Wednesday, November 3, 2010
november rain....
I love rainy days in November. They make me want to curl up with a big cup of coffee and watch a good movie and snuggle...or turn on music and get in the kitchen and cook...or get on the deerstand and wait for the deer to come out and play. November really is one of my favorite months. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and planning out all the yummy things we're going to cook and getting to spend extra time with family and really being thankful for all the blessings God has bestowed on us. A time to look past all the petty things we get so caught up with in our everyday lives that take our attention away from the things that really matter. This year, I'm am painfully aware of the fact that this is our last holiday season to be living in Louisiana and to be close to our family. I long for days filled with my Mama and sisters on the back porch at Mama's house. I long to see my kids running in her yard and just being kids. I long for the hunting and the way it brings our family together, and the time it allows me to have with my Daddy. I long for peace and happiness to be abundant among all of my family. I long for pride to be replaced with humbleness. Most of all, I long for each of my loved ones to recognize and be thankful for the things that Christ is doing in their lives, and to become aware if He's not the center of their lives. For things to not be taken for granted. I'm not sure where the next 8-10 years will take us, but I have faith that it will be where God wants us to be and I have peace knowing that we will be back. Until then, I have 8-9 months left here in Louisiana and will be thankful for each and every day that goes by.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Gumbo!!!
2 cups flour
2 cups canola oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped (including leaves)
4 green bell peppers, chopped
2 rotisserie chickens, skinned and deboned
2 lbs link sausage, sliced (spicy or mild, depending on your taste)
2 lbs raw, peeled shrimp, tails off, thawed
1 bottle beer (any kind, I used coors light last night)
3 32oz containers chicken broth ( i like to use low-sodium)
Tony's to taste
Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Thyme to taste
3 bay leaves
TIP: do all your chopping of veggies before you get started. You won't be able to do it during the cooking part...
In large pot, brown sausage over med/high heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring around often. Take out and drain on paper towel.
Reduce heat to med/lo and add oil and 1 1/2 cupsflour, whisking together until smooth. Save the other 1/2 cup of flour for now. Continue stirring, constantly, until roux is a nice brown color. I like to do this over a lower heat so that it doesn't burn, and it helps develop a nicer flavor. This can take about 20-30 minutes, depending on the type of pot you are using. I normally use my magnalite pot, and it takes me right at 30 minutes to get it the perfect color. Right when it's getting to the color you want, add in the other 1/2 cup of flour. This helps keep it from becoming too thin. The longer you brown it, the more it breaks down the flour's thickening agent.
Once you stir that in and it's smooth (about 3-4 minutes), add in all your chopped vegetables. Continue stirring for 5-10 minutes, making sure to scrape along the bottom of the pot. Slowly add in the broth, one carton at a time, stirring constantly to keep it smooth. I like to add one at a time and let it rest for a minute or two before adding the next one.
Next, pour in your bottle of beer. This gives a nice flavor, I always add it to mine, but I know alot of people don't, so it is optional.
Add your tony's, hot sauce, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaves at this point. I add the tony's and hot sauce gradually, tasting it every 10-15 minutes during cook time. You can always add more, but you can't take it out. Let this cook over a medium heat for about 30-45 minutes, stirring often and making sure to stir all the way to the bottom of the pot.
Add chicken and sausage to the pot, reduce heat to medium low and let cook for an additional 30-45 minutes, stirring often.
Next you will add your shrimp, and I always do this in the last 10-15 minutes because it doesn't take them long to cook and you don't want them to get tough. Let it cook a little longer until shrimp are pink.
Now, we always serve ours with a scoop of potato salad in the middle of the bowl, and some nice crusty french bread on the side. Others may like it with just rice, or nothing at all! Everyone likes gumbo a different way and you can change it and make it your own. This is my adapted version of how I learned to cook it. Enjoy!!
2 cups canola oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped (including leaves)
4 green bell peppers, chopped
2 rotisserie chickens, skinned and deboned
2 lbs link sausage, sliced (spicy or mild, depending on your taste)
2 lbs raw, peeled shrimp, tails off, thawed
1 bottle beer (any kind, I used coors light last night)
3 32oz containers chicken broth ( i like to use low-sodium)
Tony's to taste
Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Thyme to taste
3 bay leaves
TIP: do all your chopping of veggies before you get started. You won't be able to do it during the cooking part...
In large pot, brown sausage over med/high heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring around often. Take out and drain on paper towel.
Reduce heat to med/lo and add oil and 1 1/2 cupsflour, whisking together until smooth. Save the other 1/2 cup of flour for now. Continue stirring, constantly, until roux is a nice brown color. I like to do this over a lower heat so that it doesn't burn, and it helps develop a nicer flavor. This can take about 20-30 minutes, depending on the type of pot you are using. I normally use my magnalite pot, and it takes me right at 30 minutes to get it the perfect color. Right when it's getting to the color you want, add in the other 1/2 cup of flour. This helps keep it from becoming too thin. The longer you brown it, the more it breaks down the flour's thickening agent.
Once you stir that in and it's smooth (about 3-4 minutes), add in all your chopped vegetables. Continue stirring for 5-10 minutes, making sure to scrape along the bottom of the pot. Slowly add in the broth, one carton at a time, stirring constantly to keep it smooth. I like to add one at a time and let it rest for a minute or two before adding the next one.
Next, pour in your bottle of beer. This gives a nice flavor, I always add it to mine, but I know alot of people don't, so it is optional.
Add your tony's, hot sauce, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaves at this point. I add the tony's and hot sauce gradually, tasting it every 10-15 minutes during cook time. You can always add more, but you can't take it out. Let this cook over a medium heat for about 30-45 minutes, stirring often and making sure to stir all the way to the bottom of the pot.
Add chicken and sausage to the pot, reduce heat to medium low and let cook for an additional 30-45 minutes, stirring often.
Next you will add your shrimp, and I always do this in the last 10-15 minutes because it doesn't take them long to cook and you don't want them to get tough. Let it cook a little longer until shrimp are pink.
Now, we always serve ours with a scoop of potato salad in the middle of the bowl, and some nice crusty french bread on the side. Others may like it with just rice, or nothing at all! Everyone likes gumbo a different way and you can change it and make it your own. This is my adapted version of how I learned to cook it. Enjoy!!
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