Pumpkin Waffles and Spanish Tortilla de Patata

We have some Pumpkin Waffles and Spanish Tortilla de Patatas cooking up today. The pumpkin waffles are the leftover pumpkin from everything else we've been using and waffle mix. Inspired by our recent trip to Spain, the tortilla de patatas is something akin to an omelette with potatoes, except the ingredients are all mixed together instead of any kind of filling. It's a new and scrumptious way to enjoy eggs and potatoes!

Disneyland's Blue Bayou Gumbo

So here's the deal. I got Disney's Blue Bayou Gumbo recipe. Yeah that Disney, and yeah that Blue Bayou. Whoa, right? Long story short, I have it. It tweaked it down to the correct proportions because they make it in HUGE batches all day. I had to cut it down by 8 or 12.

This is superb gumbo. The best I've ever had at a restaurant, at least. I know you're thinking "Seriously? Disneyland?" but yes! It's really just that good. And now you'll know how to cook it yourself. There are two styles of cooking it, so experiment with both. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Disneyland's Blue Bayou Gumbo

Yield: A lot!
Ingredients

• 2 ounces roux (¼ cup room-temperature butter and ¼ cup flour - see note and instructions)
• 1 cup (2 medium) yellow onions, cut into ¼-inch dice
• 1 cup celery, cut into ¼-inch dice
• 2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock
• 1 cup (12 ounces) cut okra
• 12 ounces meat (chicken and/or andouille sausage and/or shrimp)
• 1 6-ounce can diced tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper AND 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper (OR 1 tsp. cajun seasoning replaces both)
• 1 teaspoon gumbo file
• 1 tablespoon salt, divided use (OR to taste)
• 2 cups cooked rice
• optional: 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
• optional: ¾ pound green bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into ¼-inch dice
• optional: 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• optional: 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Cooking Directions

Two ways to cook:

Directions 1 (the Disney way - how un-imagineering, if you ask me)


1. Place room-temperature butter in a small saute pan or saucepan over very low heat. Slowly whisk in flour until very smooth. Continue whisking until the roux is the color you desire (blond to brown).
2. Add the onion and celery. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the stock and make sure the roux is dissolved completely. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients (except file and salt) and return to a simmer. Adjust salt to taste.
5. If you are adding seafood, add it at the very end and make sure it is completely cooked.
6. Add file. Mix well and serve over rice.

Directions 2 (the non-Disney way)


7. Place room-temperature butter in a small saute pan or saucepan over very low heat. Slowly whisk in flour until very smooth. Continue whisking until the roux is the color you desire (blond to brown).
8. In a large pot, heat half of the oil over medium heat, add half of the okra and saute until light brown and slimy looking. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic and andouille. Saute until the vegetables become translucent. Be careful not to burn.
9. Add the diced tomatoes, white pepper/cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning and ¾ tablespoon of the salt. Mix well.
10. Add roux to the chicken stock. Whisk until the roux is completely dissolved. Mix chicken stock/roux mixture with vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer 10 minutes. Stir frequently so the gumbo doesn't burn into the bottom of the pot.
11. In a saute pan, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add chicken and remaining salt. Saute until the chicken is cooked through and slightly brown. Add the rest of the okra and cook until hot.
12. Drain well, add to the gumbo. Add/cook seafood. Add the file. Mix well. To serve, divide rice evenly among bowls (a couple of tablespoons per bowl) and ladle gumbo over rice. Garnish with parsley.

And there you have it. If you liked this, I'm sure you'll like all the other things we have in store here. Feel free to come back often and subscribe to the updates on our culinary journey of discovery.

BBQ Pork Buns

I love pork buns. If you've never had them, you're in luck! You can easily (so easily) make them yourself at home. It just might be the easiest bread you'll ever make. There's no need to follow the directions on the filling either. Just toss in whatever you feel like. I suggest savory goodness, but sweet (e.g. red beans, cream, etc.) will work too if that's your thing. A little goes a long way. Enjoy!

Steamed Herbed Potatoes

So I found these over at whfoods.org the other day. If you've got a steamer, I think that's the way to go when cooking potatoes (or most anything really since it retains more of the nutrients). But for potatoes it's super fast too. I detest waiting around for potatoes to cook through but not anymore! Yatta!

Feel free to leave out the lemon juice and use a different kind of potato, if desired. Enjoy.

Puffy Pumpkin Pancakes

These are uber easy to make. With the mix it's just a matter of balancing the water and pumpkin so it's moist enough. The darker one has the cinnamon added, which gave it an extra little kick. Quite nice, actually. Simple, easy, and delicious. What more could you want? Enjoy!