T-BOY’S CHICKEN & SAUSAGE GUMBO
 

You must use a black iron pot or skillet for the roux.

Melt about a half cup of Crisco in pot, or use vegetable oil.
Slowly add flour to oil after heated to a fairly low temperature. 
Make sure all of the oil is absorbed by the flour. Probably about a half cup of flour, maybe more. If too dry, add a little more oil, or if too oily add a little more flour. Cook very slowly, stirring mixture on low heat. I usually say that the roux ingredients consist of flour, oil and a half gallon of wine. The roux is usually done by the time you consume the wine. The longer and slower you cook the roux, the better.  Do not let roux burn.

When the roux color is about that of dark chocolate, add a chopped onion, bell pepper and about a half stalk of celery. Cook over low heat until the added vegetables are tender. I usually add a little water to the mixture after about 10 minutes and stir in to help cook the vegetables a little faster. I usually cook my gumbo in an 8 qt. Stock pot. Heat about 4 quarts of water in stock pot and add a couple of cans of chicken broth.

When water is heated almost to boiling, add roux a little at a time, stirring almost constantly to keep roux from sticking to the bottom of pot. When roux is melted and blended into water, adjust heat to a slow boil. Season with a little salt, red and black pepper or better yet, use Prejean's Gourmet Cajun Spice Blend and Gumbo File and let cook. The secret is, the longer the roux cooks, the better. I usually cook this mixture for 2 – 3 hours. In a separate pan, cut smoked sausage into bite size pieces. Add a little water to the pan and put sausage in. This will boil out some of the fat in the sausage. Cook on high until water is cooked out., then turn heat down and brown sausage. I usually use about 1 pound of sausage. After the roux water mixture has cooked for about an hour, add 8 – 10 pieces of sausage. I usually use a whole, skinned chicken, cut up, but you can use boneless, skinless chicken.

Season chicken. You will probably have to add water to the mixture a couple of times during the cooking process. After the mixture cooks for about 3 hours, add remaining sausage and chicken. Cook for another 45 minutes to a hour, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Also add chopped green onions and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Serve over rice. Baked sweet potatoes go great as a side dish.
Remember…..cook slow and long.  Do not burn the roux.  

Pee Wee’s Nuttin’ to do Potato Stew
 

Open a Bud. Check for taste. Cut up a half to a pound of smoked sausage in bite size pieces. (The amount of sausage depends on how meaty you want this dish).  Brown in a little oil. When sausage is browned, add one medium chopped onion, one medium chopped bell pepper and about a half stalk of chopped celery to the sausage.  Sautee until transparent. Open a Bud. Check for taste. Peel 4 or 5 medium size irish potatoes and cut in bite size pieces. Add to pot. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper or use Prejean's Gourmet Cajun Spice Blend. Stir potatoes into mixture and cook for about 15 – 20 minutes. Add a little water to the pot, lower heat and cover. Stir occasionally. Open a Bud. Check for taste. You may have to add a little water to mixture from time to time. Cook until potatoes are cooked through and start to break up. Garnish with a little chopped parsley and green onions. Open another Bud. Sit down, relax a bit, then dig in.

 

Irene’s Sweet Potatoes
 

3 cups Yams, drained (1lg. & 1 sm. can)
1/8 cup sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 stick Margarine, melted
Beat all ingredients until smooth.  Put mixture in baking dish;  

TOPPING:
In small bowl mix:
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup pecans - chopped
1/3 stick Margarine – melted 
When all ingredients are well mixed, spread topping over yam mixture to cover. Bake at 350 for 30 – 45 Minutes.

Chicken a la Wazoo

 
Cut up one chicken or use bonelses, skinless chicken meat.  (breast or thighs or both).  Season chicken parts. Go light on the salt since the onion soup will be salty.
Brown chicken in a half stick of butter or margarine. Do not cook completely.
Remove chicken, add one chopped medium onion, one chopped medium bell pepper and about half a stalk of chopped celery. Saute in pot.  Drain one can of diced tomaoes, do not discard liquid. When vegetables are sauteed, add diced tomatoes and cook slowly for about 15 –20 minutes.  Add 2 cans of French Onion Soup, 12 oz.  V8 Juice and ¼ cup of dry Sherry wine and the liquid from the diced tomatoes. Add about 2 tsp. Tomato paste to thicken.  Add one small can of  mushroom pieces and a little chopped chives and parsley. Cook on medium low heat for 1 – 1 ½ hours. Add water as needed.  You want the mixture to be fairly thick. Add chicken and cook till meat is thoroughly cooked. Serve over pasta.