Louisiana Jambalaya {Mardi Gras Celebration} Recipe

by CookingLib

Our family lived in Louisiana for 11 years.

Our kids were born and raised there (through their preschool years).

Husband Man was also born and raised in the neighboring state of Mississippi.

After living here in New Mexico for almost a year,

we are gradually getting used to the culture.

Even though we are enjoying it, we do have to say….

New Mexico is not Louisiana, in more ways then one.

From the people to the landscape to the weather, they have their differences.

Despite this however, they do have one thing in common,

both of their foods are pretty darn spicy.

They each use different types of spices to achieve this state of food nirvana. I haven't

quite pinpointed what kind of spices are in New Mexican food, however, I pretty

much know what can be found in Louisiana dishes.

The fam and I were craving some spicy cajun/creole food this month

so I looked through some of my treasured Louisiana cookbooks and decided

to put this dish down on our menu.

I have never made Jambalaya before in my life until this past Sunday.

Which is funny because one would think after living in

Louisiana for 11 years, I would have learned to cook it.

Nope. Never did.

I ate it, but never did make it.

Not anymore folks, not anymore.

We LOVED this recipe and have decided to place it in our favorites.

Give me another 11 years and I will learn how to make

stuffed sopapillas and huevos rancheros ;)

(serves 8 to 10)

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. frozen shrimp….defrosted, cooked, peeled, and deveined
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 and 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 (10 oz.) can French onion soup
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Layer the sausage, shrimp, green onions, bell pepper, celery, and parsley inside a deep baking dish.

3. Top with the rice and bay leaves.

4. Mix the soup, broth, tomato sauce, water, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a medium bowl.

5. Pour over rice and bay leaves. Dot with butter.

6. Bake, covered with foil, for an hour and a half. Discard the bay leaves when finished.

**Libby's Notes: Not a fan of shrimp? Substitute it with 1 shredded cooked chicken instead.

Recipe Source: Tweaked and adapted from the cookbook, Mardi Gras to Mistletoe