Gumbo

This is the quick-cooking gumbo I make for weeknight meals. It's not the "real" Cajun way of starting out with a roux, that takes 8+ hours to make. I wouldn't be eating till 1 o'clock in the morning if I made it that way!

And please don't ask me if it has seafood in it. We don't eat anything that swam to the kitchen.

This recipe makes a TON. Most of the time I half this recipe; I would say a half recipe has 6 servings. I still use about 4 cups or so of chicken broth for a half recipe, I like it more soupy. The whole recipe will serve at least 8 with seconds. My mom wanted to make this last night and invited us and some of their friends over. We had 8 people, some of them having second and third bowls, and STILL had some left over!

Adapted from Rachael Ray's recipe.

Printable recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. BS Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  
• 2 packages Andouille Sausage, cut into discs or half-moons
• Trinity - onions, celery, bell pepper - 1 large onion, 4 or so stalks celery, 2 bell peppers
• Garlic - a few cloves, however much you like
• Cajun seasoning - sometimes I make a batch of Emeril's seasoning to use, and sometimes I just use Tony Chacere's or whatever
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Thyme - half a palmfull
• Butter
  
• 1/4 cup AP Flour
  
• 4-6 cups chicken broth
  
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• Okra - frozen or fresh - I used some from Papa's garden that I froze this summer
• Rice for serving
  

Directions

1. Cook the chicken in a BIG soup pot with EVOO, cajun seasoning, and maybe a little pepper, breaking it up as you go. (I like small pieces.) Remove it from the pot, cook the sausage and then remove it.
2. Cook the celery, peppers, onions, and garlic in 1/2 stick of butter, until they're a little soft. Season with hot sauce, thyme and bay leaves.
   
3. Add flour and cook for a minute, then add the chicken broth and bring to boil. This is what will thicken the gumbo.
4. Add in tomatoes, and put the chicken and sausage back in.
5. Let it simmer for a few minutes, or longer if you have time.
   
6. Wait to put the okra in until you're about ready to serve. It only takes about 5 minutes to cook. You don't want it to get gummy.
7. Serve over rice.
   

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Adapted from this recipe.

Printable recipe

Ingredients (I don't really measure anything)

3-4 chicken breasts
1/2 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 carrot, shredded (I used the pre-shredded ones)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme
6-8 cups chicken stock (depending on how soup-y you like it)
2 cups half-and-half
16 oz. gnocchi
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
2-3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

Directions

1. Brown chicken in skillet with EVOO, S&P (or you could bake it). Remove from pan and shred/cut into really small pieces.
2. Saute the onion, celery, onion, garlic, carrot in oil over medium heat until onion is translucent.
3. Add chicken back to pan, thyme, chicken stock, and half and half. Heat to boiling, then add gnocchi. Gently boil for 4 minutes, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes.Add spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
4. Heat to boiling and add cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water at this point if you want a thicker soup.
   

The first time I made this soup I didn’t add the cornstarch slurry, but I’m so glad I did this time! It is pretty good thin, but was sooo much better a little thicker.

The Hubs said he liked it...but he didn't have his usual second helping and there was a little bit left in the bottom of his bowl. Maybe he's just not used to gnocchi...he's not very gourmet.

Hi!

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