Sarah's Quick Jambalya

This is my shortcut recipe to jambalya. It can be ready in thirty minutes and it always gets rave reviews. My one official follower, DC Taste, is a chef in DC so this is not for her but for all the rest of you looking for a quick and easy meal that is sure to please.

* 1 box Zatarains Jambalya mix (usually in the rice aisle at your grocery store) Follow the directions on the box to cook but use a little more water than it calls for (I use chicken stock instead of water because I like it extra salty)

* Add 1 can of diced tomatoes, any variety. No need to drain.

* Add 1 large can of chicken (bigger than your normal tuna can). It's right by the canned tuna. It's great for casseroles or dishes like this. No need to drain. I like my jambalaya a little saucy. Like me.

While the above is cooking, pan fry some spicy andouille sausage or hot links. You can find them by the hot dogs. I slice up about two links and saute it until its a little charred and then dump it in the jambalaya pot, grease and all.

Let it all cook the 25 min or so that it says on the box and you're done! It's delicious.

Other nice additions are a little sauteed celery or onions. Thawed frozen shrimp, sauteed in the sausage grease is good too.

It's great with cornbread. Get that going while you're waiting for the water/stock to boil. Chopped jalepenos or canned corn are great additions to a plain cornbread batter (these would need to be drained : )

Mulligatawny Spicy Soup

This recipe is from vegcooking.com. I have not tried it yet but it sounds like a wonderful fall soup full of flavors that are sure to excite the palate. My initial thoughts upon reading the recipe would be to substitute lite coconut milk for the soy milk and coconut extract. I will use vegetable stock (not water) and canned, diced tomato instead of fresh.

This spicy, guilt-free dish will warm your stomach. Knowing it’s meat-free will warm your heart.

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 small chili, seeded and chopped (or a pinch of cayenne, to taste)
1 tsp. turmeric
1 Tbsp. ground coriander seeds
4 cups water or stock
1 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 large potato, cut into small cubes
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 firm tomato
1/2 tsp. coconut extract (optional)
2-4 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

• In a medium soup pot, saute the onions and celery in a little broth or water.
• When the onions are translucent, add the chili, turmeric and ground coriander. Saute for a minute, stirring to prevent the spices from burning. Add the water or stock, soy milk, salt, carrot and potato. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the pepper, tomato and coconut extract. Simmer gently for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• Then add the lemon or lime juice and cilantro.

Serve at once or let sit for an hour or so to bring out the flavors and then reheat gently and serve.

A Sprinkle of Cancer Fighting Spice - Nice!

Real Age Tip of the Day

Whether you steep it, saute it, or soak it, oh-so-savory rosemary can elevate both your culinary skills and your health.

Why? Because not only is it one of the trendiest cooking spices, but the fragrant needle-leaved herb is also showing early promise as a cancer killer.

Antioxidant Action
Human studies are needed to confirm the effects, but in cell studies, rosemary extract has given both breast cancer and leukemia cells a real fight. That's good news about an herb we already know is chock-full of antioxidants -- those free-radical killers that help protect you from cell-level damage.

4 Ways to Get More Rosemary into Your Life

1. Stick a fresh sprig in your lemonade, or steep it in hot tea.

2. Add chopped rosemary to your tossed salads.

3. Use fresh or dried rosemary in marinades for meats or vegetables (olive oil, fresh or dried rosemary, and soy sauce make a nice, simple one).

4. Try this delicious rosemary-infused recipe from EatingWell.com: Garlic-Rosemary Mushrooms.

Thursday Thirteen - 8th Edition

Thirteen Ways I Love Blue Cheese

1. On a salad. Any salad.

2. Filet Mignon with blue cheese sauce . . . yuuummmm

3. I love a homemade pizza with basil or sun dried tomato pesto mixed with red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni and then the blue cheese; baked until the cheese starts to turn a little brown.

4. There is a divine recipe for Blue Cheese Potato Salad that I could eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner (I reduce the amount of oil). It's also great if you saute the potatoes with sweet onions in olive oil (or bacon grease: )and serve warm. It's even better the next day warmed up again.

5. A burger with both creamy and crumbled blue cheese and crisp bacon on top is to die for.

6. Blue Cheese Burgers where the goodness in mixed inside is equally delightful.

7. I add blue cheese to this Cheesy Potato recipe, even though it's not called for. I don't put the chips on top though.

8. I add it to Buffalo Chicken Dip. I also add more hot sauce.

9. Grilled Pesto Marinated Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Fondue. I made this for a party once using filet instead of flank steak and it was decadent.

Less refined ways I've been know to eat blue cheese . .

10. With a spoon right out of the container

11. Sometimes I put the entire container in the microwave and use it as a dip for whatever chips I have on hand.

12. Melted over Nacho Cheese Doritos. Man, did that make the entire house stink! I had to put a candle in the microwave.

13. Rolled in a slice of pepperoni with a Frito on top.


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