Terrific Tuesday

Paula Deen's Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup oil
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups onion, chopped
• 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chicken base
• 3 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/3 cup dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons Seasoned salt
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic, basil, and oregano or 2 cups fresh diced tomatoes
• 4 cups sliced Cajun-style fresh link sausage
• 4 cups cut okra (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups oysters and liquor
• 1/2 pound crabmeat
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh peeled shrimp
• 3 cups bay scallops
• File powder

Directions

In a large pot combine oil and flour. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the roux has browned to a light chocolate color. Add onion, pepper, celery and garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add chicken broth, and chicken base, stirring as you go. Add water, bay leaves, thyme, basil, parsley, lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, House Seasoning, soy sauce and tomatoes. Cut sausage into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to pot along with okra. Cover pot and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add oysters, crabmeat, shrimp and scallops. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Serve over hot buttered rice. Sprinkle with file powder on top of bowl and stir in.

Tip: Add file powder after putting gumbo into individual serving bowls. Adding file into the pot will make the gumbo too thick as File powder acts as a thickening agent.

**This is mainly how I make my gumbo.  I omit oysters.  Sometimes I add the rest of the seafood...it depends.  We like this recipe because it is spicy!

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My menu is out of order already.  I made hamburgers for dinner last night.  So good!  Tonight my manly man requested Gumbo.  It will be great for leftovers tomorrow.  I am expecting that lots of things will be canceled tomorrow, including college, piano lessons and maybe work in the city.

(#2 son and baby Ariya)

(#2 son and Sienna)

We are going over to see Alison and the children this afternoon for a short visit.  Sienna is turning 5 this Sunday and my #2 son is totally excited to go to her gymnastic themed birthday party!

 

(Ariya was fascinated by the feeling of her two new teeth (on the bottom.)  You can't tell in these pictures, Momma fixed her hair in pig tails...it was adorable!)

 

((My friend Brenda just sent this to me. Keep praying for her.  Her incision is bothering her more than anything else!))