Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo

This is a variation of the seafood gumbo that I make at Blue House Bistro for the features menu.  If you wanted to make a seafood instead, just substitute shrimp, crawfish, and/or crab for the chicken and sausage.  Personally, I like this version better because, being allergic to seafood, it is the one I can eat. 

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
2 med onions
2 bell peppers
3 stalks of celery
2 cups sliced okra
1lb cut-up chicken pieces
1/2 lb Andouille sausage
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon file' powder
1 teaspoon of oregano
6 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
hot sauce to taste
4 minced garlic cloves
2 cups of white wine
2 teaspoons vinegar— white or balsamic
6 cups of chicken stock
1/2 cup scallions
cooked white rice

Make a Roux:
Heat 1/2 cup oil in cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed pot over medium heat until almost smoking. Add flour and whisk constantly until roux turns a deep brown color, about 10-14 minutes.


Combine:
Add vegetables. Reduce heat to low, cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and Andouille sausage, cook for about 5 more minutes. Stir in thyme, file' powder, oregano, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Add garlic and white wine. Make sure to keep stirring. Add vinegar.


Boil & Simmer:
Slowly add chicken stock, 2 cups at a time. Stirring constantly, increase heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer until chicken is cooked and vegetables are soft.


Enjoy:
Serve with white rice & garnish with scallions.

10 Thoughts from Chef Angie K

1. One thing that I love and am good at besides cooking is music. I taught myself to play the guitar, ukulele (with some help from my niece & nephews in Hawaii), piano, and harmonica. Although I can't read sheet music, I write my own songs. Sometimes, people can hear me singing at the Bistro from the kitchen!

2. If I could trade places with any one chef it would be Gordon Ramsey. I admire how broad his cooking repertoire is, and that his career is so broad to include all aspects of the food/restaurant industry. That he also gets away with swearing worse than a sailor would be a nice perk too!

3. My most memorable meal was my 29th birthday. I went with a group of friends to Susan Spicer's Restaurant, Bayona, with a group of good friends. We ordered a ridiculous amount of food & wine, and passed all the plates around to share. It was the first time I ever had sweetbreads, which is one of her specialties. It was a life changing experience.

4. My favorite food changes depending on the week. Right now, Bavarian French Toast.

5. Every morning I have a Vanilla Iced Coffee or a Sweet tea. Mmmm, speaking of....

6. If I was on death row, my last meal would have to include fava beans and Chianti, of course.

7. I burn cookies constantly.

8. I eat Cheetos at every opportunity.

9.If I was going to change one thing about myself it would be to not be allergic to shellfish, so I could eat more of my own cooking. I would also love to travel the world to learn more about different foods and different cooking methods without having to worry about what I was eating.

10. If I weren't a restaurant owner, I would be pursuing a career in music. Honestly though, I wouldn't change a thing.

Cajun/Creole Food, Music & Culture

reprinted from Katie Tellefson
http://www.accreditedmba.net/40-blogs-for-the-cajun-enthusiast/

I checked them all out & am happy to give a huge thumbs up! Blue House Bistro has been too busy for a longer post! 
~Chef Angie K

 40 Blogs for the Cajun Enthusiast

With Cajun culture and history comes amazing music and even more amazing food. It isn’t every day that you get to nosh on gumbo or dance to the sounds of a fast-paced accordion, but with these Cajun enthusiast blogs, you’ll gain a better understanding of the culture and appreciate its quirks.
Top Cajun Food Blogs
If you aren’t familiar with Cajun cooking, you’re sadly missing out on decadent food that will stir the soul and leave you asking for seconds.

 

1. RouxBDoo’s Cajun and Creole Food Blog Get authentic recipes that are surprisingly easy to follow and concoct in your own kitchen even if you’ve never tasted turkey gumbo (take word for it and try it out now!).

2. The New Orleans Cajun and Creole Cuisine Blog This site is packed with incredibly unique Cajun dishes from a professional chef with an affinity for spicy sausage. 

