Callin' All Cajuns

It's been a fast-speed kind of fall. All of the sudden the leaves went from green to neon orange to covering my car. It got a little colder and my hair protests by splaying into tangles (damn you, static!). It's days like today that makes me want to come home to a big ol' pot of warm, spicy goodness that'll stick to your ribs.

Everyone's got a bit of Cajun in 'em. Ever seen Disney's version of Princess and the Frog?




Yes, even this far north in Kansas, we've all got a bit of the bayou in us. There's no better way to get a Cajun kind of fall without a little jambalaya - crockpot style!

Crockpot Jambalaya

You will need...
2 chicken breasts
2 turkey sausage links
1 bag of frozen shrimp, thawed with the tails pulled off
1 box of Zatarain's jambalaya rice mix
28oz. can of diced plum tomatoes
Tabasco sauce
3 tbsp dried minced onion flakes
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp Cajun seasoning (I used Tony Chachere's, but Slap Yo Mama is equally as good too!)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme

This recipe calls for a lot of spices but they are all meant for a purpose! 

Madame Crockpot. She has been with the family for generations and has given so much love, food and occasional body malfunctions. It happens. I started using a crockpot liner to help with the clean up. Love these! 

Take the chicken and cut into one-inch pieces. Set aside and make way for new meat. Yoo!

Le sausage. Looks more appetizing when it's cut up. I swear.

See? Cut into coins and set aside avec le poulet. (with the chicken. I'm using my French skills, can't you tell?)

Take the whole can of tomatoes and dump into the crockpot.

Add the chicken...

The sausage...

Next up, the seasonings! Start with a little minced onion flakes.

Oregano...

Are you channeling your Cajun mama now?

You should be.

She's telling you to go back in the swamp and ring that gator's neck for supper. 

Parsley...

Cayenne pepper for some heat!

A little bit of Tony Chachere's. This is the grand daddy of all spices! Trust me on this one guys.

Sprinkle in some thyme...

And freshly pressed garlic.

Stir ingredients to combine and get to know each other.

Let this go for about 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally. Go watch Princess and the Frog and get your inner-Cajun going. Maybe listen to a little Zedico music.

In the last 30 minutes of cook time, cook the Zataran's jambalaya rice mix separately according to instructions on the box. 

You'll also want to make sure the shrimp is completely unthawed and take off all the tails. We're making this easy to eat!

Once the rice has been cooked and shrimps have been detailed, throw both into the pot, and let it go for another 10-15 minutes so that the shrimp can warm up. 

Add a few shots of Tabasco.

I was feeling extra spicy so I put about 12-15 drops in.  

Hello, Louisiana!

Baby's Gotta Brand New Job! And Jalapeno Chicken Bites!

I've been working at an advertising agency for the past year and have experienced the in's and out's of working under high amounts of pressure, stress and was able to assist and complete more than 150 individual marketing materials (no, this is not me publicizing my resume - you can find that on LinkedIn!). And from it all, I learned just a little bit more about myself.

I value my personal time. Amen.

My positivity towards my coworkers goes around and comes back around.

I can control my sensitivity when it comes to business - hey, this industry gives you a thick skin!

And I couldn't have survived this past year without the love and support from the people I worked with, my friends, my family and my loving boyfriend. They've all experienced this journey with me. I knew the time had come to move on when I realized I was being consumed, trapped under the constant pressure to perform.

I put my name out there and 3 weeks later I landed a brand new job! I am so relieved at having found the new place, getting settled and reaching a new potential - once again focused on those dreams I've never left sight of. You might be wondering if I'm still in the advertising world. In a way, yes. I'm still in the creative department and still pushing out marketing pieces but working in an independent marketing organization. A.K.A the hours aren't crazy any more but still focused on creating unique materials for clients.

Now, enough with work because I want to share an easy recipe perfect for a small party or heck, pile these little guys up and make a meal out of it. They're addicting!

Jalapeno Chicken Bites

You'll need....
- Chicken breasts (2-3 depending on who's chowin' down)
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar cheese (grated)
- Jalapenos (finely diced)
- 4-5 slices of bacon
- Butter
- Vegetable oil

Take some chicken breast and slice it thinly and cut into strips.

Salt and pepper on both sides and add about 1 tbs. of cream cheese to the middle.

Next, take some jalapenos and dice it up. I used 1 fresh jalapenos but in the end, it didn't pack a lot of heat. I would recommend the sliced jalapenos from the jar - dice those for something a little spicier.

Add jalapenos on top of the cream cheese.

I did 2 versions, one without cheddar and one with. Believe me, cheddar also makes everything better.






















We all agree, bacon just makes everything better. Cut one slice of bacon in half, lay the chicken with cream cheese and jalapenos on top of bacon, and roll the thing into a ball. Secure with a toothpick.

Get a skillet on medium to high heat. Add a love of butter and vegetable oil (about 2 tbs.) and get it poppin'!

Get your bites ready to go and fry them up in the pan, turning the pieces about every 2-3 minutes until chicken is cooked through and browned on top. The cheese will start to ooze out but don't worry, this is the goodness every master chef must be patient with.

I served this with a little ranch but having them plain is equally satisfying. Bring these to your next social gathering and I promise you won't have any leftovers!