Holy cow! Where Have I Been?!

For the whole one, maybe two, followers I have bet you're wondering where the hell I've been and whether or not I would blog anymore.  The answer is I've been around and I plan to blog some more.  Stay tuned...

Barf On Social Media

You know what sucks about social media?  Watching your father's second wife's birthday unfold on it. All the perfect birthday wishes from her kids.  The picture of the flowers and cupcakes my dad sent to her at work.  The barf buffet of love-you's and look-at-us-we're-so-perfect statuses.  Barf.  Barf.  Barf.

I can see why the "first" family gets little to none.  Too busy making the second family appear so perfect.  

See how easy that is with the help of social media?  They use it to be pretty and I use it to bitch about the ugliness of it all.  Now, excuse me, I have some friends to block and/or de-friend.

TV Girl Woody

Rich from Hard Core Pawn...

                  ...It's the hair and he's in a band.  I can't help myself!

Aiden from Revenge...

...It's the accent and the sexy stare.

Jambalaya

I have had this recipe in my collection a long time but was a little intimidated by it.  Lots of ingredients and steps.  I saw it on Paula Dean a few years back.  It is a family recipe of a friend of her's who was born and raised in Louisiana.  I decided it was time to stop being a cooking wimp and tackle it already.  I'm glad I did!  It was one of the best food-gasms I've had.


JAMBALAYA - Amelia Durand

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. sausage (kielbasa), sliced
1 lb. smoked ham, cubed
1 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup tomato, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
2 tbsp. tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups rice
3 bay leaves
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
6-8 dashes hot sauce
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
3/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 lb. medium shrimp (20-24 count)

Heat oil in large pot or dutch oven.  Add sausage, brown, then remove.  Add ham, brown, then remove.  In same pot, add butter, onion, celery, and peppers.  Saute.  Add tomato, garlic, jalapeno, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste.   Cook a couple of minutes.  Add stock and bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.  Add green onion, parsley, lemon juice, and shrimp.  Stir and make sure shrimp are good and covered in mix.  Cover again, remove from heat, and allow to steam for 15 minutes.

A side note:  I forgot to buy tomato paste and it still turned out great.  If you're not a fan of shrimp, leave them out.  I'm sure it will still be orgasmic!