Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo

 2 tablespoons butter
 2 cloves garlic
 2 cups chopped onion
 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
 1/2 cup chopped celery
 1 pound okra, chopped
 1/4 cup vegetable oil
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 1 pound chicken thighs
 1 pound andouille sausage links
 2 cups water
 6 cups chicken broth
 2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
 1 sprig fresh thyme
 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
 1/2 teaspoon file powder (optional)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, celery and okra; cook and stir until vegetables are tender and just browned. Remove from the skillet, and set aside.

Brown the sausage in the skillet over medium heat. Remove from the pan to drain on paper towels. Drain the sausage fat from the skillet, and pour in the vegetable oil to heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, and cook for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. Remove chicken from the pan, and place on paper towels to drain, leaving the oil in the pan.

Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a deep brown color. This should take about 30 minutes.
Stir 2 cups of water into the roux, and add the onion, garlic and peppers. Set the heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken broth, and simmer over low heat. Cut the chicken into cubes, and add to the broth along with the sausage. Simmer for about 1 hour.

Add the shrimp to the gumbo, and season with thyme, parsley, salt, cayenne pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Cook for another 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the file powder.

Serve with rice

Jambalaya

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped( Crawfish tails can also be used, heck add both)

4 ounces chicken, diced

1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce ( or more)
3/4 cup rice
3 cups chicken or seafood stock
5 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced
Salt and pepper

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning, and work in seasoning well. In a large saucepan heat butter over medium high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and  lid it up and leave it alone and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender,  about 15-20 minutes. When rice is just tender stir it up. Add shrimp, chicken and sausage mixture. Cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and favorite Louisiana seasoning and remove bay leaves. I add a touch of cream at this point, but that’s up to you.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 (3 1/2-pound) whole chicken

5 cups water

3 carrots, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 slices of Bacon

3 green onions, sliced

2 large celery ribs, chopped, tops and leaves reserved

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1 (8.5-ounce) can sweet green peas, drained

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon sage

refrigerated pie crust

Cranberry sauce

Bring first 5 ingredients plus celery tops to a boil in a large Dutch oven; reduce heat, and simmer mixture 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken and carrots, reserving 3 1/2 cups broth in Dutch oven; discard celery tops. Let chicken cool; skin, bone, and cut into bite-size pieces.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Sauté green onions and chopped celery in hot drippings in skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until tender. Gradually whisk in flour until blended. Gradually add reserved broth; cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken, bacon, eggs, carrots and next 5 ingredients. Simmer on low 5 minutes and taste for seasoning.

For a richer pie, replace 1/2 cup of the chicken broth with 1/2 cup Half and Half.

Spoon mixture into a 3-quart baking dish, and top with refrigerated pie crust.


Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve with cranberry sauce or rep pepper jelly.

CWP's Country Captain

This is a new recipe that was just recently tested and proven by my Friend and Foodie, Jim Linton. Thanks for the Habanero addition!

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped sweet onions

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 bay leaf

1/2 tablespoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

2- 12 oz  jars of roasted red peppers with liquid rough chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 habanero pepper, seeded, ribbed and chopped

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Cooked long-grain white rice, as accompaniment

4 ounces toasted slivered almonds, for garnish

In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper and stir to blend. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture to coat on all sides, shaking to remove any excess.

In a Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the pan. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, bay leaf, curry powder, thyme, crushed red pepper and tomato paste. Cook stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic,habanero and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the roasted red peppers and their liquid, the chicken broth, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to blend and reduce the heat to medium. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes. Add the apricots and cook for 15 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve hot over the white rice. Garnish with the almonds and serve.