TESTIMONIALS
Here is what good cooks say about these recipes:

Black-Eyed Pea and Sausage Jambalaya
This meal is surprisingly good. This is the dish I cooked at the food demonstrations I've done. All who have tasted this dish were very impressed - even the ones who said they didn't care for black-eyed peas.

"The Black-eyed Pea jambalaya is excellent. Do not change a thing."
Mary Jarreau, FNP Para-professional
LSU AgCenter
Pointe Coupee Parish
New Roads, LA

"We really enjoyed this dish. I brought some to a friend that I walk with at 6:00 in the morning. By 10:30 that same morning she called me to say how delicious the dish was. She was just going to take a bite, but after one bite she decided to have an early lunch."
Peggy Gisclair
Vermilion Parish, LA

Black-eyed Pea, Chicken Breast and Turkey Burger Jambalaya
This recipe is a good example of what you can do with a rice cooker. This was my first try at being creative and experimenting with my rice cooker. Having no groceries to eat and starving at 7:00 at night, I scrounged around my empty cabinets and fridge and found enough ingredients to throw together to make a surprisingly delicious meal.

"I made the jambalaya and it was a delicious meal and makes enough for 6 people. It made a full pot and since we are only 2 people in my house we had enough for 3 meals. I froze the rest and the taste was real good and the recipe was easy to make."
Jane Simon
Kaplan, LA

Crawfish Jambalaya
Jambalaya (pronounced jahm-buh-LIE-uh) consists of rice, vegetables and the meat or seafood of your choice. It is usually cooked in a black iron pot on the stove for at least an hour. Now, thanks to your rice cooker, you can have a delicious jambalaya of your choice a lot quicker and easier.
NOTE: Shrimp, fish or the meat of your choice may be substituted for crawfish.

"This dish is very good! I substituted original Rotel tomatoes with green chilies in place of the tomato sauce and jalapeno, and my family really enjoyed it! It is very easy and quick to make!"
Linda Patterson
Jennings, LA

"I omitted the jalapeno peppers and added 1 stalk of celery chopped. This dish was excellent."
Joyce Freeland
Gueydan, LA

"This recipe was so good! I shared the recipe with a friend. This is my kind of cooking, and I'm looking forward to the completed cookbook."
Claudette Breaux, TVFC
Les Amies de Burkwall VFC Club
Houma, LA

Eggplant, Beef and Shrimp Jambalaya
Tastes great as it is, or you may omit the ground beef and use a full pound of shrimp instead.

"This was very good. It tastes similar to an eggplant dressing my mother-in-law makes without tomatoes. The tomatoes enhanced the flavor and she even liked it."
Flo Frith
Abbeville, LA

Shrimp and Rice Pilaf
Having lived in south Louisiana all my life, I had never heard of pilaf before. I was totally clueless, until I started doing research and creating recipes for this cookbook. I found out that it is a dish in which a grain, such as rice, is generally first browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth. When I served it to my friends, I did not tell them what it was. They just raved about how good this "Shrimp Jambalaya" tasted! That's right; it tastes just like a jambalaya. See for yourself…shrimp and rice pilaf, Cajun-style.

"Served it for supper - the entire family enjoyed it. Delicious, quick and easy!"
Adrianne Vidrine, Extension Agent
LSU AgCenter
Crowley, LA

"What a quick way to make this dish. It was good, tasty, and colorful. There was none left and my family really enjoyed this recipe. Of course, with rice and seafood you cannot go wrong with my family."
Virgie Foreman
Maurice, LA

Shrimp Jambalaya
What a delicious dish! I brought this dish to a get-together and had many compliments. You may also substitute one pound of fish, sausage or meat of your choice.

"A super easy and quick dish that was very tasty. I would prepare it again and add a little more seasoning and mushrooms."
Betty Miller
Crowley, LA

Shrimp Opelousas
Here's another variation of Shrimp Jambalaya. You may also substitute fish or crawfish for shrimp.

"I brought this to a family get together and everyone liked it."
Flo Frith
Abbeville, LA

Ball Park Casserole
Bring this ball park favorite home. Chili and corn chips in the comfort of your own home - all in your rice cooker!

"The Ball Park Casserole is easy to make and the chips really give a little
crunch. I suggest serving right after adding the chips and cheese. That way the chips do not have time to soften."
Mary Jarreau, FNP Paraprofessional
LSU AgCenter
Pointe Coupee Parish
New Roads, LA

Cajalian Chicken Cacciatore
"Cajalian" cuisine (Cajun/Italian) blends the distinct tastes of Cajun food, with its spicy flavor and roux, with Italian food, with its unmistakable layering of tomato sauce, Italian seasonings, garlic, and cheese. It's the best of "both worlds!"

"This is a very good recipe and I love to cook in my rice cooker. Your rice pot recipes are very good and promote the rice industry and I really appreciate it since we are rice farmers. I wish to thank you for promoting rice."
Joyce Freeland
Gueydan, LA

Cajun Pepper Steak
To be served over hot rice or pasta. Or as an added treat, make a Cajun Pepper Steak Baked Stuffed Potato. Either bake a potato or use the recipe for our Stuffed Potatoes, and mix this steak dish into it. Awesome!

