Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a mixed rice dish, of meats usually chicken, sausage and sometimes seafood (shrimp, crawfish, etc.) this dish is featured in the Cuisine of the state of Louisiana (a state that is well known for it's food their cuisine is a blend of Spaniard, French, African, and Caribbean influences with American in the mix as well)

The dish is thought to have originated/ be related to the Spanish Paella, so what I understood it's a bunch of Spaniards trying to make Paella with what they could find in Louisiana he he. I can see the influence in the use of onions, garlic, bell peppers, tomato, smoked sausages, and in some recipes a combination of thyme, bay leaves, and paprika (very typical of Canary Islands)

However Jambalaya is it's own thing, some versions are soupy and sloppy, some the rice is cooked separate then mixed into the meats and cooked aromatics, etc.

So anyways now that you have a general idea, I researched the rice dish a bit (because I had chicken, sausages and shrimp in the fridge and was like hhmmm maybe I should try to make Jambalaya or gumbo) and came up with this recipe, I already have a lot of experience making mixed rice dishes (mostly Spaniard and Cuban yellow rice dishes) so I've come up with my own version of Jambalaya with the elements I've seen repeated in several recipes and what I think would taste awesome. I invited my bestie John to help me make it, and my whole family was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it :)

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or butter
-1 1/2 lbs. chicken meat (any breasts, thighs, bone in, skinless etc.) cut into bite size
-1/2 lbs shell on shrimp (you will use the shells and heads to make the stock)
-2 large smoked sausages cut into 1/4 inch rounds
-1/4 lbs. smoked ham (optional)
-1 onion minced
-1 green bell pepper minced
-2 stalks celery minced
-1/2 head garlic minced
-1 can 8 oz. tomato sauce
-4 1/2 cups shrimp stock (you will make it from the shells see directions)
-3 cups long grain rice (washed well, and drained, I used Mahatma brand)
-salt to taste
-black pepper to taste
-2 bay leaves
-1 tsp. dried thyme
-1 tsp. smoked paprika (I use bittersweet smoked Spanish paprika)
-1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
-orange juice of the shrimp heads (optional)

Directions to make stock:
(1) Remove shell and de-vein shrimp, use the shells and heads to make a stock, add water in a pot enough to submerge shells well and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile prep everything else.
Directions for the rest of the dish:
(1) Heat large pot or paella pan on medium high heat, when pan is hot add olive oil or butter,
and brown the sliced smoked sausage all over, then remove and set aside, sautee shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper in same pan then set aside in same pan add chicken seasoned with salt and black pepper to taste brown all over, remove and set aside, now add diced ham and brown it and set aside.

(2) In same pot add minced onion, bell pepper and celery cook down 5-7 minutes until fragrant, add garlic and sautee another 2-3 minutes until fragrant, stir in thyme, bay leaves, paprika, and cayenne stir for about 30 seconds. Add shrimp head juice reduce it to nothing.
(3) Add in tomato sauce, cook it until it bubbles,
stir in chicken, sausage, and ham when coated add stock bring to a boil on high heat,
and add rice. Give a good stir cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.

(4) After 20- 25 minutes, add the cooked shrimp. Turn off heat, sprinkle all over with finely minced parsley and garnish with a lemon rose in the center.
(5) Enjoy as a stand alone dish, or serve with a nice salad and some fresh cornbread.

PLEASE NOTE:
From experience of cooking mixed rice dishes for many years, I highly advice you to be careful with the amount of salt you add, too much can ruin a perfectly delicious rice dish, and too little will give you the blandest crap you've ever eaten. My suggestion is add about 2 tsp. salt, then taste it, if it tastes like... ocean water like... salt water... from ocean then it'll probably be ok... ha ha :)

Banana Bread (Pan de Banana)

I am labeling it as American because this type of bread is well, easily found in American places, and I haven't seen it in other ethnic stores only in American, and it's usually sold pre-packaged and in plastic (like most American sweets) so I'm guessing it's American.

