Celebrate Fat Tuesday with Eddie’s Jambalaya Pizza [RECIPE]

If you're reading this, I'll assume you are not in New Orleans this year celebrating Mardi Gras.

You passed on the Crescent City's infamous Fat Tuesday party, complete with all the parades, costumes, booze, beads and breasts... because you like the South Jersey cold and snow too much to leave?

Whatever your reason for not doing Mardi Gras, you don't have to miss out on all the fun and flavor of the day!

May I present to you, proudly stolen from the good folks at Better Homes and Gardens, a really tasty and original pizza recipe perfect for your home-style Mardi Gras celebration, Eddie's Jambalaya Pizza!

May I also suggest you accompany this delicious New Orleans-style pizza, with another Big Easy classic: the sweetly potent cocktail, the Hurricane.  That way, even if the pizza doesn't turn out all that well, you won't really care.

Jambalaya Pizza

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked long grain rice, cooled

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1cup finely shredded Pepper Jack cheese

1/4cup each chopped celery, onion, and green sweet pepper

1tablespoon butter

1clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup each thinly sliced smoked cooked sausage, diced cooked ham, and coarsely chopped cooked shrimp

1-16 ounce jar chunky salsa, drained (1-1/3 cups)

3/4cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 oz.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In large combine rice, eggs, and pepper jack cheese. Lightly coat a 12-inch pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread rice mixture evenly in pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

For topping, in large skillet cook celery, onion, and green pepper in hot butter over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic, cayenne, sausage, ham, and shrimp. Heat through.

Spread drained salsa over rice crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread vegetable-meat mixture over salsa. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Cut into pieces to serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings.