Weatherman says 50 degrees, I say Gumbo time!

My favorite food from New Orleans is gumbo. Slimy okra, spicy andouille sausage and chicken combine to make the perfect comfort food during cooler weather.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 cups water
• 3 pounds chicken parts
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds okra
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon file powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine water and chicken in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is tender, about 1 hour. Using tongs, transfer chicken to strainer and cool, saving cooking liquid. Remove meat from bones in pieces.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add okra and cook until no longer sticky, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes; set aside.
3. Stir flour and remaining 1/2 cup oil in heavy large Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until deep golden brown, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Add 4 cups reserved chicken cooking broth, okra, andouille sausage, tomatoes with their juices, bell pepper, celery, garlic, bay leaf, salt, thyme, basil, cayenne, and pepper. Cover partially and simmer until thickened, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Spoon off any fat from surface of gumbo. Add chicken and file powder to gumbo and simmer gently 15 minutes. (If preparing ahead, cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.) Mound rice in shallow bowls if desired. Ladle gumbo over and serve.

First Friday of Lent- Roasted Tomato Soup

I had a craving for La Madeline’s Tomato Basil soup for lunch. Unfortunately, the nearest one is in Uptown. Thank goodness for Food Network’s website! I’ve made this soup once before and can’t get over how easy it is to make. I also made a grilled cheese sandwich to dip into my soup (yes, I’m weird that way)

Homemade Tomato Soup
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello

1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.

Red Velvet Valentine Cupcakes!

After reading a ton of food blogs, I’ve decided to drink the kool aid and start one of my own!Here is what I attempted to make this past Saturday night…Red Velvet Cupcakes!

Since Feb 14 is coming up, they are decorated for Valentine’s Day

Recipe

2 1/2 C cake flour
1 1/2 C sugar
1t baking soda
1 t salt
1T cocoa powder
1 C buttermilk
2 eggs
1 T distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
1 oz red food coloring
1 T vanilla

Frosting:
pound of cream cheese
1 pound of butter
4 C confectioner’s sugar
2 t vanilla

(1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

(2) Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa.

(3) Combine remaining cake ingredients and beat on medium speed.

(4) Add dry ingredients slowly til fully combined.

(5) Pout into 2 9″ cake pans greased with vegetable oil. Bake 20-30 minutes. Cool for 20.

FROST

(1) Combine butter and cream cheese on medium speed. Slowly add sugar til desired consistency and taste is reached. Add vanilla. Frost cooled cake.

Hello world!

I know that there are probably hundreds of food blogs out there, so one more can’t hurt right ?