Mardi Gras, Boobs, and Jambalaya

Yesterday was Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday).

Floridians don't celebrate Mardi Gras, so I celebrated by myself, drinking at 4 AM, flashing my boobs to passersby, and throwing things at the cars passing by.  It turns out they don't have computers for bloggers in jail cells.

Speaking of computers in jail cells, do you think people in jail can write blogs?  If so, that would be something the people of Spring Hill would actually read.  Or what about a blog about making crystal meth?  I bet those blogs would get lots of traffic.  Plus, the crystal meth blog would get you put in jail so you could write your jail blog.

What I actually did for Mardi Gras was make a Jambalaya.  I made what I call a Party Jambalaya but I'm going to give you the recipe for that and what I call a Traditional Jambalaya.

Traditional Jambalaya adapted from Ralph and Kacoo's cookbook.  I was able to give you this recipe because after Hurricane Katrina I dug through this....

...until I found a soggy, mud-covered Ralph & Kacoo's, took it outside and dried it page by page.  I now have this...

A mystery coated, possibly carcinogenic cookbook that I'd never bring into the kitchen and probably should use gloves to touch.

But here is your Traditional Jambalaya courtesy of Ralph & Kacoo minus the mud and mold. 

1/4 stick butter
1 lb Andouille sausage-sliced

1 lb boiled ham-diced
4 tbsp flour
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1-1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
2 cups raw rice
1 lb cooked chicken-diced
2 (14-1/2 oz) cans beef broth and 1 can broth from your chicken
4 green onions, tops and bottoms, chopped
4 creole tomatoes-chopped
3 stalks celery-chopped
1 green pepper-chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
2 lbs raw shrimp-peeled

Melt butter in large dutch oven.  Brown andouille (an-do-ee) and ham.  Stir in flour.  Add onions, garlic and rice.  Wilt onions.  Add all other ingredients, stirring after each.  Should be soupy.  Cook 30 to 40 minutes until rice is cooked.

As you can see there are a lot of ingredients, and this recipe takes a while to make.

Party Jambalaya  I have no idea where I got this recipe.  It's hand written and I must have gotten it after the hurricane or it would've been destroyed.  I prefer this one because there are fewer ingredients, it tastes good, and it is fast to make.

2 cups white rice
1 lb any meat plus 1 lb sausage (I used 1/2 lb shrimp, 1/2 lb pork, and 1 lb sausage)
1 8 oz tomato sauce
1 can mushroom gravy
1 can french onion soup

1 can beef broth
1 stick butter
green onions-chopped

Brown meat and sausage.  Mix all ingredients except shrimp and green onions.  Put in baking pan in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour.  Add shrimp and green onions, stir.  Cook in oven another 15 minutes.  Test to make sure rice is cooked.  Done!

It's a little greasy and I would decrease the butter or maybe even eliminate it altogether if I make it again. 

Otherwise, it's delicious!