Jambalaya Kabobs

Wow, it’s already about time for Father’s Day again? It seems like we were just celebrating this! The last year has seriously flown by. Father’s Day is doubly special for my Dad, because his birthday is always right around (or on) Father’s Day as well. My Dad is pretty easy to please  – we take him to a Detroit Tigers game, buy him a beer and a hot dog, and it’s all good. After all, it’s almost always a beautiful, sunny June day in Michigan. What more could you need, really?

Well, I also like to make dinner for my Dad after we get back from the baseball game, and I always want to make sure it’s something he’ll really like. I don’t subject him to my favorite food, because if I tried to serve him beets, I’m pretty sure I’d never live it down.

This Father’s Day, I’m firing up the grill for Jambalaya Kabobs. I’ve had this recipe idea bouncing around in my head for several years now. In fact, at my old job as a recipe tester for a publishing company, I pitched this idea to my boss, and she thought it sounded weird and ignored my suggestion.

Well, since I’m the CEO of Foxes Love Lemons, I made the executive decision that my Dad would like to celebrate his two favorite holidays with a dish like these Jambalaya Kabobs (my husband, a father to our little yellow dog, enjoyed them too). While they weren’t much in the looks department, they were very tasty. Hey, some things just don’t photograph well (especially if you accidentally cook them a little too long while listening to your husband tell you about his business trip to China that he literally JUST got home from 10 minutes prior). What are ya gonna do?

These just scream DAD to me: they’re grilled, there’s multiple kinds of meat on them, they’re sort of spicy, and there’s no beets in sight. I took many of the ingredients of a classic jambalaya – chicken thighs, andouille sausage, shrimp, green peppers, tomato and onion – sprinkled some cajun seasoning on them, threaded them onto skewers and grilled ’em up. I hope my Dad is proud to have a daughter who can grill. Ya taught me well, Dad.

Dad’s not much of a wine drinker, but he won’t turn down a glass on a special occasion. For his Birthday/Father’s Day/It’s Finally Summer celebration, I’m pairing these jambalaya kabobs with a glass of Gallo Family Vineyards Pinot Noir. You can really never go wrong with this wine – it’s medium bodied, fruity, and seems to pair with just about anything. Gallo Café Zinfandel would be another good choice for this meal – it can be served chilled, which would be a nice complement to the slightly spicy cajun fare.

Use the Gallo store locator to find a bottle for you and Dad (and use this coupon for $1 off!). Also, be sure to connect with Gallo Family Vineyards on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Jambalaya Kabobs

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

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Ingredients

• 16 bamboo skewers
• 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (see note)
• 3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see note)
• 3 tablespoons cajun or creole seasoning (I use Emeril's version)
• 2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 medium white onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 18 grape tomatoes
• 12 ounces smoked sausage or andouille, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• BBQ sauce for glazing (optional)

Instructions

1. Place skewers in large dish and cover with water. Let stand 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp and chicken with cajun seasoning.
3. Thread bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, sausage, shrimp and chicken onto double sets of skewers.
4. Transfer skewers to grill. Cook, turning frequently, 6 to 8 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Brush with BBQ sauce, if desired, during the last minute of cooking.

Notes

Note: I recommend using the largest shrimp you can find, and cutting the chicken thighs into pieces slightly smaller than the shrimp, so that everything cooks at the same rate.

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Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards. Sponsored posts help me pay for the costs associated with this blog (groceries…lots of groceries), and help support me as I pursue a career in recipe development and food photography.