Homemade Sausage and Seafood Gumbo

This is the real thing, y'all- real Creole gumbo, straight from New Orleans.  Did you know that the word "gumbo" traces its root back across the Atlantic, where it derived from an African word meaning "okra"... Okra is what makes this soup thick.  It is the combination of African, French and Spanish cuisine that makes Creole food so delicious, sometimes a bit spicy, and always unique.

 

 

 

 

My mother-in-law, a Creole food master, passed her recipe on to me and I'm going to share it with you today.  She learned it from her mother-in-law, who grew up in the French quarter- the heart of New Orleans.  This soup is usually served with rice and French bread (great for sopping up the remaining broth), but as you can see from the picture I am nixing the rice and bread because I am trying to eat fewer grains.  It is fantastic as is!

 

What you'll need for a little bit of Creole heaven:

 

1.5 lbs raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined

12 oz lump crab meat, flaked

6 oz oysters (optional)

1 lb smoked sausage or andouille, sliced in disks

1/2 lb okra, cut in disks (discard the tops)

butter

1 med. onion (chopped)

2 ribs celery (chopped)

1 green bell pepper (chopped)
2 large garlic cloves (pressed)
3 bay leaves
1/4 t dried thyme
1 T Cajun seasoning ( I like Tony Chachere's)
1/4 t red pepper
1/2 t black pepper
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
7 cups water
2 t dried parsley
rice and French bread (optional)

Brown sausage in a large pot, then remove.  In the sausage drippings, saute the okra for about 5 minutes (add butter if too dry).  Add the other vegetables to the pot and saute for another 3 minutes.  Add meat, tomatoes, water and other seasonings to the pot (except parsley and seafood).  Simmer over med. heat for 30 minutes.  If you want a thicker soup, simmer uncovered- if you like broth, cover while simmering.  Finally, add seafood and parsley to pot and simmer another 10 minutes. 

Serve with a scoop of rice on top of the gumbo (That's the New Orleans way) and a large slice of French bread on the side.  You may want to put a bottle of Tabasco on the table for those who like to spice it up!  Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Chowder

Ok, so I'm on a soup kick!  I LOVE soup... and it is so comforting  to sip on a cool fall evening :)  This time, I am making a soup that I have enjoyed for years but thought I could only get out of a can:  Chicken Chowder!  Yum.  And, this dish can be made from leftover roast chicken and just a few more ingredients that are always in our pantry :)

This is a recipe I just came up with a couple days ago, but I've already made it twice!  Here's what you'll need for this creamy, delicious soup:

Chicken Chowder

1 chicken breast (or about 1-1/2 cups left-over roast chicken pieces), chopped and browned in butter
1 medium organic yellow onion, chopped
2 medium or 3 small organic potatoes, chopped in cubes
1 c frozen, organic corn
about 1.5 quarts chicken stock
1/2 c organic heavy cream
3/4 c  whole-fat milk

to thicken, make a roux with 2 T butter and 1 heaping T unbleached flour- heat in skillet until combined.
For those who are gluten intolerant, use corn starch mixed with a little water.

Directions:
Melt 1 T butter in a 2-qt saucepan and saute onions, potatoes and corn for about 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock, cream,milk and cooked chicken.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are done.  Thicken (optional) with either method, as described above.

This is a quick way to make a wholesome, delicious dinner for your family!  Enjoy!

Homemade Borscht With Beef Stock

When I was pregnant with my third child, we lived in an apartment building with many wonderful neighbors... one was from Lithuania.  We spent one afternoon play date at our foreign friend's home when she offered me some of the borscht she had made that day.  Never having had it before, I was naturally very curious!  Cold beet soup (with lots of sour cream) sounded delightful, and being pregnant gave me a good excuse to eat four meals that day :)

 

I have always loved beets, mostly the pickled beets my mother used to can, but this soup was amazing!  So, as homage to my generous Lithuanian neighbor, I have made borscht for my family.  It is gorgeous (just look at the picture!) and chock full of nutrients.  I made it with my homemade beef stock to make it even more digestible...

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the recipe I tweaked;  It comes from the Most for Your Money Cookbook, published in 1938:

 

4 medium beets, peeled (and chopped)

1 onion, grated on medium grater

juice of two lemons

3 Tablespoons sugar ( I used organic evaporated cane juice)

salt and pepper to fancy

2 eggs

1 pint sour cream

 

Put beets and onion in a 2-quart saucepan and boil 20 minutes. (I boiled them in half beef stock and half water)  Add lemon juice, sugar and seasonings and boil 5 more minutes.  Beat eggs with cream; stir in slowly. Take off the fire and allow to chill.  Makes 6 to 8 portions.  

 

This a great lunch, since there is no heating involved!  Just take out of the fridge and enjoy!



Tonight We're Gonna Eat Like It's 1899 (Clam Soup Recipe!)

Are you tired of all the new recipes out there that call for processed, boxed, chemical-laden, fake food?  I sure am.  Thankfully, I have the Internet :)  It is my friend when it comes to finding wholesome, nutritious, easy recipes that are good for my family.  My latest obsession is vintage cookbooks!  If you haven't looked for them online, you probably don't know that there are literally thousands of free cookbooks online that date from before 1900 and onward.  My favorites are the pre-1900's cookbooks because they use real food ingredients- nothing fake, nothing processed, all dripping in real butter and animal fats!

 

Speaking of animal fats and butter, did you know that the first heart attack in the U.S. wasn't until 1920?  That was a few years after the invention of Crisco in 1911.  I think I'll stick with the God-given natural fats that people have used for thousands of years.  Obesity and clogged arteries weren't a problem back in our great-great-grandparents' day.

 

 

 

 

 

As I said before, I have been obsessed with vintage cookbooks lately.  Here is one link that takes you to thousands of fantastic books that have expired copyrights- FREE to everyone who has a need or interest in them :)

 

The recipe I am going to share with you comes from the Church of the Good Shepherd Cookbook of 1896. 

As pictured above, I made the delicious Clam Soup, submitted by Mrs. P.W. Talbott:

 

Clam Soup

 

One pint water, one pint of sliced peeled potatoes and one onion.

Boil until potatoes and onion are thoroughly cooked then mash. (I didn't mash)

One dozen clams chopped, one quart of rich milk, seasoned with butter, pepper, salt and celery to taste.

 

Most of the recipes in these books are just as simple!  If you have never cooked from scratch, this is a great place to start.  There are also household tips at the end of a few cookbooks :)  It is really interesting to read about herbal remedies and clothes washing in the 1800's! 

 

So, put on your apron and try to get back to your roots...  and enjoy the fruits of your labor!



Homemade, No-Sugar-Added Kids' Snacks (Two Recipes!)

I have been racking my brain, trying to find some new healthy snacks for my brood of 4.  I get anxious around the 3:00 mark when I hear them start saying, "I'm hungry, do we have any snacks?"   Now, I can say "YES!" with enthusiasm :)  We do have snacks, and they are good for you!  Although, I do usually keep that last part to myself...

 

 

The first recipe I'll share with you is for a homemade Larabar.  Have you ever tasted those over-priced energy bars?  They are fantastic, but not for $1+ per bar!!  Ouch.  So, I have researched and formulated my own.  Here's what you'll need to make a batch:

 

 

1/2-1 cup nuts (pecans, cashews, almonds, etc.)

1 c dates

1/2 c chocolate chips ( I used Enjoy Life mini chips)

pinch sea salt

 

Using a food processor, chop the dates, nuts and salt until the mix is workable consistency.  I would start with fewer nuts, then add as you go.  If you use too many nuts, the consistency will be too dry and the bars won't stick!

 

Remove from the processor and fold in the chocolate chips.  I formed bars by folding the mixture in wax paper and pressing them with a rolling pin, but  you could also make bite-sized balls...

 

 

 

 

 

Even my picky eater liked these!  They are great for snacking but packed with good energy foods. :)

 

 

The next recipe is for wheat-free, sugar-free oatmeal/banana cookies! The ingredients are so simple, too!  Here's what you need:

 

3 very ripe bananas

2 c organic rolled oats

1 c chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)

1/3 c coconut oil

1 t vanilla extract

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 F

Puree bananas in a food processor and add to rest of ingredients.

Place in spoonfuls onto cookie sheet (these may or may not hold together well- don't worry!)

Let rest while oven heats.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

 



 

We enjoy these after they are chilled in the refrigerator!  They have a banana bread flavor that my youngest son loves.

So, feed your kids a healthy after-school snack.  These treats will leave them satisfied til dinner :)  Enjoy!

Homemade, Fermented Raspberry Lemonade

My husband was raving the other day about a raspberry lemonade he had tasted... so, I went to the store and looked at the ingredients label of the brand he indicated.  What a waste of lemons and raspberries!  The second ingredient was sugar, and it was (of course) pasteurized and had been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long.  My solution:  make my own! 

My first thought (as I schemed while driving home) was that I would make it fermented, with very little sugar in the finished product.  I already had some organic, frozen raspberries from our local Publix and whey left over from some raw milk that had soured.  I happen to LOVE the "Punch" recipe in Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon,  so I had a good recipe to tweak.