This is my version of banana bread. It is VERY SIMPLE and BASIC, I know there's people that add sour cream, or only use oil, etc. but I like to keep it simple and with bold flavors I like.

This recipe in my blog is MY recipe BUT it is from a recipe that I altered slightly to suit my families taste and preference. If you want to see the original recipe see below:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Banana-Bread/Detail.aspx

Anyways so here is my alteration and version

Ingredients:
-2 cups all purpose flour
-1 tsp. ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 tsp. salt
-2 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (it doesn't have to be exact I used like 7 small bananas, I'm sure 5 medium to large is fine to, also bananas can be black to, I just make banana bread whenever I have to many bananas and they are starting to get passed their prime haha)
-1 stick of butter (1/2 a cup)
-3/4's cup of dark brown sugar or "piloncillo" (unrefined raw cane sugar, if using Piloncillo I grind it in a mortar with a pestle made from lava rock, I didn't have any on hand so I used dark brown sugar which has a similar taste)
-2 whole eggs
-1/2- 1 cup chopped walnuts (I wish I had some they would've added wonderful texture, if you have them or have time to go get some do it and add it to the bread you won't regret it, unless of course you hate nuts or are allergic to them for some reason)

Directions:
(1)Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, grease and dust with flour a baking dish (like a loaf pan, if you don't have one use whatever you want)

(2)Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon set aside in a large bowl.

(3)Mash bananas with whatever you have (I mashed it with a fork) set aside.

(4)In a seperate bowl beat butter and dark brown sugar until creamy, then beat in eggs, after incorporated beat in mashed bananas.

(5)Now add the banana mixture and walnuts (if using walnuts) to the flour mixture AND DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT OVER BEAT!!! Gently fold it with a spatula quickly to get it incorporated. If you over beat it you will get a tough bread.

(6)Add batter to the baking dish, shake a bit so it sets evenly. Put in oven in the center and bake for about 60- 70 minutes (until center is not raw, peoples ovens vary so check it towards the end by inserting a knife in the center, if the knife comes out clean it's done)

P.S.

The reason I used dark brown sugar or "piloncillo" and cinnamon as the only flavoring is because in my house we are used to eatng fruit in syrups made with piloncillo and cinnamon so it would appeal more to us.

I'm sure you can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or even a small dash of rum or dry white wine.

My Favorite Breakfast Sandwich

Very simple, didn't know if it was worth a blog post, but I'll share anyways just in case other's haven't though it :)

I don't have a name for this it's just straight forward ham, egg, and cream cheese sandwich. Or how I usually say it in my home "Sanguise de Jamon Con Huevo y Queso Crema" (yes there's no direct translation I know for sandwich in Spanish, but in my home it's always butchered like that) it is very comforting for me. I remember my mother whipping these for breakfast sometimes, she would pack it sometimes when we had to go somewhere early and I hadn't had breakfast yet so I was able to eat it on the road (better than stopping at Mc Donalds :) It's not the healthiest sandwich or anything like that, but man is it satisfying with a tall glass of milk.

Don't know what to label this as, but I guess I'll call it "American" since breakfast type sandwiches and all other sorts of sandwiches are very common here in the states (at least for me here in Southern Cali there's deli's in almost every Donut shop which is usually at every corner ha ha, as well as these Donut shops are usually owned by Asians and they sell "Boba" drinks but that's another story all together.

Ingredients for 1 sandwich:
-2 slices of your choice of sandwich bread (any white, wheat, etc. I used the Mexican "Bolillo" rolls which are also very common and available fresh daily at the Mexican stores here in Southern Cali, but you use whatever is available to you :)
-2 eggs (beaten with a pinch of salt, and a small splash of whole milk like 1 teaspoon)
-2 slices of ham (I always use regular pork ham thin sliced)
-2-4 tablespoons cream cheese to spread on bread (more or less depends on your tastes and likes)
-1-2 tablespoons butter (I use real butter, if you must you can use margarine or even just use regular oil)
Directions:
(1)Heat a small pan, add butter, lightly brown the 2 slices of ham on each side, set aside.

