I thank God for the wonderful dads in my life.


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Hubby and Perfect Daughter.  They don’t make them any better.
 
 
 

Tom leaves for Scotland July 22


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Perfect Daughter and Perfect Son-in-law with newborn Perfect Boy.  Thanks Tom for being such a great dad and husband and for putting up with your in laws.  
My dad holding Perfect Boy.  Thanks for being my dad and for giving me such a happy childhood.

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I love all of you very much.


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Gary’s Favorite Chicken Gumbo*



1 fryer, boiled and deboned
1/2 cup oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 bay leaves
3 – 4 springs parsley, chopped fine
1 – 1 1/2 cups okra, thinly slices
1 6-ounce can lump crab meat, drained (or fresh if you have it)
1 4 1/2 ounce can shrimp, or equal amount or raw, peeled and drained, deveined  (I usually just add whatever amount I want.)
4 – 5 slices bacon, cut up and crisply friend and drained
5 cups chicken broth enriched with 3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 cup flour
1 cup diced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 1/2 teaspoons cracked pepper
salt to taste
1 can Rotel, blended in blender (I use the hot variety because we like it spicy.)
1 – 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 tablespoon gumbo file
2 tablespoons Pickapeppa sauce
Tabasco to taste, if desired


In a heavy iron skillet, combine flour and oil to make the roux.  Keep the heat low and stir often.  It usually takes 45 minutes or 1 hour to prepare the roux.  Do not rush it.  When it reaches a rich brown color and the flour separates from the oil, it is ready.  Meanwhile, chop the chicken and prepare the vegetables.  When the roux is ready, add onion, celery, garlic, bell pepper, salt and pepper. Slowly add broth, blended Rotel, bacon, bay leaves, parsley and Pickapeppa.  Simmer for about 1 hour.  While the broth and vegetables are simmering, sauté okra in bacon grease or vegetable oil until it is wilted.  Drain well and reserve.  Add chicken, crab meat, and shrimp to broth and continue to simmer over low heat approximately 1/2 hour.  About 1/2 hour before serving, add the rice and okra and remove the bay leaves.  Stir well to mix all ingredients in the pot.  Check amount of liquid and add just enough water to keep mixture from sticking.  At serving, stir in file or allow guests to sprinkle on individual bowls of gumbo.  Accompanied by corn sticks or corn muffins, this makes a full meal.  It freezes well if you have any leftovers.
 
*Note:  We started with a basic recipe years ago and added to it as we wanted.  This was a New Year’s Tradition at our house for years – a drop in affair that everybody knew just to show up for gumbo.  Make it suit your family and tastes.  This is as close as I can get to writing it down, but I usually just make it from memory and may add ingredients as they please me.