Here's my recipe for delicious- and nutritious- homemade raspberry lemonade:

juice of 7 organic lemons
1c + fresh or frozen organic raspberries, pureed with a little filtered water **
1/2 c organic evaporated cane juice
1/4 c whey
filtered water

That's it!  Just mix the ingredients (except water) together in a 2 quart canning jar and fill with water to about 1" from the top.  Secure lid and let it ferment on the counter for 48 hours (this should not need to be "burped" as citrus ferments slower than other fruit, but you may want to check at the 24 hour mark).  Strain out the pulp and seeds when the 48 hours is up, then stick in the fridge to chill!

It has been hot around here lately, and it will probably stay that way through November. So, we will be drinking this well into fall!  Enjoy!

**UPDATE:  This also works wonderfully with blueberries or strawberries instead of raspberries :)

Homemade Rye/Pumpernickel Sourdough

We have discovered recently that my daughter with gluten sensitivity can tolerate sourdough bread!  As long as she doesn't over-indulge, it doesn't seem to bother her the way bread made with commercial yeast does- that's because sourdough works on gluten slowly, breaking it down better than commercial, fast-acting yeasts.  So, there is less gluten in the finished product, making it easier to digest.  Yes, it takes longer to make, BUT here are two delectable recipes to make the extra time well worth it!:

 

 

I have experimented with two new sourdough recipes over the past few days, and they are both great- I think my favorite is the rye loaf... my bread-loving-daughter seems to enjoy the pumpernickel.  The loaves follow the same general directions, so I am putting them into the same post.

 

Rye Sourdough:

1/3 c sourdough starter

1 3/4 c water

1 3/4 c rye flour

1 3/4 c unbleached wheat flour

2 T maple syrup

1 3/4 t salt

zest one orange

 

Pumpernickel Sourdough:

1/3 c sourdough starter

1 3/4 c water

1/3 c molasses

3 T cocoa

1 3/4 t salt

1 1/2 c unbleached wheat flour

1 c rye flour

1 c whole wheat flour

 

Directions for BOTH recipes:

Mix all ingredients (the dough will be wet but firm).  Let rest 15 minutes.

Sprinkle dough with flour, then mix again.  Let rest 15 minutes, then repeat.

( I usually mix with a wooden spoon- just scrape and flip the dough into the middle until incorporated.)  Click here for a great website with more detailed instructions for sourdough :)

 

Here's what your dough should look like at this point.  It should hold its shape pretty well- if it is too wet, just add more flour until it is very stiff.

 

 



 

By the last sprinkle/mix, your dough should be stiff enough to handle.  Move it to a floured surface and clean out your bowl.  You may want to momentarily knead the dough and form into a ball before putting it back into the clean bowl. 

 

Cover the dough with a thick, wet cloth or plastic wrap to keep the dough from going dry.  Let dough sit overnight (12 to 15 hours).

 



 

 

After the first rise period, you are ready to shape your dough.  I made mine into a boule (French for "round")... you could also make a batarde (an oblong loaf).  Click here to view a great video on how to shape your loaves.

 

In the picture above, I have used a stainless steel bowl instead of a banneton (proofing basket).  I lined it with a floured towel and placed the dough inside, seam side UP.  Then, let the dough rise (covered with towel or plastic) for another 1- 1 1/2 hours.

 

Heat your oven to 450 degrees F about half-hour before the rise is finished.  Be sure to heat your baking stone, too!

 



 

 

When the second rise period is up, use your peel (I used a piece of cardboard) to flip the bread out of the proofing "basket".  Be sure to flour the bread so that it won't stick to the peel when you slide it onto your baking stone.  Brush off the excess flour, then cut some shallow slits in the bread skin with a sharp blade.  I used a clean blade from a utility knife/ box cutter.

 

As you are shutting the oven door, throw about 1/3 cup water onto the oven floor.  If you have a gas oven, place a shallow pan on the lowest rack before you heat the oven and use that to catch the water.  The steam will help set the crust on your loaf!

 

Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temp to 400 degrees F for 10 minutes more.

 



 

 

Here is my loaf-almost done!  When you slide the bread off your "peel", be sure to use quick movements and put bread as close to the center of your stone as possible.  ( I bought this stone at a discount store for about $10)

 

Check the internal temperature of your loaf before removing from the oven.  It should be 200 degrees F- I use an instant-read thermometer.  If the loaf is too cold, lower the oven temperature to 375 and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

 



 

 

The finished loaf!  It could be in a bakery window, right?!

 

 



 

The pumpernickel loaf was amazing- not too heavy, with a crispy crust and lots of flavor!  My rye didn't rise quite as much but was really tasty!  Be sure to eat with plenty of butter :)

Enjoy!