"Very tasty. Some said they found it a little too seasoned. Instead of serving over rice, possibly mix with rice and serve 'jambalaya-style.'"
Jeanette Crochet
Jennings, LA

Mexican Taco "Casserole"
Here's another great-tasting Mexican dish. It can also be made into a Stuffed Potato, but without the chips. See our Stuffed Potatoes recipes.

"I made the Mexican Taco Casserole and served it as a dip and put the extra chips around my dish and they did not get soggy. Everyone enjoyed it and I had never used tumeric before and it gives it a very good taste."
Romona Babineaux
Erath, LA

"I made this as a dip and everyone loved it. I added jalapenos because we like things hot!"
Flo Frith
Abbeville, LA

Red Beans and Rice
At most of the "plate lunch" places in south Louisiana, this simple but tasty dish is special enough to serve once a week. For some, nothing else is better.

"Great Cajun classic at its best! The seasoning balance was pleasing to my taste. The ease of preparation is a real plus - just mix, hit the switch and before you know it, it's ready to serve."
Rena V. Labat
Town and Country VFC Club
Houma, LA

Sausage Sauce Piquante
Here's a basic sauce piquante (pronounced pee-KAHNT) dish that I made with sausage. It can be made with any kind of meat or seafood. It is usually eaten over hot, fluffy rice, but this is another dish that would taste great mixed in with baked or rice cooker potatoes; see the Stuffed Potatoes recipes.

"I served it to three elderly ladies - one found it a little too tomato-ey, but the other two said it was good. The general consensus: 'Ummm, this is GOOD!'"
Rosie Trahan, President
Volunteers for Family & Community (VFC) Night Club
Crowley, LA

Cheesy Noodle Goulash
What a cheesy treat!

"I found the Cheesy Noodle Goulash tasty and it cooked up nicely."
Monica Olinde, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
LSU AgCenter
Pointe Coupee Parish
New Roads, LA

Chicken and Pasta
A savory and quick meal!

"This was awesome! I didn't have the elbow macaroni so I used bowtie pasta instead, and it worked great. The whole family loved it. My kids are begging me to make more."
Angie C.
Carencro, LA

Chicken Breast and Turkey Sausage Pastalaya
You've heard of jambalaya, right? This is the simplest version of traditional jambalaya, but with a twist… pasta instead of rice! Hence the name…pastalaya.

"My co-worker tried this recipe and brought it to work. It was a big hit! It was so good. The flavors blended just right, nothing was over-powering."
Letha Vincent
Crowley, LA

Crawfish or Shrimp Fettuccine (on front cover of book)
A classic Cajun dish that can easily be done in your rice cooker in 35 minutes!
Note: The diced tomatoes with green chilies and the cheese dip both have a little pepper flavor, so go easy on adding extra pepper. Shrimp may be substituted if crawfish are not available.

I made the fettuccine with crawfish and my whole family loved it!"
Lou Touchet
Kaplan, LA

Hearty Corn and Black-eyed Pea Pastalaya
This is a unique dish that won't disappoint.

"Loved this recipe and will definitely make it again."
Mary Hill
Les Amies de Burkwall
Terrebonne VFC

Pizza Pastalaya
No need to call the pizza man tonight! This one will get your family's attention.

"Taste was good. Easy to make and cooked fast… about 35 minutes. Good for a quick after work or church meal. Very tasty!"
Sandy Meyer
Welsh, LA.

Spaghetti and Meatballs
A traditional family favorite made easy. For convenience, buy the two-pound bag of 32 flame broiled, Italian Style meatballs found in the frozen foods section of the supermarket. They work great. This classic Italian dish is super easy and super tasty!

"This was good!"
Joy Bissen
De Soto, WI

"I served this recipe to my family this past weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was so easy to fix. The ingredients are readily available and easy to prepare. The 28 minute cook time really developed a tasty meal.
Margaret Graffeo
Abbeville, LA

Tex-Mex Pasta
Pasta with a Tex-Mex twist!

"Mmm-mmm Good! This spicy dish will become a great family favorite."
Margaret & Tootsie Burlew
Houma, LA

Chicken Fried Rice
I tried to duplicate this rice dish that I love so much at my favorite Chinese restaurants. I'm very pleased with the way it came out. This is a quick and easy oriental dish. The ultimate "take out" while staying in!

"Perfect! My favorite. (We doubled the batch and it turned out fine.)"
Joy Bissen
De Soto, WI

"I have tried to duplicate several Chinese dishes, but have not been able to do so until now. This recipe is easy to put together and is so quick to cook. My family wants this at least once a week."
Margaret Graffeo
Abbeville, La.

Lemon Pepper Rice
This one's a real winner! Flavorful and fluffy!

