Sausage Poboys

 I went on a Poboy kick for a while! These were Awesome so I wanted to share! We used some yummy deer sausage, romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes, creole mustard and mayo = yum!

Chicken and sausage gumbo

I made this with the the help of my house mate, her sister in law and Emril. Gumbo is something that I have always wanted to learn how to make but was too intimidated. My family is from Texas and Oklahoma so I grew up learning how to cook Tex Mex and, my mom's specialty, ground meat and stuff in a skillet. But I did grow up in south Louisiana so I feel like I should know how to cook cajun as well. So this is my gumbo, that is approved by Melanie, a self proclaimed gumbo snob! Hopefully I can remember proportions!

1 c okra
1 T sofrito or tomato paste
1 lb sausage (andouille traditionally or your favorite)
1 c flour
1 c onion
1 c celery
1 c bell pepper
Water
1 whole hen or whole chicken or chicken pieces of your choice with bone in and skin on
1-2 T slap yo mama (creole seasoning)
2 bay leaves

Dice okra. "De-slime" the okra by cooking it with the sofrito in a Dutch oven on med heat for about 10 min. Take out and set to the side.

Render the fat from the sausage. If that is not enough fat, throw in some bacon fat. Take out sausage and set to the side.

To make the roux: Gradually whisk enough flour into the fat until it almost a paste-like consistency. Let roux cook on med heat (just bubbling not rolling) until it is caramel colored. If you like a dark roux gumbo, let it cook until it is chocolate colored. It's a fine line between burnt and perfect so keep a close eye on it!

Add onions, celery, pepper and de-slimed okra and let cook until onions are wilted. Add enough water to fill your Dutch oven, 9 or 10 cups of water. Add chicken and cook until the meat is falling off the bone, 5-7 hours. Take the chicken out and de-skin/fat/bone and add the meat back in. Add andouille. If there is too much fat on the top of the gumbo, skin off the fat. (You can save the fat and use it in future recipes, like beans.) The key to a really good gumbo is letting it cook for a long time.  I like to let mine cook 10 hours minimum.

Super Awesome Healthy Granola bars

Ingredients:
3 1/2 c old fashioned oats
1/2 c oat bran
1/2 c wheat germ
1T Cinnamon
1 t salt
1 c dried cranberries
1 jar smuckers natural peanut butter (or small jar of pb or your choice)
1c honey
2 c of your favorite mixed nuts
1 c dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. mix dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. I did this mainly so you can mix the natural peanut butter with its oils then mix the honey into it.

 Line a large sheet pan with foil. This will make it easier to get the bars out and clean!

 Toast the nuts to bring the flavor out!

 mix all ingredients together. Its good to have a very large bowl and mix gently. Press into the sheet pan and put in oven for 10 min.

 Sprinkle chocolate chips generously over the bars. bake for another 15 min. let set until completely cooled. If you let them chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, they are easier to cut. Cut into bars and store in the fridge. They have not lasted long enough in my house to find out if they ever go bad, but I'm sure they stay good for a while.

I found that these fit perfectly in snack size bags individually so you can grab them and go. I also found, when I was developing this recipe, that if you add about half a container of the peanut butter and 1/2- 3/4 c of honey the granola will be crumbly and makes delicious granola for yogurt!