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Mix It Up Mondays - Cajun Dirty Rice

by Original Author Kylie Harris | Adapted for Blog by Katie Frizzell

COVID-19 has changed our eating habits so much! From not being able to eat out at all to trying to support our local business we have bounced back and forth on our favorites. Cooking at home has always been a budget friendly option but after having to do it for so long meals can start to get boring. We are going to start mixing it up on Mondays with recipes from different cultural origins!

Starting close to home, we are going to borrow some Cajun cuisine from our Louisiana neighbors. Theirs is a rich heritage with many different cultural influences. Dirty rice is a traditional meal that can feed a large family when it is all put together. Using rice as a staple has always helped meals go further without a lot of extra cost. Using Cajun seasonings really brings this meal to life as well to spice up your taste buds. Try your own spin on this recipe today and let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

1-pound ground meat

I used pork sausage, hamburger or ground turkey can also be used

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped bell pepper

¼ cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped mushrooms (optional)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups cooked rice

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon ground thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat olive oil. Brown ground meat. When it is almost all cooked down add onion, bell pepper, celery, and mushrooms. Add seasonings. Mix and let cook for about 10 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. When vegetables are soft add 2 cups of cooked rice. Mix and serve.

To cook rice:

Put two cups of water in a pot. Add one cup of rice. Bring water and rice to boil. Cover and let boil for 45 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed.