Dana's Red Beans and Sausage
Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Shrimp Etouffee
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Dana's Red beans and sausage 

1 pound andouille, kielbasa or other smoked pork sausage or light turkey smoked
sausage, cut into 1/2–inch slices
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 large green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed and chopped
1 handful of parsley
2 tsp jarred minced garlic (or 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced)
1 pound dry red or kidney beans
3 bay leaves
1/2 to 4 tsp red (cayenne) pepper (As you like it)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper

Cooked rice

Note: Sausage may be omitted to make this a vegetarian entree.

Wash beans thoroughly or soak overnight. Put beans in pot and cover with at least 3 times as much water. Add salt and peppers, bayleaves and sausage (Sausage may be browned or not) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium high and cook for one hour, stirring whenever you pass by and adding water(one cup at a time) when necessary.

Add vegetables(except parsley) and reduce heat to low Cook till beans are tender you have a good, thick bean soup (1 to 2 hrs.) Stir occasionally to keep beans from sticking. Add handful of parsley near end of cooking time

Discard bay leaves. Serve over cooked rice with Louisiana hot sauce and crusty bread.

Chicken and sausage jambalaya

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds fully-cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 medium onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth
4 cups uncooked long grain white rice
1 teaspoon paprika
1-4 teaspoon ground red pepper (As you like it)

Directions

Heat 8-quart oven-safe Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until hot. Add sausage; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan; set aside. Add chicken, salt and pepper; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is browned. Remove from pan. Drain fat leaving 1 tablespoon. Add onions, celery, green peppers, garlic and red pepper; cook, stirring 7 to 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown. Stir in chicken broth, reserved sausage and chicken, rice and paprika. Bring to a boil; cover and bake at 375 degrees 45 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, stirring once or twice during cooking.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound peeled, deveined cooked shrimp
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 cups hot cooked rice
Hot pepper sauce to taste

Directions

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Blend in flour with whisk or fork and stir until roux is dark brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add onion, celery, green peppers and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in shrimp, broth, parsley, salt, black pepper, red pepper and pepper sauce; simmer 20 minutes. Ladle etouffee into soup bowls. Top each serving with 1/2 cup hot rice. Makes 6 servings.

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

7 TBSP. unsalted butter, melted
¼ c. unsalted butter, melted
16 c. bread cubes, dry and unflavored
3 large eggs
¾ c. white sugar
¾ c. light brown sugar
2 TBSP. vanilla
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ c. milk
¾ c. half and half
¾ c. raisins
½ c. chopped pecans

Coat all sides of a 13"x9" baking pan with 7 TBSP. melted butter. Add bread cubes. In a separate large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, milk, half and half, raisins, pecans, and ¼ c. butter. Hand mix to combine. Pour mixture over bread cubes and press bread down to cover all the cubes with liquid. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 45 to 60 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve warm with French vanilla ice cream or whiskey sauce (see below).

Whiskey Sauce:

4 Egg Yolks beaten
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Stick Butter or Margarine

Combine sauce ingredients in saucepan and cook until thickened.

When cool add 6-8 tablespoons bourbon and pour over individual pudding servings.