Midwestern Jambalaya

Flipping through my mother-in-law's gossip magazines this weekend, I spotted a pic of Jessica Simpson wearing a shirt proclaiming "Real Girls Eat Meat." I thought it was lame, realizing it was a jab at veg country queen Carrie Underwood, and that the media loves a rivalry, and Ms. Simpson might sell one more country album because of that stupid shirt.

Then I was sad because I knew all of that useless info.

And now I'm sad because I'm spreading the stupid publicity.

And now, although I'm nearly vegetarian in my usual dining choices, I'm offering up three, count 'em, three animals in one dinner dish. And I'm not talking turduckhen.

Is this the power of suggestion?

Sidenote: may I suggest never eating anything with "turd" in the name?

I don't know if I have words to explain how much my guy likes jambalaya. It's meaty, it's spicy...it's kinda like him (wink wink). Whenever we happen to be in the vicinity of Rapid City, SD, we work our schedule around a jambalaya dinner at the Firehouse Brewing Co, washing it down with the house-brewed root beer.

Wait, does this internet thing go any farther south than Kansas? If anyone from the bayou is reading this, allow me to apologize in advance for liberally applying the term "jambalaya" to my spiced mix of rice, tomato, meat, and shrimp. I know that South Dakota is not New Orleans. I know I can't come close to the real deal since I'm -42% Creole. I know you'll either laugh or cry at the recipe to follow, especially since I don't add the holy trinity element of celery.

Despite this, allow me to butcher the meaning of "jambalaya" under the flag of Imitation Is Flattery.

Merci.

Midwestern Jambalaya

1/2 lb. venison sausage, sliced
1/2 lb. grouse, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 lb. frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 cups broth (veggie or chicken)
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
Salt, black pepper and red pepper to taste
1 bay leaf

Heat oil in large pot, add sausage and grouse. Once nearly cooked through, add onion, green pepper, and garlic; saute until soft. Add broth, tomatoes, rice, spices, and bay leaf; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 mins. Stir in shrimp, cover again, and simmer until rice is tender. Remove bay leaf and serve.