Shrimp and rice are staples of New Orleans and Cajun cooking. Jambalaya and gumbo are just two of the mouth-watering dishes that combine the two and have made Louisiana cuisine a favorite of many people.

However,  for those who work or are on the go, time is at a premium and preparing entrees such as those listed above is not always in the cards.

But Old Bay provides an option for those busy people who like the shrimp-rice combo but just don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen preparing supper.

It’s called Seafood Steamers Seasoning and Steaming Bag ($3.19 retail). With it, you can have shrimp seasoned and cooked in less than 5 minutes that’s perfect to serve over cooked rice, which takes about 10 minutes.

That’s what we did the other night. And along with some fresh steamed beans from our garden as well as a kale, cucumber and tomato salad, it was a meal that you probably would pay at least $25 for in a restaurant but at home we enjoyed for less than $5 a serving.

How ’bout dat!

New Orleans Shrimp and Rice
1 Old Bay Seafood Steamers Seasoning and Steaming Bags
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (count 32 to 40), tailed removed
1 cup uncooked white rice
Cook rice per instructions on bag.
Place 2 tablespoons water in steaming bag. Add shrimp and seasoning. Shake shrimp and seasoning in steaming bag to coat evenly. Place bag in 2-quart microwaveable dish. Arrange shrimp in single layer in bag.
Close bag loosely with nylon tie. Cut 4 small holes in top of bag to allow steam to escape.
Microwave on HIGH for 3 to 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove from microwave. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut bag open and put in bowl. Serve over cooked rice.
Yield: Serves 4.