have cooked together.**

* Turn the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 8 to 10 hours.
* When the cooking time is up, thaw the shrimp by putting it in a strainer and running cold water over it.
* Add the shrimp to the crock and cook for another 15 to 30 minutes.

**Hannah's 4th Note: DO NOT ADD FROZEN SHRIMP to your crock. It could crack a hot crock and your whole meal would be ruined.**

* While your shrimp is cooking, cook the rice on the stove ***(or in the microwave if you bought the kind in pouches)*** according to the package directions.
* Add the rice to the crock and stir it in right before serving the Jambalaya.

**Hannah's 5th Note: I usually put all the ingredients except the rice and the shrimp in the slow cooker the night before and store the crock in the refrigerator. In the morning, I return the crock to the pot and turn it on LOW to cook all day while I'm gone. When I get home, all I have to do is add the shrimp to the crock, cook the rice on the stove, and stir it into the crock right before serving.**

**Michelle's Note: There is a hurry-up way to make this dish. If you turn the temperature dial to HIGH, it only has to cook for 3 to 4 hours. Then all you have to do is add the shrimp for 15 minutes, stir in the cooked rice, and you're good to go.**