Jambalaya for Mardi Gras

Jambalaya.

 I'm making Jambalaya today to serve tomorrow for Mardi Gras.  Tomorrow I'm having outpatient eye surgery, so I want to have dinner ready when I get home. This will be good warmed up.

I'm using Mark Bittman's recipe from Cooking Light. 

1 teaspoon olive oil  
1 cup chopped onion  
1/2 cup chopped celery  
1 tablespoon tomato paste (Tip:  When just a small amount of tomato paste is needed in a recipe, I use a tube rather than open a can.  A tube will keep in the fridge for up to a year.)
1 teaspoon dried basil
Dash of ground red pepper 
3 garlic cloves, minced  
1 bay leaf
2 (14.5-ounce) cans Cajun-recipe stewed tomatoes with pepper, garlic, and Cajun spices (such as Del Monte)  ( I couldn't find these, and I just used cans of diced tomatoes, but I added a teaspoon of Texas Pete to spice this up a bit).
6 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Andouille is a spiced, heavily smoked pork sausage).
1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimento, drained 
3 cups cooked long-grain rice
1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 9 ingredients (onion through pimento); cook 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in rice and shrimp; cook 6 minutes or until shrimp are done.

Cook first 9 ingredients about 7 minutes.

I use tomato paste from tube when recipe calls for small amount.

Add cooked rice and shrimp and cook until shrimp are done, about 6 minutes.

Jambalaya ready to enjoy.

Hank Williams Sr. sang this song in 1952 and it was a big hit.  It was a favorite of my Dad's, and I can remember him singing it as he was working around the house.  This is Hank Williams Jr's version.