3. New Orleans Cuisine These mouthwatering recipes for dishes like grilled pork chops, praline bacon and po’ boys will have you hitting the supermarket after a visit to this Cajun cooking blog.

4. Cajun Chef Ryan This Cajun chef is kicking things up a notch with innovative recipes that put a new spin on classic Creole recipes. Some may say it’s messing with tradition, but we just call it delicious! 

5. The Cajun Foodie This Cajun blog puts other foodie sites to shame. The blogger visits an array of Cajun hot spots and restaurants, giving you the dish on cuisine tasted along the way. 

6. Cajun Foods Learn about the basics of Cajun cooking and how to shop for the delicacies like crawfish. 

7. Cajun Grocer Blog This is the online favorite of Cajun enthusiasts for sourcing hard-to-find ingredients when you aren’t shopping grocery stores in the South. 

8. Gumbo Pages Find gumbo recipes galore at this blog that’s dedicated to the hearty soup that will impress guests and keep them full for a decent price. 

9. Cajun Food Recipe This is the site when you want to peruse countless Cajun recipes to shake up your weekday dinners. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to pull them off with ease. 

10. Real Cajun Recipes From bisques and oyster crackers to fried turkey, this site is chock full of delectable Cajun recipes you’ll love to try at home. 

11. Boudin Link This Cajun food site reviews boudin throughout the United States and even has a map so you can track down the most delicious dose of boudin near you. 

12. Cooking New Orleans Style This site has food ideas for parties and get-togethers when you want to add some major flavor to the menu. Be sure to warn guests if you make a dish especially spicy!

13. Gumbo City Blog Learn about the history of this delicious soup and how you can use the same technique for any veggies you have on hand. 

14. Real Cajun Cooking This Cajun enthusiast knows how to whip up a fabulous chili or stew out of nearly anything you already have in your fridge and pantry. It’s the perfect site to try your hand at a few recipes before tackling more difficult Cajun dishes. 

15. Cajun Delights Get recipes for various types of cornbread and unique Cajun desserts at this Cajun cooking site.

Top Zydeco Music Blogs
Almost any time you’re chowing down on authentic Cajun food, there’s zydeco music blasting in the background. These zydeco blogs show you the history of the music.

 

 

16. Cajun and Zydeco This has tons of zydeco music news and fun posts like the Cajun 12 Days of Christmas song. 

17. Zydeco Music Radio Here, zydeco musicians from around the globe can posts podcasts and video clips of their performances. 

18. KRVS This site is for an Acadie radio station in Louisiana, allowing you to stream the zydeco segments. Check the station’s schedule for a complete listing of when they’re in zydeco mode. 

19. KBON This radio station has plenty of zydeco music to stream online, if you’re willing to pay the $60 a year fee. For those who can’t get their fill of zydeco from local stations, it may be worth the price. 

20. Crawfish Net – Cajun Life Blog This site is all Cajun, all of the time and boasts extensive posts over zydeco music and when it’s featured on TV shows or in films.

21. MSN Entertainment – Know Your Zydeco This MSN article has the history of zydeco music so you can learn a few tidbits about the genre you enjoy moving to. 

22. Cajun Music Network At this site you’ll learn about some of the major players in the world of zydeco music and get links to bands’ sites for keeping up with tour dates and album releases. 

23. CajunWeb – Cajun and Zydeco Info Think zydeco music is only in the South? This site shows you links to zydeco music sources worldwide, including many parts of Europe. 

24. Cajun UK This site gives you UK zydeco bands and where they’ll be playing throughout the year.

25. Cajun SqueezeBox This site no longer updates, but it has a plenty of archives for you to dig through to learn about the big names in zydeco music. 

26. ARNB Cajun Learn about zydeco and Cajun culture events at this blog that’s packed with all things Louisiana. 

27. OffBeat Louisiana This site keeps you in-the-loop on zydeco events and concerts happening in Louisiana. 

28. Zydeco Online This zydeco site is streaming zydeco tunes 24/7, plus they update frequently with zydeco music news. 

29. Cajun Radio Get updates on zydeco artists at this site, which collections information on zydeco radio shows. It’s a must-read for zydeco aficionados who want to listen to interviews and live bands.

Cajun Event Blogs
There’s an endless array of Cajun events going on in the South throughout the spring and summer. Learn the hot spots for snagging crawfish and jamming to zydeco at these Cajun event blogs.

 

30. Zydeco and Cajun Events This site is packed with event info on happenings in Louisiana, Washington D.C. and New York just to name a few. 

31. Louisiana Cajun Calendar This site has a formal breakdown of Cajun holidays and celebrations so you never miss a chance to party. 

32. Cajun Fun Each day, this site is updated with Cajun events going on throughout Louisiana. You can also submit any Cajun event your company or organization is hosting. 

33. Cajun Country Events This site is the online home of a venue that exclusively hosts Cajun parties and events, complete with music and food to get you in the mood to party. 

34. Chicago Cajuns Those in the Chicago area can depend on this site for to keep track of Cajun events and zydeco artists that are headed to town. 

35. Louisiana and Cajun Websites This site leads you to sources around the web that will show you Cajun happenings going on in your area. 

36. Cajun Forums At this site you’ll learn about events going on throughout the world focuses on Cajun music or food (or both) and see how the culture has influences many regions. 

37. Big Cajun Triathlon Stay posted on the big triathlon that takes place in Louisiana with a Cajun flair.

Cajun Dialect Blogs
Want to learn to chat in Cajun? Learn the origin of the unique dialect that’s still used in parts of the South.

38. Louisiana Cajun Slang This is probably the best place for those who are new to Cajun dialect and want to learn a few fun phrases to throw out at Cajun parties. 

39. Boodrow – Cajun Dictionary Hooked on phonics is the way to go when it comes to reading Cajun words, which can be difficult to master if you put an English slant on some phrases. 

40. PBS – Cajun Learn where the Cajun language comes from and what words have derived from standard French and English over the course of decades.

Learning about Cajun culture is fun and now easy, thanks to the Internet. If it’s a subject you’ve just stumbled upon, it’s worth taking a closer look to learn about the unique food and non-stop cheery music that’s played in Cajun homes and restaurants in Louisiana.

In reflection to my work....

Am I happy? I couldn't ask for more. 

Am I satisfied as a chef? Never. 

Catering & Menu Planning

As I was finishing up a catering event that my restaurant booked at a local venue last week, I was packing up and chatting with some of the guests about how much they enjoyed the event and the food. The subject turned from that specific party to party planning in general, and some of the pros and cons of different aspects of the planning. It got me thinking about all of the occasions that come up in a person's life that warrant having a party and all of the ways that having a caterer can make some of the planning easier. I realized talking to my new friends, however, that most people have very little idea when and how to book a caterer and what things they need to consider.

Catering & Party Planning Checklist
1.Think about the kind of event that you are planning. Is it formal? Is it a Holiday event? Who will the guests be? Begin thinking about what kinds of food you would like served. The food should reflect the unique spirit of the party; Grandma Susan's 80th birthday party, for example, is likely to have very different food served than the Annual Cinqo de Mayo Block Party.

2.Think about how many kinds of dishes are needed. How long is the event? What time of day? Do you need the whole thing catered or just a few extra dishes? How many guests will be there? A long event spanning multiple meal/snack times is going to need more food than a shorter event. Depending on the time of day, guests will expect/want different amounts of food; lunch vs. tea or cocktail hour vs. dinner. Some people find that they or their friends and family enjoy doing some or most of the cooking, but that having a caterer help out eases some of the “work” burden so that they can enjoy the party too.

3.Pick a date. Some caterers and dates get booked up rather quickly. The farther in advance that you know your date, the more likely that your caterer of choice can accommodate you. Having some date flexibility can be an advantage if you are certain that you want a specific caterer. If your date is not flexible at all, and your caterer is not available on that date then ask for a recommendation.

