Mardi Gras is next week (March 4th) and we thought we would come up with a kid friendly jambalya recipe to get into the spirit of the celebration. Mardi Gras, a French term, has a lot more meaning to it than just the vivid images we all know from the French Quarter of New Orleans. You may also know it as “Fat Tuesday” or “Shrove Tuesday” as it signifies a day of rich food and heavy eating before the season of Lent and sacrifice begins.
OUR KID FRIENDLY RECIPE:
Although our Jambalaya recipe may not exactly qualify by “Fat Tuesday” standards (its not made with fatty or rich ingredients), it certainly passed our taste test and you do not need to be on Bourbon street to enjoy this New Orleans classic! Suzanne made this on a recent test kitchen day and we were so happy with not only the end result but also how quick and easy the recipe was! We used low fat and all natural chicken sausage (we even found a coupon link for you below!) and also added in some shrimp. However, you could omit the shrimp altogether if you prefer. We also toned down the spices for our kid testers and did not use hot sauce. If you want to turn up the heat to get that true New Orleans flavor, just add a pinch of cayenne pepper and serve alongside some Louisiana Hot Sauce. Served with a simple green salad and some crusty bread or cornbread, this is a simple, affordable and oh so tasty dinner! And we think those are all things worth celebrating! Now here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 to 2 packages chicken sausage (we used fully cooked Al Fresco brand-see link below for coupon!)
28 oz crushed tomatoes (we used Basil & Garlic flavor)
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup brown rice
1 tsp paprika & salt
1 tbsp dried cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
About 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined (optional)
Instructions:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and the chicken broth and bring to a low boil. Stir in rice and spices. Reduce heat and simmer for time specified on rice package. Once liquid is absorbed, stir in shrimp if using and heat until shrimp are opaque and pink. Serve with salad and some nice grainy bread. Louisiana Hot Sauce and nice glass of red optional!
