Mardi Gras Meal Time - You Better Start Practicing Your Jambalaya

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Mardi Gras will be here shortly, and with that Southern-bred celebration comes the creole food that New Orleans is famous for. Since St. Louis' own party in the streets ranks right up there, you better make sure you're able to make the authentic food that goes along with it. This is what my family will be dishing out.

JAMBALAYA

Ingredients:

• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 cup lean ham, diced
• 1 cup chicken, diced
• 1 large onion, shopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 cups of beef bouillon
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
• 1 pint oysters

Directions:

1. In Dutch oven, sauté sausage, ham, chicken and vegetables in oil for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Stir in bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and rice, then bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to lowest setting, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Add oysters with liquid, stir and continue cooking for 15 minutes.

Chef's secret - My fam substitutes shrimp for the oysters. You put them in when you would normally put the oysters in, and you cook them a short time until they change color.

Purple, green and yellow beads not included.