This time last year some girlfriends and I headed to New Orleans to celebrate my friend Heather‘s birthday.

We had the best time laughing, listening to live music and taking in the colorful culture!  Some of the best people watching, and of course, the BEST food!

Time spent with girlfriends (and gumbo!) really is good for the soul!

So in honor of that trip…and with Mardi Gras just days away…I cooked up this slow cooker jambalaya!  This recipe requires more ingredients than most the recipes I share, but they all come together to create a delicious flavor that is worth the extra laps at the grocery store (or clicks if you’re an online grocery shopper!)

Ingredients:

1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes

1 can (8 oz) of tomato paste

2 cups of beef broth

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning- I used Tony Chachere’s

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

1 stalks of celery, chopped

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

12-14 oz. of Andouille sausage or kielbasa, sliced

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1-1 1/2 lbs of shrimp- cooked, tail-off and deveined – I bought mine frozen with the work already done for me!

Rice- cooked to package instructions

parsley (optional)

Directions:

Place all ingredients except the shrimp, rice and parsley into your slow cooker.  Stir and cover.  Cook for 4-6 hours on low.  Place shrimp in slow cooker and let it all cook for 30 more minutes.  Serve over rice (cooked according to package directions) and top with parsley (optional).

Enjoy and pretend you’re taking in the sights of the French Quarter!

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler (let the good times roll!)