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In New Orleans, Olivia Manning, mother of quarterbacks Eli and Peyton, is considered the "First Lady of Football." It makes sense that she has some thoughts on game-day parties, especially since Super Bowl XLVII is being held in her backyard.
Manning has hooked up with Zatarain's, the maker of Cajun food products (which just happens to be owned by Sparks-based McCormick), to share party tips and New Orleans-style recipes for Sunday's Har-Bowl.
The football mother leans toward hearty, make-ahead dishes like jambalaya and chicken wings. I like her idea of setting up a jambalaya bar with add-ins like sausage, seafood, peppers, and onions so guests can customize the rice dish.
Manning also jazzes up wings with Creole mustard, chili sauce, and pineapple juice, "her husband's favorite," a press release says. Hubby is Archie Manning.
Visit Zatarain's Facebook page to check out all the game-day recipes.
Here's the recipe for Olivia Manning's Ultimate Jambalaya Bar to get you started. The recipe can be doubled.
2 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional)
1 package Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix, original
1 pound meat or vegetables of your choice (see note)
Bring water and oil to boil in three-quart saucepan. Stir in rice mix; mix well. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed and rice is tender.
Remove from heat. Let stand five minutes. Fluff with fork before serving and adding in choices of meat, seafood, and vegetables. Serves six.
Note: For meats, options include smoked sausage, thinly sliced; cubed chicken or ham; or peeled and deveined shrimp, cut into bite-size pieces. For vegetables, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, or fresh chopped tomatoes can be used. All meat, seafood, and vegetables (except tomatoes) should be cooked properly before adding into prepared jambalaya.
Photo of jambalaya bar, courtesy of Zatarain's
