Destination: New Orleans, USA

So, I recently had an authentic New Orleans Meal, complete with ingredients that the locals use … without leaving my home. Instead, the taste of New Orleans was sent to me via Destination Dinners! Destination Dinners specializes in recipe kits, giving you most of the ingredients you need to make an authentic meal from a special place, along with interesting facts about the location, tips on food preparation and some local trivia.

There are currently 7 destinations to choose from:

• Beirut, Lebanon
• Tokyo, Japan
• Ayutthaya, Thailand
• New Orleans, USA
• Seoul, Korea
• Haifa, Israel
• Kyoto, Japan

You can either get a recipe kit, with just the items needed to make the meal. Or you can get a whole dinner party kit, which could include dishes, utensils, music and more.

One of my good friends lives in New Orleans, so I was thrilled to taste something that is unique to her area with the Creole Style Jambalaya. This one pot wonder is a $25 kit that serves 6 to 8 adults, thanks to all that meat and rice! The kit includes long grain rice, paprika, ground fennel seed, sage, cayenne 40 heat (mild), cayenne 60 heat (medium),mustard powder, ground cumin, thyme, oregano, black pepper, salt, Savory Creations Chicken Broth, shopping list for fresh items, preparation instructions, table setting suggestions and ‘Tea & Trivia’ to enjoy after your meal.

There are some ingredients I needed to buy, such as all the meats, garlic and oil. Everything else was included, including all the spices and the rice. As I combined the ingredients by following the step-by-step instructions, I could tell it was coming along PERFECTLY. It smelled AWESOME! My husband even commented on how good it smelled when he came home to a hearty meal! Plus, I enjoyed taking the quiz Creole or Cajun as I cooked!

The end result was perfectly spicy! I loved it! It was a little too spicy for my poor husband, but I like things HOT – so more for me! Ha! I would definitely give this kit to someone as a gift, or just have the gift on hand to make a special meal for friends.

WIN: There is currently a contest for a Destination Dinner Recipe Kit here at the Mom Buzz. The contest ends 1.19.10. Visit this link to enter: Destination Dinner Recipe Kit Contest