Creole Jambalaya

2 TBS butter
¾ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped green pepper
1 tsp DRIED PARSLEY
1 garlic clove, minced (or ¼ tsp MINCED GARLIC)
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham OR smoked sausage
1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 – 14 ounce can low-sodium beef broth
¾ cup water
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp dried THYME
½ tsp CHILI POWDER
½ tsp pepper
1 ½ pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Melt butter in soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, celery, green pepper, parsley and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. Add ham, tomatoes, broth, water, rice, sugar, thyme, chili powder and pepper. Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer until they are thoroughly cooked, about 5 minutes.