Pink Dice and Jambalaya

The ham and bean pot from Christmas day was converted into a gigantic pot of jambalaya for the New Year's Day celebration in the "big tent." We had a full house and Chefs Lynn and Jude did not disappoint with what I easily rate as the best jambalaya I have ever had anywhere. Even though we had a full house, there will be left overs and Happy Tuesday has been moved up to Happy Monday to accommodate both the leftovers and the funny goings on with the Rose Bowl parade and game this year. Hey! Any excuse for a party! Marilyn rallied and enjoyed the festivities for several hours and then we came home for her cold-drug induced nap necessities. It was a lovely meal with good friends who love only one thing more than a good meal- a good laugh.

And to that end Fran and Barlow put on their twin Michigander shirts and got out the pink pool noodle to beat up some interest in a game of chance called Flip Flop (some call it "Shut the Box"), a high stakes game (it costs a quarter a round to play) where-in you throw the pink dice and tip the numbers over until you can't roll any further. Winner takes all. No one cheats, but only because everyone else has eagle eyes on the player in turn, and also because if she suspects you might cheat, Marlene will come and sit next to you. That girl cracks me up!

The still shot is of the kettle of jambalaya stock bubbling away mid tent. As the precise time before 2 PM dinner bell, the rice and then the shrimp were added. The first bowl was dipped precisely on time....

Perfection in a pot. In a tent. In the desert. Happy New Year!