This weather stuff is crazy! We went from rain and newly formed rivers in the yard to the 70's with shorts and a T-shirt last weekend. Then we get hit with sleet and a small crop dusting of snow. I don't have all of these different types of clothes for three different seasons in one week. I don't know what to expect next, but I just wish it would be consistent. The dogs normally have no problem when you ask them if they want to go outside, but now they have to investigate the situation before they even come close to walking out the door. I am home alone for a while as the rest of the family headed off to their hometowns to do their own things.
This gives me time to bond with the dogs and celebrate peanut hour in the evenings!
HaHa! Once our house sells I will get to hook up with my wife in Dallas. All kidding aside, we had some good family time as Matt came home from La Tech for a few days during
Mardi Gras break along with Janet and Tyler being here as we celebrated their birthdays at Genghis Grill. Where is everyone headed for Spring Break/Summer Vacation this year? If you need some help, I know a cool
travel agent. He keeps telling me that
cruise vacations and
all inclusive resorts are hot right now. I think I need to give him a call. I am getting hungry! Let's go cook something! As a
foodaholic and a
social networking junkie, I have had the pleasure to meet some really cool people online who love food and are willing to share their recipes.
One of those very special people is Toni Patrick Cox from
Ruston, LA. Not only is she a great cook she is a very nice person and a football junkie. Football and food, what could be better? During the Super Bowl she made Sausage/Chicken Jambalaya and she was kind enough to share her recipe with me. I have to tell you I was blown away. I have not been very successful with making this Creole/Cajun dish, so I was super excited to have an authentic family recipe to try. I have not personally met Mrs. Cox yet, but I hope to one day soon when I travel to
Ruston to watch my son Matt play football at
La Tech. You know me by now as I always have to check out the history of what I am going to make. Jambalaya originated in southern Louisiana by the Cajuns around the bayou where food was scarce, as opposed to the richer part of Louisiana.
The word is said to be a compound word of
Jambon from the French meaning ham, and
Aya meaning rice in African, as there were many slaves in the Louisiana at the time. Common belief is that it originated from the Spanish Paella, which has also transformed in the United States to a dish called Spanish rice. Jambalaya is a bit different many times as it incorporates seafood, ham, link sausage rounds and chicken, although it doesn't have to have all those ingredients.
It can be made (separately or all together) with ham, chicken, sausage, fresh pork, shrimp, duck and oysters, to which is added shortening, rice, onion, garlic, pepper and other seasonings. There is a Jambalaya Festival and World Champion Jambalaya Cooking contest held annually in Gonzales, LA and it attracts area cooks who have spent years perfecting the art of cooking and seasoning this Creole delicacy. Gonzales, LA is called the Jambalaya Capital of The World. Let's get this cooking adventure rolling! The prep work needs to be done, but grab two beers to drink during the process first.
Cut a medium onion to a medium/small dice; chop your celery and green onions into a small dice as well. Then chop your parsley. Don't chop it down to fine as it will cook down some. Then take your smoked sausage of choice and slice it. The chicken breast is next as it need to be cut into cubes. You know the size you like to eat. I think everything is ready to go. I am using a 5 quart ceramic coated cast iron pot. Turn the heat to medium high, add a little oil and fry off your smoked sausage. Remove the smoked sausage and drain on paper towels. Next you take your cubed chicken breast and cook in the sausage drippings like a stir fry.
Once your chicken is browned, remove and set aside. Now take the remaining vegetable oil and add to your pan. I know the oil sound like a lot, but it is not. Take your onions, celery, parsley, green onions and
sauté for several minutes. Then take your long grain rice and
sauté with the veggies for a few more minutes. Now you add one box of chicken stock, chicken, sausage, a 16 ounce can of diced tomatoes, bay leaves, cayenne pepper and creole seasoning. Simmer over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, Then cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice is done.
I have to tell you that I made this recipe with no one to share it with. My wife is not very happy! I could not wait to eat. It smelled awesome, it looked awesome and it blew me away. This is what I call the ultimate comfort food. I am in heaven and I am on the floor because I ate too much. I cannot even walk to my bottle of wine! I cannot tell you how good this is. I am so awed with how super delicious this is. You will have to make it and shoot me a note after you get back up off of the floor. I bet you will fall in love with it as much as I did. I paired this incredible recipe with a crusty French baguette and nice bottle of 2007 Red Willow
Sangiovese from the Columbia Winery in Washington State.
Just one quick side note to the recipe as I added more cayenne pepper and one
serrano pepper diced to the recipe. It also called for a 13 ounce can of chicken stock, but it was actually one box of chicken stock. Mrs. Cox, I cannot thank you enough for sharing this recipe with me. It will remain in my family forever. I know I was supposed to make dessert as well, but I will save your bread pudding recipe for another day. I hope you to will try this recipe out and I bet you will be satisfied with how awesome it is. Make sure and invite your family and friends over and make it a big party! I truly appreciate all of you who are reading and following.
