Happy Mardi Gras!

Laissez les Bon Temps Roulez! Having lived in New Orleans for 5 years it was easy to get caught up in the happenings of Mardi Gras. It's an amazing party that starts the night before and doesn't end until you manage to move your car and make it home. I love the food styles in New Orleans and believe me eating them is no hardship. I always buy a bigger ham than my family can consume at Christmas anticipating gumbo and jambalaya on Fat Tuesday. Right now I have a huge pot of jambalaya cooking, French bread baking and a wonderful light tossed salad waiting for my jubileers to chow down. The amazing Alabama produced Conecuh smoked sausage (I use the Cajun style for my jambalaya) is such a joy to add to this dish I have to slap hands when my boys try to sneak bites before it even goes into the pot. I learned how to make jambalaya from a true Cajun and it really is an all day task. If I don't have the time to do it in one day, I break it down into several, chopping all the meats, mixing together the seasonings and tossing with the meats for a little marinade time, chopping the trinity (onion, celery, peppers) and refrigerating, thawing homemade tomato sauce. I make my rice on the day I put together the jambalaya, but instead of cooking it in the sauce (like I was taught) I cook it in chicken stock (another layer of flavor) then add it to the sauce and let it barely simmer until we are ready to eat. Mmmmm c'est le Paradis!

I made jambalaya for a wedding reception once and always think of the couple (Lori and Kevin!) when I make this dish. Happy Mardi Gras all!