HAPPY "FAT TUESDAY"!!!

Happy "Fat Tuesday" Everyone!!!...the official kick off to Mardi Gras and Lent.  Not quite sure what I may be giving up for Lent this year...any suggestions???

Today was day 4 (already) of my 9 day vacation and the first day I've ventured out of the house!!!   Did a little shopping, saw some friends...all in all a good day...hope the next 5 days goes by slowly!!! Of course, I also spent some serious time in the kitchen.....I thought I'd honor "Fat Tuesday" with a hearty, slightly spicy Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya (the complete recipe can be found at the end of the post):

Start by browning the sausage, I used turkey kielbasa, in a little olive oil in a dutch oven or heavy pot.

After it's browned remove it from the pan to a plate 

Add about 2 Tblsp. butter to the pan and add diced peppers, onion and celery. 

Cook until just tender and the onions are translucent (about 8 minutes)

Add chopped tomato, garlic, and jalepeno (I used crused red pepper flakes), oregano and thyme and tomato paste.  Cook until all vegetables and herbs are well blended

Add chicken stock and bring to a rolling boil.  Stir in the rice and add the sausage back into the pot along with salt, pepper and hot sauce.  Return to a boil, reduce heat and add shrimp (I buy fully cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, I don't like to clean them) and squeeze the juice from half a lemon on top and stir into the jambalaya just before serving.

Remember, how spicy you make it is up to you....I used 2 large pinches of crushed red pepper flakes but did not add any hot sauce.

Dinner is served with toasted bread drizzled with garlic oil!!!

YUMMY!!

Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya

(Lots of ingredients but super easy recipe)

1 Tblsp. Olive oil

1 pound sausage, I use kielbasa

1 Tblsp. Butter

!meduim onion, diced

1 cup diced celery

2 peppers cored & diced (you can use whatever color you want, I used red & yellow)

1 cup fresh tomato, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced (I used 2 large pinches of crushed red pepper in place of this)

2 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. thyme

2 Tblsp. tomato paste

6 cups of chicken stock

3 cups long grain rice

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

6 to 8 dashes hot sauce (optional)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon)

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven (or other heavy pot) over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned, Remove the kielbasa to a plate and set aside.  Add the butter, onion , celery and diced peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.  Add the diced tomatoe, garlic, jalepeno, oregano, thyme and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetable and herbs are well blended.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a rolling boil.  Stir in the rice and add the sausage back into the pot, season with salt and pepper and hot sauce.  Return to full boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook until rice is cooked through.  Add shrimp to pot and cook thoroughly (or if using precooked shrimp, just until heated through).  Squeeze juice from half a lemon into pot and stir. You are now ready to serve!!!

Enjoy!!!