JAMBALYA

1 whole chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped green peppers
2 garlic cloves, minced
sausage
4 cups rice

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Boil chicken in salted water until tender and cooked through. De-bone, set aside chicken and reserve broth.

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add onions, celery, green peppers and garlic. Saute until tender. Add brown sugar to make a rue. Add salt, cayenne, chicken and sausage. Add 5 cups of reserved chicken broth and rice. Bring to a boil and then turn to low to simmer.

WARM SPINACH SALAD WITH GRILLED SAUSAGE

I found this recipe in Real Simple magazine and we LOVED it so I had to share. You can link to it on their website here. It's a really light and delicous summer meal. After we made it, we just scarfed it down before I could get a picture. So, the photo is a photo of the photo in the magazine.

Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sausage

4 Italian sausages (about 1 pound)

8 plum tomatoes, cut in half crosswise

1 onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

3 bunches spinach, thick stems removed (about 8 cups)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Heat grill to medium-high. With a fork, prick the sausages in several places. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.Meanwhile, brush the tomatoes and onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill until tender, 5 to 6 minutes per side for the onion and 2 to 3 minutes per side for the tomatoes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl as they are done, add the spinach, and toss.In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, the remaining 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Slice the sausages and serve with the vegetables and dressing.

Tip: Tossing the spinach with warm vegetables wilts the leaves slightly and makes them more tender. Delicious on its own, this salad is also great mixed into pasta. Yield: Makes 4 servings.