JAMBALAYA

May 28, 2018

I like figuring out how to make foods that are complicated or that I love at restaurants just as well in my own home. I’ve learned a lot about cajun recently and our weeknight dinners are the better for it. (Red beans and rice, here.) Jambalaya! This one has a lot of cajun flavor while still feeling fresh. Plus working with andouille sausage is a treat because I buy the kind that is fully cooked and just brown it up a little in oil. Because I pursue going as many days at a time as I can without having to handle raw meat.

One Pan Jambalaya in Skillet

Jambalaya
Serves five to six

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 andouille sausages (about 12 ounces total)
1 onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 and 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
A pinch of red pepper flake
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup white rice
4 green onions, sliced
Fresh parsley, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add andouille sausage and brown for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set sausage aside.

Add onion and celery to pan with remaining oil. Saute for 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and grape tomatoes, sautéing for 2 more minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add vegetable broth, hot sauce (optional), salt, pepper, red pepper flake, thyme, oregano, paprika, and rice to pan. Stir and increase heat to high. Bring to boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 13-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in andouille. Remove from heat and cover pan. Let stand 15 minutes. Top with green onion and parsley.

JAMBALAYA
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 andouille sausages (about 12 ounces total)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 and ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • A pinch of red pepper flake
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add andouille sausage and brown for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set sausage aside.
  2. Add onion and celery to pan with remaining oil. Saute for 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and grape tomatoes, sautéing for 2 more minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  3. Add vegetable broth, hot sauce (optional), salt, pepper, red pepper flake, thyme, oregano, paprika, and rice to pan. Stir and increase heat to high. Bring to boil.
  4. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 13-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in andouille. Remove from heat and cover pan. Let stand 15 minutes. Top with green onion and parsley.

FULL OF FLAVOR One Pan Jambalaya
One Pan Jambalaya in Skillet

I like figuring out how to make foods that are complicated or that I love at restaurants just as well in my own home. I’ve learned a lot about cajun recently and our weeknight dinners are the better for it. (Red beans and rice, here.) Jambalaya! This one has a lot of cajun flavor while still feeling fresh.

READ MORE

CARAMELIZED ONION & EGGPLANT PASTA

May 21, 2018

In my early days as a homemaker, I made this recipe the night I hosted six people for dinner – the largest group I had ever single-handedly entertained in my young cook’s life. My friend Elysia and I strategized for 20 minutes on the phone of what I should make. Pasta can feed a lot of people, which made it our winner. With many italian entrees, you could assign guests to bring along a salad or side, if you want to go potluck style gathering.

One more tip, since eggplant can be controversial I do it in large pieces so it is easy to eat around, if desired.

Caramelized Onion and Eggplant Gemelli in Skillet

Caramelized Onion & Eggplant Pasta
Serves five to six

1 eggplant, cubed
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
A dash of salt
A dash of pepper
1 onion, sliced
1 pound pasta (I use gemelli)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flake
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (optional)
Basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange eggplant in an even layer on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.

Place onions in a skillet over low heat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Heat for 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until caramelized.

Prepare pasta al dente, according to package instructions.

Add garlic to onions. Deglaze pan with red wine vinegar.

Toss onion mixture with tomato pasta sauce, pasta and chicken (optional). Top with red pepper flake and basil.

Caramelized Onion and Eggplant Gemelli in Skillet

CARAMELIZED ONION & EGGPLANT PASTA
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 eggplant, cubed
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • A dash of salt
  • A dash of pepper
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 pound pasta (I use gemelli)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 cups tomato pasta sauce
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flake
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (optional)
  • Basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange eggplant in an even layer on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.
  2. Place onions in a skillet over low heat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Heat for 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until caramelized.
  3. Prepare pasta al dente, according to package instructions.
  4. Add garlic to onions. Deglaze pan with red wine vinegar.
  5. Toss onion mixture with tomato pasta sauce, pasta and chicken (optional). Top with red pepper flake and basil.

Adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables.

Caramelized Onion and Eggplant Gemelli in Skillet

In my early days as a homemaker, I made this recipe the night I hosted six people for dinner – the largest group I had ever single-handedly entertained in my young cook’s life. My friend Elysia and I strategized for 20 minutes on the phone of what I should make. 

READ MORE

(Really Inexpensive!) Greenery Garland

May 17, 2018

From observing what I am drawn to in my pinning tendencies, I can hardly resist a full garland of greenery as a table runner. It feels full and beautiful and classic. I like it with a lot of color palettes, but greenery plus black and white might be my favorite and I think it is a scheme that’s hard to mess up. I was recently wanting the lush green garland look for a big party I was helping host. I quickly found that this look is usually expensive. THEN I found the trick lays with a plant called salal.

Those are the generic green leaves that are usually just used as the default leaf in bouquets. They are cheap, but when they are strung together in pretty garland form, they are an inexpensive way to get a full feel of lots of gorgeous greenery.

Really it looked so good I didn’t even miss ruscus or silver dollar eucalyptus.

Really Inexpensive Greenery GarlandReally Inexpensive Greenery Garland

My greenhouse sold salal in bundles. One bundle was about $15 and included 15 stems. So for your quantity buying purposes, 1 bundle = 15 stems = 12 feet finished garland.

The only other supplies needed are wire and wire cutters. For the wire, I bought some nice thin kind for floral arranging at the same place I got my greenery. It was only like $3 for a spool. Nothing heavy duty is needed on the cutters because the wire is so thin.

Then you just make your garland by wiring pieces together, covering the stem of the previous piece with the leaves of the next one. Then to finish attach a couple reverse pieces to cover the last stem. The process is very forgiving and you can easily make tweaks and fill in as needed.

If pieces come apart, (which they definitely can if your garland is long) it is no problem because they would be easy to reassemble on site (if you are transporting).

The greenery naturally curves on its own during assembly and looks lovely and sculptural. Making my twelve bundles for about 144 feet of garland took 2-3 hours. And maybe best of all, salal lasts so long. You can do it in advance. Even if you aren’t having a big occasion, you could make a garland for your summer table in an instant.

Really Inexpensive Greenery Garland

From observing what I am drawn to in my pinning tendencies, I can hardly resist a full garland of greenery as a table runner. It feels full and beautiful and classic. I like it with a lot of color palettes, but greenery plus black and white might be my favorite and I think it is a scheme that’s hard to mess up.

READ MORE

Copyright © Rachel Schultz 2026

PRIVACY POLICY