Pasta Jambalaya with Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille

Our family was craving pasta last night, but I didn't want standard pasta and marinara sauce.  After a little online research, I found a recipe that peaked my interest:  Pasta Jambalaya courtesy of Emeril.   When we first moved to Dallas back in the 90s, one of our favorite restaurants was Johnnie Orleans, which was a restaurant that featured pasta dishes with a cajun twist.  When I saw this recipe, it reminded me of one of Walter's favorite dishes from that restaurant.

This recipe is pretty easy to pull together.  However, just make sure all your chopping is finished before you start cooking as it all comes together pretty quickly.  I also highly recommend making Emeril's Essence seasoning.  It makes enough to fill an empty spice jar, and I am sure can be put to great use for other dishes.

Once you have added the basil and Parmesan cheese (the last step of the recipe), let the pasta sit in the sauce for a few extra minutes.  I served this immediately, but Walter and Jake found after a second helping that the pasta had absorbed more of the sauce and was even better tasting.  

Note:  I forgot to take a picture last night, but trust me, this is a visually attractive dish.  The plentiful shrimp, chicken and andouille against the pasta, tomatoes, bell pepper and basil gives it a hearty look.