Recipe(tried): Chris Rodriguez's Bayou Jambalaya, Tomatoes Caprese Salad, Lemon Glazed Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

Good Afternoon Everyone!

The weather is turning cool for the next three days and I am real happy about that. My husband split some dry wood because it will be used tomorrow...I love a fire burning with Christmas music playing as I bake my cookies and bars and cakes in preparation for the gift baskets this year. I also finalized the menu for Christmas Day and will be posting that soon.

Our friend Chris Rodriguez, who hails from Louisiana, is a mighty fine cook...he is always bringing in a dish to my DH's office and everybody, including me, raves about his cooking. He brought a superb Jambalaya to a friend's get-together and we went wild. This Jambalaya dish is to die for and I just had to have the recipe, it's that good. I will be serving it today for dinner along with a Tomatoes Caprese Salad and a Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake.

Happy Holidays! Gina

Chris Rodriguez's Bayou Jambalaya
serves 6 or 4 very hungry folks!!

1 lb. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into chunks
1 lb. smoked beef sausage, sliced thick
2 cups white rice
4 minced garlic
1 large chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, seeded, cored and chopped
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Tony Chachere's Cajun Creole Seasoning

Season chicken chunks with Tony's, garlic powder and black pepper. Heat oil in skillet til fragrant and saute/brown the chicken. Put chicken in a bowl and in same oil, saute onion, bell pepper til limp and golden, add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. In another skillet, brown the sliced sausage and drain well.

In a pot, add the chicken, the sausage, the cooked veggies with the olive oil add 4 c. water and 2 c. rice, stir well and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, lower heat, put the lid on and cook on simmer/low for about 20 minutes.

Tomatoes Caprese Salad

2 ripe red tomatoes
4 basil leaves, cut in long strips
1 ball buffalo mozzarella cheese
olive oil and balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Slice tomatoes and slice mozzarella. Layer alternately and sprinkle the basil over. Sprinkel with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour covered.

Lemon Glazed Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
serves 12

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
3 sticks butter, room temp.
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream, room temp.

Lemon Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan and set aside.

Sift the flour and all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the poppy seeds and zest stirring to combine well. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl til very fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each one. Beat in the vanilla. Spoon in the flour mixture and mix til smooth. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool in the pan on wire rack for about 20 minutes.

Prepare the glaze by combining the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Heat til sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Unmold the cake onto a rack set over aluminum paper to catch the drippings of the galze. Pour half of the boiling syrup evenly over the cake while it is still hot. Brush the remaining syrup onto the sides. Allow to cool completely and serve at room temperature.