You can’t spell Jambalaya without LA. A few months back, our son, Taylor, and his wife, Lauren, were hosting her sisters and their husbands for a quick weekend jaunt to Nashville. Lauren’s family flew in hot on the red-eye from Los Angeles, tired but ready to eat their way through the city.
Now, her crew are serious foodies, accustomed to having every imaginable cuisine at their fingertips. Almost every cuisine, that is. Because on the West Coast, Southern comfort food is practically an endangered species. I’m talking no chicken-fried steak, no collard greens, no meat-and-three, and definitely no Creole restaurants in sight. Criminal! Sure, Nashville Hot Chicken has finally made its way out west, but only recently — because, well, we’ve finally made their map.
Naturally, this Yelp-loving gang had “Cajun/Creole” in their search bar before their plane even touched down. They landed on a promising spot only to completely miss one tiny detail: Closed on Sundays.
So Sunday afternoon, around 4:30, my phone rang while I was shopping with my husband. It was Taylor.
“Mom,” he started, “we’ve had a great weekend, but they’re flying back to Los Angeles tonight — and they still haven’t had Creole food.”
He went on to explain that this was numero uno on their bucket list for the trip. Then he casually added he’d noticed when he stopped by earlier that I had shrimp in the freezer, smoked sausage in the fridge, and, oh yeah, a whole box of Costco baguettes taking up an entire shelf.
“Any chance we could swing by for a quick pot of jambalaya before I take them to the airport?”
Now, the request didn’t shock me nearly as much as the fact that my son knew the exact inventory of my freezer. Still, I gave him a thumbs-up and motioned to my husband to hightail it home. We had cooking to do.
As we sped home, I was praying for the holy trinity of Louisiana cooking — onions, celery, and bell pepper — to magically be waiting in my crisper drawer. Mentally, I ran through the rest of my pantry: canned tomatoes, rice, spices … check! Oh, and wasn’t there a pack of frozen chicken thighs buried under those shrimp?
By the time our hungry Angeleno crew came through the front door, the kitchen was filled with the rich, spicy aroma of simmering tomatoes, seafood, and sausage. The table was set, candles lit, and by some divine intervention, it turned out to be the best batch of jambalaya I’ve ever made. When they left for the airport, the South was officially — and deliciously — represented. My trusty cast iron pot? Licked clean.
It might be the perfect time to throw a little Cajun-themed gathering of your own. Whip up some savory jambalaya, add a crisp salad and a sweet treat, and don’t forget the beads.
Jambalaya
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
1½ lbs. smoked sausage (sliced into ¼-inch
pieces)
1½ lbs. shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cubed)
2 large onions (diced)
2 green bell peppers (diced)
4 celery stalks (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cans diced tomatoes (28 oz. total)
2 cups long-grain white rice (or 6 c. cooked
leftover rice)
6 c. chicken broth
3 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
Olive oil for cooking
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Garnish:
½ c. green onions (chopped)
½ c. fresh parsley (chopped)
Directions
In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage slices until they develop some crispy edges. Remove and set aside. Add chicken pieces, season lightly with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides (no need to fully cook through). Remove and set aside with the sausage. To build the flavor base, use the same pot to sauté onions, bell peppers, and celery until softened (about 5-6 minutes). Add a splash more oil if needed. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, being careful not to burn it. Add canned tomatoes, chicken broth, uncooked rice, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne.
Return the browned sausage and chicken to the pot. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the shrimp during the last five minutes of cooking, just until pink. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or Cajun spice. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped green onions and parsley before serving.
Tips for speed or leftovers:
To use cooked rice, reduce broth to 2 cups, add the rice in the last 10 minutes, and stir until heated through.
Mardi Greens Salad
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
1 medium head Romaine (chopped)
1 head Butter lettuce (torn leaves)
2 c. spring mix
1½ c. purple cabbage (shredded)
3/4 c. red onion (thinly sliced)
1½ yellow bell peppers (thinly sliced)
2 avocados (cubed)
3/4 c. candied pecans
3/4 c. crumbled goat cheese
3/4 c. pickled red onions
Dressing: Honey-Citrus Vinaigrette
1/3 c. olive oil
3 Tbsp. orange juice (fresh-squeezed if possible)
1½ Tbsp. lemon juice
1½ Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1½ Tbsp. honey
1½ tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Directions
In a small jar or bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust with extra honey for sweetness or lemon juice for tang. In a large serving bowl or platter, layer the greens, cabbage, onion, bell pepper, and avocado. Sprinkle pecans and goat cheese evenly across the top. Add pickled onions. Drizzle dressing over the salad right before serving and toss gently.
Mini King Cake Bites
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
1 package refrigerated cinnamon roll dough
Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar
Cream cheese frosting
Hidden surprise: a single pecan (traditionally a plastic baby figurine) tucked into one bite!
Directions
Roll each cinnamon roll into a ball and bake according to package directions. Frost lightly and sprinkle each with alternating Mardi Gras colors. Hide one pecan inside a random bite — whoever finds it is crowned king or queen of Mardi Gras!
These recipes are from the February 2026 issue of HomeLife Magazine. For more tasty recipes, check out these three recipes for a Sunday dinner.
