Procrastination

Sunday night, about 9:30 and I'm already wishing the week were over, that's not good!  This week promises to be a long one and I have lots to do but I'm currently lacking motivation.  So what better to do than to blog!  I'm just really pumped to wake up on Friday morning knowing that I made it. 

I'll be working every night this week so I thought I'd make us a good dinner tonight which I decided would be Gumbo because there's nothing like a hot dish on a cold night and its big enough to get a couple of meals out of it.  I've made this several times and tonight was no exception, it received two enthusiastic thumbs up from both Jon and I.  Dinner was followed with a decadent peanut butter dessert from Marie Claire's in Hamburg.  It was delicious.  So I'm thinking, if that's how my week is starting...it really can't be that bad, right?

"Big Easy" Gumbo from Southern Living

1/2 c. peanut oil
1/2 c. flour
1 c. chopped sweet onion
1 c. chopped green bell pepper
1 c. chopped celery
2 tsp. Creole seasoning
2 tsp. minced garlic
3 (14 oz.) cans low-sodium chicken broth
4 c. shredded cooked chicken
1/2 lb andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 c. frozen black-eyed peas, thawed (I just used canned peas)
1 lb. peeled, large raw shrimp

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 5-7 minutes or until flour is chocolate colored.  (careful not to burn)

Reduce heat to medium.  Stir in onion and next 4 ingredients, and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes.

Gradually stir in chicken broth; add chicken and next 2 ingredients.  Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Add shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turns pink. 

Serve with rice or Hoppin' Johns!