"This dish is so easy and flavorful. An excellent side dish with fish or pork."
Mary Samaha
Homemakers Holiday VFC Club
Houma, La.

Mexican Rice
Easy and ethnic - all in the same pot! ¡Sabroso!

"Excellent ! The boys loved it."
Joy Bissen
De Soto, WI

"An easy recipe to put together. The end product is very colorful and tasty."
Beverly Reynaud
Les Amies de Burkwall
Terrebonne VFC

Mushroom Rice
If you like mushrooms, you'll love this version!

"I loved it! This is wonderful as a side dish."
Mary Samaha
Homemakers Holiday VFC Club
Houma, La.

"This was a tasty dish to eat after working all day. I think it would make a good side dish to eat with seafood. I usually don't care for mushrooms but I enjoyed it."
Al Thibodeaux
Arnaudville, La.

Mushroom-Jalapeno Rice
This dish is the perfect complement for chicken, beef, pork or fish. It's on the mild side, so kick in another jalapeno to spice it up according to your palate.

"Good! Good!! Good!!!"
Mary Samaha
Homemakers Holiday VFC Club
Houma, La.

Pecan Rice
Nutty rice - that's nice!

"It was a very nice side dish. I served it with baked chicken and it was different than regular rice and gravy."
Flo Frith
Abbeville, La.

"Company's coming - just the thing. A great dish to accompany any entrée. We served this with spicy ribs, but it would also be delicious with beef roast, ham or turkey."
Margaret Burlew, Extension Agent
LSU AgCenter
Houma, La.

Crawfish and Crab Dip or "Casserole"
We brought the rice cooker to the camp and cooked for our friends. Everyone enjoyed it. By the way, use real crab if available.

"Good flavor! We served it as a dip with corn chips at a State 4-H Agents Conference and everyone wants the recipe! It can also be served as a meal over rice or pasta."
Tina Goebel
4-H Youth Agent
Jeff Davis Parish, LA

"This was delicious and I loved it."
Lee Simon
Kaplan, LA

"This was one of the best recipes I have ever used and all who tasted it said the same. I would use this in the future as a dip. I did use real crab when I cooked the dish."
Dee Martin
Les Amies de Burkwall Club
Terrebonne VFC

Crawfish Étouffée
Here's a classic all-time favorite of south Louisiana's Cajun Country. Crawfish étouffée (pronounced A-two-FAY) is a real treat when traveling down here and visiting our popular restaurants. Now you can enjoy it from the comfort of your home.
Note: Shrimp may be substituted for crawfish.

"Excellent flavors and easy to make; served with a vegetable side dish and salad for an easy and delicious meal."
Mary Samaha
Homemakers Holiday VFC Club
Houma, La.

Crawfish Stew
I grew up eating Mom's stews and gumbos cooked with roux (pronounced roo). It has a brown color and an excellent taste. Roux can be made on the stove with equal parts oil and all-purpose flour, but I cheat and go the easy route and use a store-bought roux that I have good success with.

"My husband loved it. This is so easy!"
Mary Samaha
Homemakers Holiday VFC Club
Houma, LA

Smothered Crawfish
This delicious meal is waiting to be cooked. Feel free to substitute cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of celery, and add more salt and pepper if you wish. You may also substitute shrimp, fish or chicken for the crawfish.

"Delicious and simple to prepare. This is very similar to an étouffée. Everyone loved it! Will definitely make it again!"
Patty Vidrine-Daigle, Home Economist
LSU AgCenter
Jeff Davis Parish, LA

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Here's a classic Cajun/Creole dish that you can easily make at home. My son, Steven, has been cooking his gumbo recipe since he was nine years old. This is his basic recipe for use in your rice cooker.

"I tried the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo in the rice cooker. This gumbo tastes very much like the gumbo my family loves on a cool night."
Monica Olinde, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
LSU AgCenter
Pointe Coupee Parish
New Roads, LA

Corn and Potato Soup
Smooth and warm … Comfort food at its best!

"It was very good and rich. My family loved it and I would make no changes."
Virgie Foreman
Maurice, LA

"I loved this soup. It was so different. I will definitely fix it again and it was easy to make in my rice cooker."
Lee Simon
Kaplan, LA

Crawfish and Corn Maque Choux Soup
This is exactly the same as Crawfish & Corn Maque Choux, (pronounced "mock-shoe") except the corn is not drained, no rice is needed and half & half is added for a soup-like consistency.

"It was awesome! I will definitely cook this recipe again."
Letha Vincent
Crowley, LA

"I tried this soup with shrimp because I did not have fresh Louisiana crawfish and we liked it. I will try this with crawfish later on when they are in season. I floated a few onion tops on top when I served it."
Flo Frith
Abbeville, LA

"This recipe was very tasty, but I found it too spicy. My husband, on the other hand, who was brought up in the Atchafalaya Basin, thought it was good as is."
Betty Guilbeau, TVFC
Les Amies de Burkwall VFC Club
Houma, LA

RICE COOKER MEALS
Fast Home Cooking for Busy People