Bayou Teche Jambalaya + Downtown Alive

Here's another fabulous Cajun favorite that will have you going back for more, cher! A dear friend from New Iberia, who lives on the Bayou Teche, (Tesh), gave me this recipe, many moons ago.The smoky flavor of the Andouille sausage and ham combines nicely with the Cajun "trinity" and blackeye peas, for a real spicy flavor treat that you will not soon forget! Oh, cest bon! Enjoy!

Bayou Teche Jambalaya

1 pound andouille (or other smoked sausage),
sliced thin, then cut in half
1 cup cubed ham
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs.'s Creole or Cajun seasoning
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup, uncooked rice

1 cup cooked blackeye peas

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1/4 cup green onion

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Few shakes Tabasco

Brown the sausage and the ham in large Dutch oven, over medium heat. Drain excess oil, leaving a small amount. Add "the trinity" and Creole seasoning, and cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft. (about 10 minutes) Add the chicken stock, rice, black-eye peas, mustard, and Tabasco, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat, stir and cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until liquid is absorbed. I love to serve this fabulous dish with a big salad and a hot crusty loaf of French bread. And maybe a nice glass of wine, too! Bon Appetit!

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T.G.I.F- Time for Downtown Alive!

We had an absolute blast, last night, at the kick off for the 27th annual, Fall Downtown Alive, concert series. For those of you who are new to my blog, Downtown Alive is a giant T.G.I.F. Block Party, held every Friday evening, at Parc International, in downtown Lafayette, during the Fall and Spring seasons. It's a wonderful way a way to unwind, after a stressful work week, and a great way to visit with family and friends and enjoy great live music, dancing, and of course, great food!

This week's band was the fabulous "Feu Foullet", a traditional Cajun group, with an emphasis on modern trends. The crowd was more than ready to dance, after the long hot summer, and with such a fantastic line up, this fall's DTA promises to be the best, yet! When our weather cools down, here in Cajun country, our music heats up! And yes, we do this every Friday evening!

The mood was exuberant and it was great to see friends that I hadn't seen all summer.

You see just about everyone that you ever knew. Let the good times roll, cher!

This was a dancin' crowd and as usual, a whole lotta, nitty-gritty dancin' going on!

So much fun, and great exercise, too! I took several other videos and will post them soon.

But since I'm posting from the public library, due to my internet connection being down, I chose the shortest one. This song was a fast two step, more like a polka! Really gets the blood pumping and very aerobic!

Hope that ya'll are having a fantastic, fun weekend, too! Merci beaucoup for coming by!

I will be around to visit ya'll, just as soon as I get my internet connection back! Cheers!

Giveaway Winner + Creole Smothered Cabbage

It is with great pleasure, that I announce the winner of my Cajun cookbook giveaway! "Talk About Good II", compiled by the Junior League of Lafayette, is chocked full of authentic Cajun recipes, and is guaranteed to add some spice to your life. And the winner is Carol@The Writer's Porch !! Carol is a true Southern Belle and has a fabulous blog about family life on her farm in Mississippi. Congratulations, cher, I just know that you'll love it! Please send me your snail mail and I will get this treasure in the mail to you. Bon Appetit! 

New Year's Jambalaya

As promised, here is the photo of the New Year's Jambalaya recipe. I added a seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper, just to kick the heat up a notch. This was a powerfully good jambalaya. Oh, cest bon, cher! To see the recipe, click here. The great thing about jambalaya is that you can add or subtract different ingredients to make it your own. It would also be good with some sliced baby bella mushrooms, or shrimp in place of the sausage, etc. Oh cest bon, cher! Enjoy!

 Creole Smothered Cabbage
 

 I also wanted to share my favorite cabbage recipe with ya'll. It is out of this world and I have even had some non cabbage lovers tell me this. Creole Smothered Cabbage was passed down to me from my dear mother. The Cajuns follow the tradition that eating black-eyed peas and cabbage on New Year's Day will ensure good luck and good health in the coming year!

4 bacon slices, chopped
1 large cabbage, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup each, onions, mixed bell peppers, and celery
2 tbs.'s white vinegar
Salt to taste
2 tsp.'s Creole seasoning
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Cook the bacon in a large heavy pot, till crisp. Remove, crumble, and set aside. Saute the trinity in the bacon drippings for 10 minutes, stirring often and adding a small amount of water to prevent sticking. Add cabbage, mix well with the vegetable mixture. Add vinegar, seasonings, and crumled bacon and mix well, until cabbage is coated. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. Add a little water, if needed. Cest bon, cher!