ROUSES_Holiday2018Magazine-FINAL.indd

HOMEMADE

While we love to try new things, they’re usually a supplement to the traditional dishes we grew up eating; we have some tried-and-true family favorites that no holiday would be complete without. If my mom doesn’t bring her crab dip for an appetizer, my Richard cousins will be upset; my Uncle Tim’s stuffed mirlitons are a crowd pleaser, for sure; and this is quite untra- ditional, but it wouldn’t be a Rouse family get- together without a tray of Rouses egg rolls. While we always do a traditional turkey/ham/ sides spread for Christmas Day, our Christ- mas Eve repast has typically been my grand- father’s (and now my Uncle Donald or Aunt Cindy’s) spaghetti or one of a variety of family gumbos (I’m partial to my cousin Donny’s seafood and sausage version). Lots of people opt for the traditional sweet potato casserole, but I gravitate toward my mom’s luscious carrot soufflé. And it would be absolute blas- phemy if a Thanksgiving or Christmas passed without someone making my grandfather’s famous oyster dressing. There’s always quite a selection of delectable desserts, and some of the faves are my grandmother’s cocoons, Aunt Jeaneen’s homemade cheesecake, Aunt Sue’s peanut butter fudge (which enjoys a cult-like following) and my cousin-in-law Kara’s apple- pie apples! Since my grandparents have both passed away now, keeping their holiday traditions and recipes alive helps the whole family retain a strong connection to them and to our heritage. Making Pa’s spaghetti isn’t just about noodles and tomatoes and meatballs; it’s about reliv- ing a bit of all the past Christmas Eves, when he’d kiss everyone hello, then regale us with stories as he commanded the stove. Making Granny’s cocoons brings back fond memories (that I can share someday with my children) of countless hours spent in her kitchen baking in aprons way too big for little children, playing cards while the cookies baked in the oven, and horsing around under the big oak tree outside while we waited for those cookies to cool. Taste and memory are inextricably bound, and there is nothing like a family recipe to bring back the recollection of many past happy family holidays. Our family is blessed with so many wonderful recipes!

Donny Rouse’s Seafood & Sausage Gumbo SERVES 12 WHAT YOU’LL NEED 3 tablespoons Rouses Roux 6 celery stalks diced 2 large onions diced 2 bell peppers stemmed, seeded and diced 6 garlic cloves minced Rouses salt and pepper to taste 1 pound Rouses andouille sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch thick rounds 4 quarts seafood stock 1 pound wild-caught Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 pound jumbo lump Gulf crabmeat 4 gumbo crabs halved 1 pint shucked Gulf oysters and their juice Creole or Cajun seasoning, to taste 6 cups cooked white rice or Rouses potato salad, for serving HOW TO PREP In a large, heavy-bottom pot warm 3 tablespoons Rouses Roux. Add celery, onion and bell pepper (the trinity), garlic (the pope), salt and pepper, and continue stirring until vegetables are wilted, about 15 minutes. Add andouille and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Slowly add seafood stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring after each ladleful is added. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, crabmeat, gumbo crabs, oysters and oyster juice. Return to a boil and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add parsley and green onion, and season with salt and pepper. Serve over rice or potato salad. ½ cup chopped parsley ½ cup diced green onion

Mr. Anthony Rouse’s Down Home Oyster Dressing SERVES 8-10

WHAT YOU’LL NEED 2 cups cooked long-grain rice, covered and kept warm 1 pound lean ground beef ½ pound ground pork 1 16-ounce container Guidry’s Fresh Cut Creole Seasoning Blend, or 1 large onion and 2 large green bell peppers , finely chopped 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning mix 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 tablespoon granulated garlic ½ tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning 1½ quarts Louisiana oysters, cut in half if large 1 bunch green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet HOW TO PREP Cook rice and keep warm, covered. In a large, heavy pot over medium- high heat, brown beef and pork. Add Guidry’s Seasoning Blend (or onions and bell peppers). Mix well and cook until onions are translu- cent. Add Cajun seasoning, basil, garlic and Old Bay, and mix well. Add oysters. Mix in green onions and Kitchen Bouquet. Remove from heat and mix in the rice. Serve.

65 everyday NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018