Cajun Cookin'

Following our brief stop in New Orleans, LA, this past December (on New Year's Eve = a little crazy, but delicious food nonetheless) I have been anxiously waiting to try my hand at some Creole/Cajun cooking. I am very fond of spicy foods, but Andrew always reminds me to keep moderation-of-spice in mind, so he can actually enjoy the food. :) Tonight this gumbo piqued my palate. The gumbo was quite good (I substituted shrimp for the chicken), but turned out to have a little too much liquid (which I drained), so I might make a thicker roux next time and add more vegetables. And I did have to add extra pepper and another teaspoon and 1/2 of the Creole seasoning, to give it more kick. :) I served the gumbo over rice, with cornbread and sauteed spinach. This vegetable has been my absolute favorite as of late; I simply saute fresh, organic spinach in a little olive oil, with minced garlic, salt and pepper for about 1 minute until the color darkens, and voila! So fresh and healthy. The cooler, rainy weather we have been having spurs me on to experiment with "soupish" concoctions, so stay tuned for more recipes!