Brooke's Jambalaya

You've gotta love those dinners that are so easy to put together and taste great when you're finished. This is one of those recipes. The longest part is waiting for the brown rice to cook but if you had it cooked in advance...wow! This recipe is "Brooke's Jambalaya". I call it that because...well I made it up myself! I felt like something "jambalaya-ish" one night and this is what I came up with. (Whenever I make something up I always write down what I'm doing just in case it's a keeper!) It is one of our favorites. You could always make it vegetarian by omitting the meat. Here goes:

Brooke's Jambalaya

2-3 c. cooked brown rice
1/2 lb. smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, sliced (You know those sausages that are shaped like a horseshoe? I use the Turkey Smoked Sausage such as Louis Rich. Less fat and better for you. Tastes just as good.)
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes in juice (I like to use the Italian flavored ones)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke ( I like the hickory flavor.)
1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 tsp. dried leaf thyme
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (More or less to taste. This is as far as I can go with my kids.)
2-3 whole bay leaves
1 can red beans (or kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce + 1 can water
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion, celery, garlic, and green pepper in olive oil until tender. Add all ingredients except rice and simmer about 25 min. (I usually simmer it then entire time the rice is cooking.) Add cooked rice. Add more water or tomato sauce while cooking if needed. Can also add cooked chicken and/or shrimp and a few drops of hot sauce if you want more heat. Remove bay leaves before serving. My kids LOVE this meal. It is very adaptable, too. For instance...sometimes I don't have the sausage or want a more vegetarian meal so I leave it out and add a little more liquid smoke. It still gives it that smoked flavor. I've also made it with leftover bratwurst. Anything goes! After all...this is Jambalaya!