Jambalaya & A Nail Polish Obsession/Giveaway!

August 11, 2012 By 71 Comments

I have a confession. I love nail polish!

It has become one of my very many obsessions, and it’s getting worse. I practically own the entire O.P.I collection. Maybe my obsession is verging more along the lines of a disease. I’ll leave that for you to decide.

I’m at the point where I can name the polish that friends, co-workers, patients, and even strangers are wearing. “Love your polish. Is that Charged Up Cherry by O.P.I?” The looks I get in return are a mixture of amazement and sympathy. The look that says, “What does this girl do all day? Study the O.P.I color chart?” I have to admit, it’s a little pathetic.

Choosing a color is a HUGE decision. I mean, I’m going to have to live with that color for awhile, right? So, I take my time at the rainbow color stand, contemplating my next big color choice. I’m not going to lie, I never leave with just one color, more like 2 or 3. Did I mention I have a nail polish obsession?

Because I love ya, and because I’m verging on joining a nail polish addicts anonymous group, I’m giving away 3 of my very favorite nail polish colors! I know you’re secretly cheering in the background, and I’m pretty sure I have some fellow nail polish addicts that will have to have these colors.

One lucky follower will win 1 bottle of “Turned Up Turquoise,” 1 bottle of “You Don’t Know Jacques,” and 1 bottle of “It’s All Greek To Me.” These colors are staples in my nail polish collection. You know you want them!

I also made you some jambalya, emphasis on the “jam.” You gotta say it like you mean it. JAMbalaya! As you know, I adore spicy food, so this dish is right up my alley. My husband, we’re going to call him Squirrel here on the blog (which happens to be what I call him in “real” life), loves jambalaya. His eyes went all deer-in-headlights bright when I told him I was making this dish for dinner. It really doesn’t take much to please my husband. Slap a big ol’ bowl of this spicy jambalaya in front of him and he’s happy as a squirrel who just found a glowing mound of acorns (excuse the crummy pun, but I just hadta).

This jambalaya is full of  tender chicken, rounds of spicy andouille sausage, and chunks hearty veggies. I like my jambalaya spicy, so I’m a bit heavy handed with the spice. If you’re not a big fan of spicy food, cut back on the cayenne pepper a bit.

This jambalaya tastes like it took all day to cook. The broth has an amazing depth of flavor. It. Is. Good!

Top it with a scoop of rice and you have yourself a perfect, one pot meal.

***This giveaway is for one nail polish trio. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will run from Saturday, August 11th to Thursday, August 16th at 6 p.m. EST.  The winner will be chosen by random draw and be notified by email.

Required Entry:  Leave a comment telling me what your current addiction is.

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Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. That’s 5 chances to win!

Jambalaya

3 tbs. olive oil
3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
4 andouille sausage links, cut into bite-sized rounds
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
3 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. corriander
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
Several dashes Tobasco
2 cups cooked rice

Place a large pot (I used my Le Crueset) over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly brown. Add sausage and cook for another 2 minutes. Add onion, celery, green pepper, red pepper, poblano, garlic, and bay leaves. Saute for for 5-6 minutes until veggies become tender.

Sprinkle the flour over the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken stock. Add the cumin, chili powder, cayenne, poultry seasoning, and corriander. Stir in worcestershire sauce and Tobasco. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn back the heat to low. Cover the pot and let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Laddle the mixture into bowls and top with a scoop of cooked rice. Enjoy!

Adapted by Rachel Ray

Contest sponsored by The Messy Baker. O.P.I and China Glaze has no clue who I am or that I even exist. I happen to adore their products and decided to sponsor a giveaway. 

 

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Some-Like-It-Hot Stuffed Jalapeños

April 26, 2012 By 23 Comments

Holy hot fire, these stuffed jalapeños are good. I’m not lying. I pounded down 15 of these spicy green gems the other night. That’s right. I said it.  FIFTEEN! I’m surprised my stomach wasn’t a burning hole of fire the next day. I love spicy food! Like, sweat-while-you-eat spicy. That’s probably why I adore mexican and tex-mex food so much.

These jalapeños are loaded to the brim with a delicious cheese and sausage mixture, and then topped with, you guessed it, more cheese.  Hello, cheese! My husband tried to tell me they were too cheesy. Uh, too cheesy? Is there such a thing as too cheesy? The answer is “NO!” There is indeed no such thing as too cheesy. I took a vote, and it just doesn’t exist. Yet, he proceeded to eat the remaining stuffed peppers. Too cheesy my arse.

Okay, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I love brown, charred cheese. It. Is. Good. Guess who was picking at the bits of crispy, browned cheese and waving them around saying “This is my favorite part.”  The same man who said the words “too cheesy” in a sentence.

I have made these stuffed jalapeños numerous times. They’re a favorite at parties, dinners, and barbecues. There are never any of these left over. So, if you had hopes on taking the leftovers home for a midnight snack, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. There won’t be any. I’m sorry.

If you like spicy, you’re gonna adore these stuffed peppers. Don’t worry, they’re not knock-your-socks-off hot, but they do pack a small punch. They have more of a warm, lingering heat. And, if you eat enough of them, you may notice a few beads of sweat gathering on your forehead. Enjoy!

Some-Like-It-Hot Stuffed Jalapenos

adapted from Guy Fieri

20 jalapeño peppers, cut in half, seeded and deveined

1 lb. hot sausage roll (I used Jimmy Dean)

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tsp. worcestershire sauce

4 dashes Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place the jalapeño halves on the sheet.

In a large bowl, add the softened cream cheese, worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tbs. of olive oil. Add onions, red pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the hot sausage, making sure to break it apart as it cooks. Cook until sausage is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the cooked sausage mixture to the bowl with the cream cheese. Stir to combine. With a spoon, scoop the cream cheese mixture into the jalapeño halves. Top the peppers with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Turn the broiler on hi, and broil just until the cheese chars a bit and turns brown. Serve.

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