[varina davis]

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!" SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 pound andouille or spicy smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices 1/2 cup sliced celery 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/3 cups chicken broth 1 can (8 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, coarsley chopped, undrained 1 bay leaf 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco brand pepper sauce 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 3/4 cup uncooked rice 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise Celery leaves In large heavy saucepot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, celery, onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender; stir frequently. Stir in broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, Tabasco sauce, oregano, thyme and allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 10 minutes; stir occasionally. Stir in rice. Cover; simmer 15 minutes. Add shrimp; cover and simmer 5 minutes longer or until rice is tender and shrimp turn pink. Let stand covered 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Garnish with celery leaves. CAJUN CORN PUDDING 4 cup cut corn 4 eggs 1 tablespoon diced pimiento 2 tablespoons diced bell pepper Seasoned bread crumbs 1 stick butter Salt to taste Dash of cayenne (red) pepper Paprika Cut corn from fresh cob and then scrape and catch "milk" until you have four cups of corn and liquid. Canned cream style or whole kernel corn, or a combination of both, can also be substituted. Beat eggs with a fork and add to corn with the pimiento and bell pepper. Spread 1/3 of this mixture over the bottom of a deep casserole. Sprinkle a layer of bread crumbs over this, and dot with pats of butter. Repeat this procedure twice, but stop before you add the bread crumbs the last time. Slowly pour the "milk" over the dish, then add the rest of bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees until firm, about 30 minutes. BOURBON STREET BEIGNET PUFFS Crisco shortening for deep frying 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 eggs (at room temperature) 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla Confectioners sugar Heat 2 or 3 inches Crisco to 365ºF in deep fryer or deep saucepan. Combine water and butter salt. Add to boiling liquid all at once. Stir on medium heat until dough is smooth, glossy and comes away from side of pan. Remove from heat. Stir 2 minutes to cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time. Beat after each addition until well blended. Beat in vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls, a few at a time, into shortening heated to 365ºF. Fry 7 or 8 minutes or until evenly brown. Turn as needed for even browning. Remove with slotted metal spoon Drain on paper towels. Roll in confectioners sugar. Serve warm. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

[varina davis]

One more try:

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 pound andouille or spicy smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/3 cups chicken broth

1 can (8 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, coarsley chopped, undrained

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco brand pepper sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

3/4 cup uncooked rice

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise

Celery leaves

In large heavy saucepot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, celery, onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender; stir frequently. Stir in broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, Tabasco sauce, oregano, thyme and allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 10 minutes; stir occasionally.

Stir in rice. Cover; simmer 15 minutes. Add shrimp; cover and simmer 5 minutes longer or until rice is tender and shrimp turn pink. Let stand covered 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Garnish with celery leaves.

CAJUN CORN PUDDING

4 cups cut corn

4 eggs

1 tablespoon diced pimiento

2 tablespoons diced bell pepper

Seasoned bread crumbs

1 stick butter

Salt to taste

Dash of cayenne (red) pepper

cutcorn from fresh cob and then scrape and catch "milk" until you have four cups of corn and liquid. Canned cream style or whole kernel corn, or a combination of both, can also be substituted. Beat eggs with a fork and add to corn with the pimiento and bell pepper. Spread 1/3 of this mixture over the bottom of a deep casserole. Sprinkle a layer of bread crumbs over this, and dot with pats of butter. Repeat this procedure twice, but stop before you add the bread crumbs the last time. Slowly pour the "milk" over the dish, then add the rest of bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees until firm, about 30 minutes.

RBON STREET BEIGNET PUFFS

shortening for deep frying;1 cup water;1/2 cup butter;1 cup all-purpose flour;1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar;1/4 teaspoon salt;4 eggs (at room temperature);1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla;Confectioners sugar Heat 2 or 3 inches Crisco to 365ºF in deep fryer or deep saucepan. Combine water and butter salt. Add to boiling liquid all at once. Stir on medium heat until dough is smooth, glossy and comes away from side of pan. Remove from heat. Stir 2 minutes to cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time. Beat after each addition until well blended. Beat in vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls, a few at a time, into shortening heated to 365ºF. Fry 7 or 8 minutes or until evenly brown. Turn as needed for even browning. Remove with slotted metal spoon Drain on paper towels. Roll in confectioners sugar. Serve warm. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

[Devil_Anse]

Well.......Varina! You're making me want to get in the car and drive directly to Liuzza's or some such place in New Orleans right now. I'll bet you make a good mirliton casserole, too. And I'll bet you're one of those people who glances at those overly-bland recipes they have on the back of the bag of red beans, and shakes their head and laughs!

If I can really manage to make those square doughnuts like they make them at one of the coffee places, my son will worship the ground I walk on. Thanks!

[anatolfz]

I don't know about that, it sounds delicious. Here's what I've had, though:
1 peck potatoes 2 chickens (3 or 3 1/2 lbs each)
2-3 large onions
1/4 lb butter
6 strips bacon
salt & pepper to taste
poultry seasoning [they mean savoury]

You will need a grater, a large pan (17"x12"x2"), and a sturdy cloth bag.

Simmer the chickens in a pot on top of the stove with plenty of onions and seasonings. When cooked, separate the meat from the bones and chop meat into pieces. Save the broth.

Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and soak in cold water. Grate about 10 potatoes at a time and then place them in a cloth bag. Squeeze tightly until all the water and starch is removed. Do all the potatoes this way. Save the liquid from the potatoes: measure it. You must measure an equal amount of chicken broth to replace the potato water. When the potatoes are all squeezed, loosen them in a large pan and gradually add the measured chicken broth, stirring slowly. The potatoes may take on a jelly-like appearance. Be sure there are no lumps. Add seasonings and stir, stir, stir!

Cover the bottom of a well-greased pan with half the potato mixture. Arrange chicken pieces, chopped onion, and pats of butter on top. Cover with the other half of the potato mixture. Then add a bit of chopped onion, more pats of butter and six strips of bacon. This will form the crust. Place pie in a hot (400F) oven for about 2 hours, or until a brown crust is formed.

Delicious with applesauce or cranberry sauce. Serves 12.

(It should taste like chicken-flavoured potato jello. Ugh. It's good for you though.)