(Family Features) - Nothing brings out our nation's collective competitive spirit quite like professional football's championship game, coming up on Sunday, Feb 7, 2010. No matter which team you're cheering for, this is the perfect time to celebrate the Big Easy way - with a New Orleans-Style party that's all about bringing together friends and family for good food and fun.

Zatarain's, the brand serving up New Orleans-Style food for more than 120 years, offers great recipes and game-watching tips to bring the spirit of New Orleans into your living room, no matter where in the country you live. Game-watching parties are a great way to bring people together - and New Orleans-Style food is a flavorful and fun way to feed a crowd.

• "The Big Easy Jambalaya" is a delicious, full-flavored one-pot meal that is easy to make ahead of time so you don't miss a minute of the game.
• Unite the crowd over everyone's favorite party food - chicken wings. Try a bold Creole Mustard sauce to give them a sweet and tangy flavor with New Orleans-Style flair.
• Incorporate New Orleans flavors with the crowd-pleasing Red Bean and Rice Party Dip - perfect for dipping chips, pretzels or veggies. And, don't forget to have a shaker of Creole Seasoning on hand to add a distinctive kick to burgers or hot dogs.

To find more recipes for your football party, visit www.zatarains.com. Along with great food ideas, there you'll find easy tips for celebrating Mardi Gras on Fat Tuesday, which takes place the week following the football game. Decorate early and bring a little jazz to your game-watching celebration at the same time.

Preparation Time:
15 minutes

Cooking Time:
35 minutes

The Big Easy Jambalaya Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 bell peppers (preferably one yellow and one green), diced
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 package (8 ounces) Zatarain's Original Jambalaya Mix (Try Reduced Sodium Jambalaya Mix as an alternative)
• 1 package (12 ounces) fully cooked smoked andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, or chicken (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in large deep skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onion and bell peppers; cook and stir 7 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
2. Stir in tomatoes, water and Jambalaya Mix. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Stir in shrimp and sausage. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer or just until shrimp turn pink and rice and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Serves
Makes 8 (1-cup) servings

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