Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

We wanted to celebrate Mardis Gras this year with a dish from New Orleans. After searching Pinterest I found this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats. There was just the right amount of kick to this Gumbo and everyone, including the fussy ones, loved it.

Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients:

        1 tsp + 3 Tbs Olive Oil

        14 oz Andouille Sausage, sliced into half-moons
        4 skin-in, bone-in Chicken Thighs
        1 tsp + 1 Tbs Cajun Seasoning
        6 Tbs Flour
        1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
        2 small Celery Stalks, chopped
        1 small Onion, chopped
        2 cloves Garlic, minced
        2 Tbs Tomato Paste
        56 oz low-sodium Chicken Broth
        2 Bay Leaves
        1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
        1/4 tsp Cayenne (more or less according to taste)


Directions:

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add sausage then saute until browned, 5-7 minutes.
3. Transfer to a plate then set aside.
4. Season both sides of chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning then place skin side down in Dutch oven.
5. Sear on both sides until golden brown, 3-4 minutes a side (does not need to be cooked through).
6. Transfer to plate with sausage and set aside.
7. Remove Dutch oven from heat for a few minutes to cool slightly then place back over medium heat.
8. Add remaining 3 Tablespoons oil.
9. Sprinkle in flour and whisk constantly until mixture is the color of caramel, 10-15 minutes (this is your roux.)
10. Add bell pepper, celery, and shallot or onion then saute until vegetables are slightly tender, 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven often with a wooden spoon to make sure roux doesn't burn.
11. Add garlic and tomato paste then saute for one more minute.
12. Add a couple big glugs of chicken broth at a time to the Dutch oven, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any bits on the bottom.
13. Add remaining chicken broth, remaining 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, sauteed sausage and chicken thighs then turn heat up to bring gumbo to a boil.
14. Turn heat down to medium then simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours, occasionally skimming off the fat that rises to the top.
15. Transfer chicken to a cutting board then remove and discard skin and bones.
16. Shred chicken then add back into the gumbo.
17. Remove bay leaves then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
18. Serve over cooked white rice.

Serves 6

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Old Fashioned Banana Pudding

Is it a pudding or is it a pie? We are a family of banana lovers. This is a take on the banana pudding triffle and so amazingly delicious!

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

        1/3 cup Flour
        1 dash Salt
        2 1/2 cups Milk
        1 (14 oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
        2 Egg Yolks
        2 tsp Vanilla Extract
        3 cups Bananas, sliced
        45 Vanilla Wafers
        4 Egg Whites
        1/4 cup Sugar

Directions:  

1. Mix flour and salt in a large sauce pan.
2. Add milks and egg yolks to pan slowly, stirring constantly over medium heat, until mixture thickens, about 7-8 minutes, then remove from heat.
3. Stir in vanilla.
4. Layer enough banana slices to cover the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish.
5. Cover the bananas with 1/3 of the pudding mixture.
6. Layer with 1/3 of the vanilla wafers.
7. Repeat layering, starting with bananas, then using pudding, then vanilla wafers.
8. Do the layering a third time as usual, except do not cover the pudding with wafers.
9. Place the wafers around the edges of the casserole, tucked into the pudding.
10. Beat the egg whites at high speed with a mixer until they foam.
11. Add the sugar gradually, and keep beating until stiff peaks form.
12. Spread this over the top of the pudding, forming a seal to the edges.
13. Bake pudding at 325F for 25 minutes or until the meringue becomes light golden.
14. Allow to cool 30 minutes before serving.
15. Refrigerate unused portions.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Old-Style Diner Burgers

I've been thinking about experimenting with burger recipes for a while now. I decided that I would begin with old-school and try a recipe for burgers the way we had them at 1970's diners. This recipe for old style diner burgers was simple, but so yummy!   

Old-Style Diner Burger

Ingredients:

 
        2 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
        Sea Salt to taste
        Black Pepper to taste
        6-8 slices Cheddar Cheese

Toppings:

        12-16 slices Bread, (Use less bread if you double up the burgers.)
        Mayonnaise
        Tomatoes
        Onions
        Relish
        Lettuce
        Ketchup
        Mustard

Directions:

1. Lay out two sheets of plastic wrap.
2. Divide your ground beef into 6-8 even mounds
3. Shape each mound of beef into a good, tight ball with your hands.
4. Place ball onto sheet of plastic wrap and lay the second sheet on top.
5. Roll ball flat with rolling pin, about 1/3 inch, into a thin patty. Roll from all directions to make into a patty.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Repeat with remaining balls.
8. Heat griddle over medium-high heat.
9. Flip patty into hot pan.
10. Do this with as many patties as fit onto griddle. 
11. Cook patties for about 3-4 minutes. Pressing down with spatula.
12. Reduce heat slightly, flip over and top with cheese.
13. Cook another 3-4 minutes, until cheese starts to melt.
14. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining patties. (Keep warm in 200 degree oven if needed)
15. Toast your bread.  I used wheat bread. You can use hamburger buns but these are thinner patties, so they may get lost in the breading.
16. Smear bread with mayonnaise.
17. Place patty on bread. Add toppings.

Tip: 

Great with a side of your favourite cut of fries. 

Enjoy!

            Ingrid