Fat Tuesday

It’s Fat Tuesday, y’all!  That last gluttonous day of celebrations before the Lenten season begins tomorrow.  As usual, we celebrated in high style with yummy jambalaya and King Cake!!

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In all the years we’ve been doing this dinner, I don’t think I’ve used the same recipe twice!  This go round I stuck with Ina’s delish shrimp and sausage recipe as a base, but substituted chicken for the shrimp.  It was $$$ at the store yesterday and I just didn’t have the time to shop around with two littles in tow.  I also went easy peasy and forewent homemade garlic bread for the kind made by the lovely folks at Pepperidge Farm.  You can find the original jambalaya recipe here and my altered version below.

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Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

Source: Ina Garten-ish; I have altered her recipe below.  It is not spicy and my littles love it! Serves 6-8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sausage (I use turkey sausage just because I like it.)
1 pound smoked ham, cubed
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
1 cup seeded and diced tomato
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano (I used dried because I forgot to buy)
1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups long grain rice, rinsed (I used brown because I had it.  Needs to cook a longer than she says below.)
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped scallions divided
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
¼ cup lemon juice

  • Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the sausage, ham and chicken and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
  • Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
  • Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well.
  • Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the meat, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the scallions, ¼ cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.
  • Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup scallions and ½ cup parsley, and a dash of Tabasco, if desired.  We also like sour cream stirred in.

I’ve done a homemade King Cake before, and also a really cute rice krispie version (see the recipe here), but this year I just picked up a small one at Publix.  My favorite is the cinnamon flavor, and my mouth is already watering at the thought of downing the last piece with my coffee in the morning.  I hid it deep in the pantry.  Obviously…

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I’ve been on the verge of coming down with a cold and didn’t feel like cocktails tonight.  I know…the horror.  Our favorite is this King Cake inspired Throw Me Something, Mister one we made up a few years back.

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was a super fun meal with my silly crew…
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The littles were home today for a “non”-snow day (ie. schools called off for the potential of ice but we ended up clear), but should be headed back tomorrow.  They were pretty disappointed after sleeping with their jammies inside out and flushing ice cubes down the potty.  After last year’s debacle, I was overly good with the non-event.

xoxo

DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED

5 thoughts on “Fat Tuesday

  1. Always love your Fat Tuesday recaps! Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. And I was thrilled with the non-event as well. Fingers crossed these next 2 days of coooold weather are it for us this year! xo

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