JAMBALAYA
This recipe is totally un-authentic, but that's the way I always work - I find something that I like and adapt it for my own tastes, budget, and local markets. I've been able to find the andouille sausage that's so key and delicious, but I wasn't able to for a while and sometimes left sausage out altogether. Usually I just get whatever's cheap at the market, but if you can find the andouille, I recommend it.
Ingredients
4 slices bacon (or 2 tablespoons olive oil - substitute for the bacon grease as cooking oil)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 sticks celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2-3 serranos or jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 cups long-grain rice
1 2/3 cups shrimp stock (substitute chicken stock or other vegetable stock if preferred)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (or use a couple diced tomatoes)
1-2 tablespoons cajun hot sauce (tobasco style)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
pick 2-3 of the following:
   3/4 lb andouille sausage, diced
   3/4 lb catfish chunks
   3/4 lb snapper chunks
   3/4 lb small shrimp, shelled and deveined
   3/4 lb ham, chopped
   3/4 lb chicken (breast, thigh), chopped into small pieces - I recommend dark meat, no skin. Whatever you get, just make sure it's SMALL enough to get cooked all the way through in 30-plus minutes on the stove. If you're not sure, then cook it ahead of time or add it earlier in the process (before the rice)

Using a big soup pot of some sort, cook the bacon on low heat until crisp and then remove it, leaving the grease in the pan. Toss in the onions, garlic, celery, and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add the hot peppers and cook until onions are soft, maybe another 5 minutes. Throw in sausage and rice and saute for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except parsley and stir to make a good mixture. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, at which time all the moisture should have been absorbed by the rice. I then like to cook for another 5 minutes or so to brown the bottom of the rice, but if you don't like the taste of burn, I recommend you skip this step. Add the parsley and serve.