A Creole New Year

Instead of the typical black-eyed peas meal for New Year’s Day, I decided to go for some gumbo instead. My husband is NOT a fan of black-eyed peas nor is he a fan of sauerkraut, so I had to find a plan B anyway. I even tried to add some “hidden” veggies in for the girls…and the adults. Try this out on the whole family since you can adjust the spice for your own taste.

Good Year Gumbo

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 shallot diced
1 green pepper diced
1 1/2 cup carrots diced
1 can diced no salt tomatoes
1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
1-2 turkey sausage links (I used a garlic white wine sausage)
1/4 cup pureed pumpkin
2 cup chicken broth
1 cup beer
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Heat olive oil in large dutch oven or deep skillet. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes at medium heat until soft. Then add the shallot, garlic and green pepper- cook for additional 5 minutes. Cut sausage up into small slices and add to skillet to brown. If your peppers, onion mixture gets too brown remove while cooking sausage. Once cooked, keep peppers, onions and sausage in pan and add remainder ingredients except flour. Mix well and keep at medium to low heat covered for 20-30 minutes allowing all ingredients to cook together. Once all cooked add flour and stir to thicken sauce.

If you have fresh okra available at the grocery then by all means add it too! It was not available at our stores so I opted out and served green beans on the side instead.
Serve with cornbread on the side or place cornbread on bottom of a bowl then add gumbo on top! Yummy!





Casey's Cornbread

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk (skim works fine)
3 1/2 tbsp melted butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Make a well in the bowl and add butter, milk and egg together whisking well. Pour into a well greased 9X13 pan and bake for 30mins.