Thursday, March 22, 2012

A Crowd Pleaser

My sweet hubby made Gumbo
for our Spring Break Crowd

(See my 3/14 post- Spring Break in Victoria)

I mentioned at that time that
I would share this recipe
 and here it is!!

Seafood Gumbo

Before we get to the gumbo recipe
let's talk a little about making a roux.
If you are new to making a gumbo this info
will be very important, as your roux can
make or break your gumbo.

How to make a roux-

First get out your flour, then your oil.  You can use bacon drippings, olive oil, cooking oil, or lard (or a combination of these).  Hubby used 2 parts flour to 1 part olive oil for his gumbo.  Mix your flour and oil in a heavy pan.  Cook over medium/med high heat.  Here is the important part- You've got to stir the roux the entire time you are cooking it and believe me it takes a while.  You will cook slowly, continuing to stir until the roux changes color, from cream, to peanut butter color and finally to the color of a Hershey chocolate bar.  This could very well take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes so it's best done as a team.  When you think your arm is about to fall off turn it over to the next person and let them stir a while.  Also it's best to use a spatula, so you can stir and lift a larger area of the roux around your pot.   

Here is another important fact -
if your roux starts to show little dark flecks before it turns dark it probably means it is scorched.  It will also have a burnt smell and taste.  If this happens throw it out and start over!!!!  It may mean that your fire was too high or that you weren't stirring vigorously enough.  This happens to the best so take it in stride and try again. 


Seafood Gumbo

1 cup olive oil
2 cups flour
3 cups onions, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 TBS. garlic, chopped
1-1/2 lbs lump crab meat
1 lb fillet of fish, cut up
2 lbs peeled shrimp
(hubby also used 1/2  rotisserie chicken, shredded 
 & 1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced)
3 tsp. Lea & Perrins Worchestershire sauce
2 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce
3 or 4 quarts water
2 cups dry white wine
salt, to taste
File' (optional)
Cooked white rice

First, pre-chop and measure all your ingredients before you start your roux.  Next make your roux (see above).  Now add your onions and bell pepper, stirring constantly until the onions become clear.  Add green onions, parsley, garlic, cold water, Lea & Perrins, salt, Louisiana hot sauce, and wine.  Cook the mixture for 45 minutes, then drop in the sausage, chicken and seafood.  Let it cook on a low simmer for about two hours.  File' does not go in the pot.  When you're ready to eat, sprinkle the file' over the rice and cover with steaming hot gumbo.  Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 12-15 people

I recommend you make this a day ahead of your company arriving.  Then you can be relaxed and enjoy your company and all their wonderful compliments on your excellent meal!!





This is a  Real Crowd Pleaser!!!!!!

I Guarantee


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Sunday, March 18, 2012

Places to Putter Garden and Dream

Dreaming.......

Dreaming.........

Dreaming.........



"A potting shed has a special mood-
it's a place for nurturing, where you go
one-on-one with your plants as they grow."
                                         - Tovah Martin







When I'm in the garden I forget to count the hours....





In my potting shed
I'll want pots, lots of pots, in all sizes




In the shed, all things useful
are beautiful







My dream shed would have a place
to rest my weary bones
after a day well spent
in the garden





Oh to have a place, where one can garden
happily even on rainy days.......



Dreaming........




The potty shed is the ideal place for the muddy fingered work
of transplanting young sprouts to
bigger pots and dividing perennials -Tovah Martin

I am never happier than when I have DIRT under my fingernails......

therefore what one needs most in a potting shed....
Running Water!!!!



Dreaming........

 

I'll need a place to sit a spell.......



A Potting Shed is.......
an essential part of the garden....


and  Every Little Birdie says--

...someday I'm dreaming off having
one in my garden!

Partying over at-

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Spring Break in Victoria

I had a crowd show up at my house
for Spring Break

First there was one....
My son from the Dallas area
First thing he did, set up his computer
to download childhood pictures
for his Facebook Timeline



Then there was two.....


My niece from Austin
i- phone in one hand, drink in other!!

Then there where Five!!!

granddaughter on her i-touch
niece on her i-phone
daughter and son on computer

How am I going to get these folks
to un-plug and enjoy 
"country life"

????????


after dinner I suggested
they move to the back screened porch
for fun and games!!
a little chill in the air didn't stop these guys from having fun

A wild card game of "Dirty Uno"

Next day......

I swept them off to the
"secret gardens"

just a few miles down the road is an oasis of beauty......
take time to stop and smell the flowers........

Listen to the sounds of rushing water....


soak in the serenity

These three are enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of the garden

but someone is still plugged in .....
a little i-pod time in the garden

We moved on to Riverside Park
this park in Victoria runs along the Guadalupe River

time to enjoy nature


Then home to feed the masses

Dan's shrimp, fish, sausage & crab GUMBO!!

I'll share this recipe with you in another post
It's a real crowd pleaser!!!

Day three we headed to Goliad
A little shopping

a little time to relax

In the "Hanging Tree" Antique Shop
we found some interesting things
musical instruments.....
...... phones that you dial
and phonographs with needles!!!

I explained these were before i phones and i pods

A little history around every corner....

And what's Spring Break
without a trip to the
BEACH

Port Lavaca Beach

and lastly a little time
just enjoying the great outdoors!!

Now they are headed home
back to their busy "Electronic Life"

Oh well........ the country life will be
patiently waiting for their
NEXT VISIT!!

Linking up over at