(2) In the same pan add a little more butter if necessary, now add your scrambled eggs, and let them cook, every time you see the edges cook gently push them towards the center and tilt the pan to let it he uncooked run to the sides, when it starts sort of cooking like turning a little firmer flip in sections if desired and be gentle, don't overcook eggs, set aside.



(3)Now in same pan, place bread sliced face down and lightly press and let it brown and toast to your liking. Set aside.

(4)Now to assemble, spread cream cheese on both slices, place ham folded on 1 slice, place egg over ham, and cover with other slice, press lightly if desired.

(5)You may cut it in half or leave whole and enjoy with a tall glass of warm or cold milk whatever mood your in.

PLEASE NOTE: We use cream cheese for this in my house, but you can also use in place of cream cheese you can use Mayonnaise, or any variety of sour cream (Mexican unsalted or salted cream, Salvadorian cream, regular American sour cream, etc.)

My Strawberry Bananana Breakfast Shake

This is a shake I drink every single morning before going to school. It's quick, healthy, nutritious, and could hold my appetite until lunch.


Ingredients:
-1 cup whole milk
-1 cup frozen strawberries
-1 banana
-1 scoop whey protein powder (I use brands that do not contain Aspartame as a sweetener or Acesulfame potassium
-2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
-sugar (To taste)
-ice cubes (Enough to produce the desired thickness)

Directions:
-Put everything in blender. I put it in this order: banana, strawberry, milk, protein powder, and flax seed.
-Turn on blender and start blending on low, then work your way up to high. If it doesn't blend good and gets stuck, use a spoon to carefully help it without touching the blade.
-If it is not as thick as you had liked it to be, then you can thicken it by throwing in some ice cubes. I add about 4 of them.



This makes about 2 cups. I chug down the whole thing!

Peanut Butter Banana Sandwich

This is one of my favorite sandwiches, it is the sandwich I consume most and usually on a daily and weekly basis. It is filling, healthy, and nutritious. It can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or late nigh indulgence .

I remember I would pack these for school on a daily basis, that's how much I loved it. People always looked at me wierd for eating for consuming everyday that sandwich, gosh some teacher even questioned me about it... she asked me what I had in the fridge besides that... geez BACK OFF I LIKE IT OKAY! I obviously have alot considering that I cook often...

Anyways another reason I made it is because I rather eat anything than the GARBAGE SERVED AT SCHOOL HERE IN CALIFORNIA THAT SOME KIDS ACTUALLY LIKE! BARF TASTIC.

Sometimes I would take different kinds of sandwiches though and foods though but thats a different story.

I consider it to be a truely "American Food" (meaning from USA) so I will label it as so. It's probably one of my favorite things from American cuisine (whatever that means)...

Ingredients:
-2 slices of any type of American Sandwich Bread (I use 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Kirkland)
-4 tablespoons more or less of peanut butter of any brand (popular brands here are Jiff and Skippy. I use Kirklands Organic Peanut Butter made only with dry roasted peanuts and salt)
-1 regular banana

Directions:
(1)Toast bread in a toaster.
(2)Spread peanut on both slices as much or as little as you want
(3)On one place small pieces of banana all over.
(4)Close sandwich, cut diagnally if desired
(5)Serve with a tall glass of milk, or with nothing.
NOTE VARIATIONS:
-If one doesn't have banana it is delicous with strawberry, grape, raspberry, and blueberry jam or preserves. (It is very popular to consume with strawberry jam, Smuckers brand. And using white bread but I like this recipe best)
-You can enjoy it with only honey and peanut butter to or drizzle honey on the banana prior to closing.