Mardi Gras Party!

Happy Mardi Gras!

I am in a woman's supper club that meets once a month. Every month we go to a different person's house and enjoy a nice dinner and the fellowship of friends. Last night, I hosted. Typically we don't have themes, but I decided to go out on a limb and have a Mardi Gras theme. I had fun decorating the house with beads, confetti, etc. I also had fun making GUMBO for the first time EVER. I was a little nervous as to how this would turn out, since it was my first time making it and I was cooking for 13 girls, ahh! Thankfully I had the hubs taste it since he knows a good gumbo. I am happy to say that he loooooved it...and so did the ladies. I have to say, I'm a little proud of myself. :)

I got the recipe off recipes.com. I followed the recipe, except I increased the servings to 15...I also left out all of the shell fish since a couple girls are allergic, and I used chicken instead of beef and kept the sausage (gotta have sausage in gumbo!). It was delish. I served it over white rice...mmm....my mouth is watering thinking of the leftovers that we will have tonight. horray!


Prep Time:
30 Min

Cook Time:
3 Hrs 30 Min

Ready In:
4 Hrs

Original Recipe Yield 10 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 pound okra, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound cubed beef stew meat (optional)
8 cups water (I used much less water than this...start with 4 cups and wait to see if you need more)
1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 pound crabmeat, flaked
1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lemon
file powder

Directions

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, onions, celery and okra, stirring constantly until golden brown. Set aside.
In a large heavy bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat, combine 1/4 cup of butter and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux becomes chocolate brown. Stir in the vegetable mixture, and stew meat. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender, and meat is evenly brown. Stir in water, tomatoes and sugar. Season with parsley, thyme, bay leaves, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add shrimp, crabmeat and andouille to stock pot. Stir in hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Remove seeds from lemon and squeeze juice into stock pot. Simmer an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves, sprinkle with file powder, and serve.


****Daniel and I would like to have a Mardi Gras party next year (we would love to make this an annual tradition)...we hope you can make it!****