Sweet Potatoes Spicy

Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes rinsed; cut into diced chunks
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1 TB of granulated white sugar
3 TB of olive oil

Place sweet potatoes that have been diced chunky in a bowl of water for 10 minutes.
Combine in a small bowl the red pepper flakes, Old Bay Seasoning, Kosher salt and granulated white sugar.

Drain sweet potatoes and pat dry.

Place in a large mixing bowl; drizzleolive oil on the potatoes, sprinkle the seasonings you have mixed and toss.

Place in a baking pan uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, turning once.

Bon Appetit!

Aunt Annie's Shrimp Gumbo

3/4 cup of corn oil
3/4 cup of all purpose flour
3 lbs of cleaned shrimp
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1 celery rib diced
1 bunch green onions chopped
File (ground sassafras leaves)
2 quarts of water
salt and pepper

Make a very dark roux with the oil and flour. (see Basic Roux recipe in Roux, Simple Cajun Recipes Cookbook); add onions, bell pepper, garlic, celery and 1/2 green onions. Saute until clear.
Spoon this mixture into a gumbo pot and slowly add 2 quarts of water stirring to mix thoroughly ; add 2 Tablespoons of File and simmer about 1/2 hour.  Add more water if gumbo is too thick. 
Add salt and pepper to your taste, remembering that when you add the shrimp 15 minutes before serving, that they will absorb the seasoning.
Ladle gumbo over steamed white rice in a large soup bowl.  Add onion tops and dust with File.

Carrots for the winter months!

I just purchased some organic carrots and didn't want any of them to spoil so I froze some of them...
1. Wash and peel carrots, cut into chunks and/or slices
2. Blanche in boiling water for four minutes
3. Drain and place in an ice cold water bath
4. Package and freeze

The blanching helps the carrots keep their color and taste.  They can be frozen up to 6 months...right through the winter soup and stew months.

Bon Appetit.