Please leave me a comment sometime so I know who is reading. Send me a recipe and I will make it. I would be honored if you share this blog with a friend. Find something you enjoy and just do it! Life is way too short! Have fun and smile! You never know what tomorrow will bring! Until next time, "
Cookin with John" will be playing with some more food ideas to share with you!
PS: I learned a new word the other day! It is called
Cruisitude! My
travel agent told me about it.
The snow has moved on and we have had some semi sunny 60 degree days. Snow in South Texas is for the ducks! This has been the strangest year for weather. I am not sure I understand it, but I am sure that it is happening for a reason. I know we are being set up for triple digit temperatures this summer. I can just feel it! The dogs have been happier now that they don't have to get wet and then go through the towel dryer when they come back in. I can't have any dirty feet tracks on the floor for the potential home buyers to look at. They know the drill and are being good sports about it. I have been attending a lot of webinars this week. 
My head has been in education mode. As a Professional Travel Agent you have to be up to speed with the cruise and tour companies. Otherwise you are going to get blown away. Knowledge in this business is the key to you experiencing the ultimate vacation. During my years prior in the Reprographics business I have had the pleasure to work with many amazing people and one of those amazing people is Kathryn Williams. Kathryn & I worked together in Austin for several years. Kathryn has since moved to Brooklyn, NY with her husband and son. You should see all of the snow they have had in Brooklyn this winter. 
Where I am going with this is Kathryn is one heck of a cook. We share recipes back in forth and the recipe I am cooking today is her recipe. Pork Fried Rice is on the menu today. I have never made this before and was really excited to make it. So where did fried rice come from? Fried rice, which originated in Yangchow province, is a standard method of cooking leftovers, involving frying cold boiled rice with chopped-up meat and vegetables. In really superior restaurants, rice is specially boiled and dried for this, but usually old, unused rice is served. 
The common (and favorite) recipe, however is not Cantonese, but eastern, deriving from Yonchou in the lower Yangtze country; it involved mixing chopped ham, beaten egg, green peas, green onions, and other ingredients to taste, and then rather slowly sautéing the rice. The rice is neither deep-fried nor stir-fried, but is cooked slowly in a little oil, producing a fluffy product with a slight crust. That is pretty interesting! I am ready to get started! Earlier in the day I cooked 3 cups of rice so it would have a chance to dry out some before I used it in the recipe. I know that is a lot of rice, but being home alone I get a little crazy with my food projects, plus I need some leftovers. 
The ingredients that we are using today are cooked rice, medium onion, small bag of frozen peas, small bag of frozen carrots, (you can use fresh peas and carrots) sesame seeds, 2 eggs, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, butter, sesame oil, green onions, chopped garlic and marinated cubes of pork. (I marinated the pork in some teriyaki sauce and sesame oil) It sounds pretty simple so far. You need to cut you onion and green onion into a small to medium dice. Your garlic need to be cut into a small dice as well. Then you need to mix your 2 eggs and scramble to your liking. Now that all of the prep work is done get your wok or your favorite non-stick pan. 
You need to heat your wok up pretty high and then add 1/4 cup of oil. (I used canola oil) Once you see a little smoke start you are good to go. Your cubed pork is the first thing to hit the wok and be careful as there will be a little hissing going on. You need to stir fry the pork until it is done all the way through and then drain it on a paper towel. Then take a couple of tablespoons of butter and add to the remaining oil. Once your butter is melted add all of your vegetables and sesame seeds and cook until your veggies are soft and the onions are translucent. 
Now here comes the fun part! Take your rice and dump it on top of your veggies and then shower the rice with sesame oil, soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. Mix your rice and veggies together and taste to see if you need to add more soy or teriyaki sauce. It is now up to your taste buds. Then take your scrambled eggs, sesame seeds and your cooked pork and stir fry. Just keep mixing everything together until it is hot enough for you and then it is ready to serve. I told you it was easy to do. The hardest part was the prep work. The best way to eat your fried rice is to serve it with an egg roll and your favorite adult beverage. Those of you who know me know it is going to be a glass of red wine. 
The last thing you need to do is drizzle everything with Sriracha Hot Sauce and now you have a very awesome comforting meal. I will put this up there with any Chinese restaurant that I have ordered fried rice at. It was really really good! I ate way too much and I am really glad the rice was already cooked. If not, there is no telling how much bigger my stomach would have gotten. I know my wife is going to be upset that I am making this while she is in Dallas, but I promise to make it for her one day soon. Kathryn you did it again. You shared a recipe with me that will stay in the family. It is a keeper in my book. 
Thanks so much and I look forward to cooking the other amazing recipes that you have shared with me. I am still waiting on that secret banana pudding recipe. Please! For all of those of you reading, make sure and try this recipe out. I know you will be happy that you did. Send me a note or leave me a comment on what you thought and how yours came out. Another day of cooking has come to an end and I am truly blessed with my family and friends that I have. Cooking is a passion of mine and I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have. When you have time Send me a recipe and I will make it and then write about it. 
I would be honored if you would share this blog with a friend who loves to cook. Find something you enjoy and just do it! Life is way too short! Have fun and smile! You never know what tomorrow will bring! Until next time, "Cookin with John" will be playing with some more food ideas to share with you!