4.Choose a location or venue. The location that you choose will have a direct impact on the kind of event, style of service, and possibly on which caterers you can pick from for your event. Some locations have unique challenges (a beach front reception, for instance, will be require extra planning to ensure proper energy needs).

5.What service style do you want to have? The kind of service that you have depends on the type of event, the space it is in, and your budget. Full Service is where servers bring pre-set plates out to your guests (like at a restaurant), Buffet Style is where guests serve themselves, Butlered Tray Service has servers wandering around the party with food items offering them to guests. Will you need rental equipment (plates, glasses, tables, chairs, etc.) for the type of service you selected? Ask if Delivery, Set-Up, and Take-Down are included.

6.Figure out a food budget. How much are you willing to spend per person on food? On beverages? Your budget may impact the final decision on your guest lists or vice-versa. If you are determined to have a specific menu, the guest count may need to be adjusted. If you are adamant about the attendees, however, the menu selections can often be tweaked in order to accommodate the higher number of guests.

Ways to $ave Money
Enlist friends and family to help out with some of the cooking. Hire a caterer for only a few of the dishes.

Instead of a full dinner, have a cocktail or dessert reception instead. Serve a selection of appetizers and desserts. Because you will be saving money by not having a full meal, you may be able to increase the price per piece on what you do serve.

Add "bulk" items to your menu. For a sit-down dinner have plenty of bread to fill in any hungry spots. When hosting a cocktail party, nuts, cheese, olives, pretzels, etc. provide a little extra security that you'll have enough for all but requires very little extra work.

On a Buffet Service, Use smaller serving dishes that get refilled often. Guest will see a smaller amount and take less. For both Buffet and Full-Service events, If you use smaller plates, the amount of food you put on them will seem like more.

Portion Size Per Person for individual size serving of various foods. Multiply these estimates by your number of guests----

Always round up your estimates, don't round them down.

Anticipate which food selections will be most popular and serve more of them than the general portion guidelines suggest. For example, shellfish appetizers are always popular, so serve as much as your budget allows.

The more choices you offer, the smaller your calculation of individual portion size should be.

That said, you can assume your guests will taste everything on a buffet, but the tastes will be small. However, overall consumption per individual will be greater than if there were fewer choices.


Hors d'oeuvres
4 bites when preceding a meal.
4 - 6 bites per hour when hors d'oeuvres are the meal.
The longer your party and the larger your guest list, the greater the number of selections you should offer.

The Main Meal
Poultry, meat or fish - 8 ounces when you have one main dish, 6 ounces when you offer two or more main courses.
Potatoes- 5 ounces
Vegetables- 4 ounces
Beans - 2 ounces as a side dish
Pasta - 2 ounces for a side dish, 4 ounces for a first course, 6 ounces for a main dish
Green Salad - 1 ounce undressed weight

Desserts
1 slice cake, tart or pastry
4 ounces creamy dessert such as pudding or mousse
5 ounces ice cream

A Few Other Menu Planning Tips
When serving two of the above, reduce each by a little less than half.

Don't repeat a main ingredient. For example, don't serve a shrimp appetizer and shrimp main dish.

Consider the colors & textures of the food that will be served together and make sure there is variety.

Offer both hot and cold foods on a buffet.

Blue House Bistro Disco Party

Recently, on a rather slow afternoon I was finishing up the Bistro's latest facebook update when I came across a hilarious interactive site that my sister had discovered (thanks Karen!).  After picking myself up off the floor, I had fallen out of my chair laughing so hard, I had to post this everywhere! This version may not mean much to you, but it is representative of all of the cheer, goodwill, and super service that the Blue House Bistro has this season. 

I suggest getting on the site and "elfing" yourself!

http://www.elfyourself.com/http://www.elfyourself.com/

Will all my redirects work?

 hmmm..... Hopefully this sort of "test" post works.  I am re-doing the website for Blue House Bistro.  If you are seeing it, then it did!