I know. This is a pretty crazy title, but let me explain.

My design style is to mix things up, to be unpredictable and to mix the old with the new.  Here I am bringing this style to my dinner table.  Wait for it.

Last night, My Michael had a hankering for some Cajun food.  I looked the the ice box (Grammy’s name for the fridge) and saw chicken, Chorizo and I knew I had some frozen shrimp in the freezer. I had a plan: Jambalaya!

This is a recipe that I stirred up myself after having tried several others.  It is fun to cook and makes the whole house smell amazing.

While it was simmering away on the stove I decided to set a fun table.  I pulled out four Williams-Sonoma napkins (two for placemats,) orange Pottery Barn dishes which I purchased in 1999, silver-esque napkin rings from Crate and Barrel and Grammy’s silver.

The centerpiece was the flower arrangement of garden roses, pittosporum, lemon leaf and tulips that I put together last weekend.  I picked up the flowers at Whole Foods, by the way, for a whopping $35.00.  I placed my Myrtle and Rosemary topiaries on the table, too, because I don’t like to do things half-measure.

I had a few extra Bay Leaves which were a fun accent to the place setting.

So, how was it?  Let’s just say that My Michael was a member of the clean plate club!

Jambalaya

What you will need:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound of medium, (16-20) peeled and deveined shrimp
1 pound of chicken, cubed
2 tablespoons of Creole seasoning
12 oz Chorizo or Andouille sausage cut into half inch pieces
1/2 pound deli sliced black forest ham cut on #3 deli blade, diced
2 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper diced
1/2 large leek minced
1 large shallot minced
1 cup diced celery
1 cup seeded and diced tomato
2 tablespoons of Worchestershire sauce
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
8 shakes of hot sauce (I prefer Tabasco)
2 cups of white rice

What to do:

• In a bowl combine the shrimp and one tablespoon of creole seasoning. Set aside.
• In another bowl, combine the chicken with one tablespoon of creole seasoning. Set aside.
• In a heavy bottomed skillet (I use Grammy’s) or heavy stock pot, brown the sausage in olive oil and set aside on paper towels.
• 
De-grease the pan and cook the ham in a bit of olive oil for three to four minutes until browned and add to the bowl with the sausage.
• Cook the chicken in olive oil and set aside.
• Sauté the peppers and celery in the butter for three to four minutes and then add the onion. When the onion is translucent, add the shallot and leek and cook another two minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the tomato, tomato paste, Worcestershire, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano and. Blend well.
• Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil
• Add the rice, sausage, ham, chicken, bay leaves, and hot sauce
• After 20 minutes, add the shrimp and cook for another five minutes or so or until the shrimp is done.

Serve it up!

Option: I cooked the rice separately this time.   I packed a half cup of rice in a measuring cup, put it in the center of the bowl and put the jambalaya around it.

Sparkle On, Friends