There are a lot of things in your favor to keep cooking during busy times of year. In addition to sheet pan meals, one pot meals can be a great way to make meals and keep the kitchen more clean and the dishes more manageable.
Even better is when you make one pot meals quickly and with some help from some healthier convenience options or a limited number of ingredients, which is exactly what my friend Linda Kurniadi’s new book, 5-Ingredient One Pot Cookbook: Easy Dinners from Your Skillet, Dutch Oven, Sheet Pan & More covers.
Awesome side story, Linda and I met before Small Eats was even in existence! I went to a blogger conference (that no longer exists) around 6 months before the blog started and she was one of the people I met and connected with. We’ve stayed in touch and reconnected again when we were on the same trip to a fig farm last year. Her blog has evolved, as has mine. I love how the blog world can connect and reconnect people!
While the recipes in this book are great for any time of year, this book can be such a lifesaver during the Season of Self Care and any other busy night or time of year.
Linda’s book breaks down the book by which pan or pot you can use (since there are many that can do different things) and has so many great options that work for a variety of ways of eating. Each recipe is labelled with the ways of eating, from gluten and dairy free, even to nut free. While the whole book isn’t gluten and dairy free, I really appreciate how many are and the great labeling that is in the book.
The recipes are filled with flavor, proving that you don’t have to sacrifice taste for time at all. Most are several servings too, which means you’ll have plenty of leftovers to get through the week.
The recipe that caught my eye, especially for this time of year was her Italian Sausage Jambalaya. In addition to looking really good, it has a lot of convenient pre-made ingredients (that don’t sacrifice on quality) that makes cooking this so freaking easy. The frozen mirepoix and precooked rice cut down on your prep time a lot.
You will have to buy fresh (not cooked) sausage, which is easy to find in most grocery stores and butcher counters. The benefit of buying flavored sausage is that the seasoning is done for you, so one less thing you have to worry about! Linda does have a variation in this recipe for shrimp as well, if you prefer shrimp in your jambalaya.
If you’re looking for some really simple and flavorful recipes to make for the rest of this busy year or whenever, I definitely recommend ordering a copy of Linda’s book and also check out her blog for more simple and healthy recipes.
Ingredients
- 3 Spicy Italian sausages
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups frozen mirepoix
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 1.5 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 (8.8-ounce) packages precooked rice
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Remove the casings from the sausage and discard, then crumble the meat.
2. In the Dutch oven over medium heat, heal the olive oil. Brown the sausage, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Add the mirepoix and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.
3. Stir in The tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, and rice. Season with salt and pepper Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, and serve.
Notes
VARIATION: If you're in the mood for seafood, simply substitute 10 to 15 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, for the sausage. You can also use frozen, out they need to be thawed, put them in a colander in the sink and run cold water over them for about 5 minutes.
Reprinted with permission from Callisto Media. Recipe first appeared in 5-Ingredient One Pot Cookbook: Easy Dinners from Your Skillet, Dutch Oven, Sheet Pan & More, by Linda Kurniadi.