Shrimp Creole

Me:  What would you like to have for dinner?
Cricket:  Olives and carrots and apples and whipped cream and cheese and crackers and pickles.  Oh, and how about some tangerines? 
Me:  How about something more like dinner?
Cricket:  Quiche.
Me:  Getting closer, but we don't have any eggs.
Cricket:  How about shrimp?

We're in luck.  I had shrimp.

First, occupy your three-year old with making espresso for her parents because they will be up late watching the UC vs. OSU game tonight.

Here's what you need to serve four people:

1 1/2 cups of uncooked rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
garlic, minced  (I tend to use more garlic than most.  A clove or two will do for a normal person.)
1 or 2 stalks of celery, chopped, including the leaves.  (Why pitch them?)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
Creole seasoning (I tend not to measure...maybe a palm full)  (I also mix my own spice blends.  Why?  If I wanted a jar of salt, I'd buy salt.  Recipe to follow.)
a pinch of crushed red pepper 
1 or 2 tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth (Preferably homemade, but again, for another post.)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 pound of peeled and de-veined shrimp
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the rice as directed with a little salt and butter.
Heat the oil and cook the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic with the creole seasoning and crushed red pepper.   It should take about 10 minutes.

Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
I don't know why I don't have a picture of this.
Add shrimp, cover, and cook for about five or six minutes until the shrimp is done.

Don't worry if it is a little soupy; the rice will soak up the excess, and that is what you want!
Add salt and pepper to taste. 
Serve over rice.

Promptly pick all the shrimp out of yours and sacrifice it for your favorite person.

I did not save the creole seasoning recipe that I used, but I believe this is it.  It had way too much salt in it though.  I would use 1 tablespoon instead of 3.  It wasn't very spicy, but I add spice at the table instead of in the dish.  Cricket thanks me for that.

Next post:  You'll know when I know.