Hello, Autumn. It is officially my favorite season of the year: Fall, y’all. Part of the reason I love fall is that Houston goes from feeling like a sweltering steam room to a bath I’ve been relaxing in a little too long… we start to need to find ways to heat things back up a little.
My favorite way to usher in fall and warm my soul is by cooking. Below, I have compiled three of my favorite fall recipes. I’m a Louisiana girl, so there’s a bit of Cajun mixed in. Also, don’t hate me for adding beans to my chili; that’s just how I like it and cannot imagine eating it any other way.
Note: Some measurements are approximate in these fall recipes, such as seasonings. I don’t actually measure. I cook from my heart. But also, I have made some substitutions to speed up cooking time and simplify life. So, you win some, you lose some.
Fall Recipes: Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
Serves: 6-8 people
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 1.5 Hours
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 tbsps butter
- 4 celery stalks, peeled and diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 8 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 bunch of green onions, sliced
- 1-2 packs of andouille sausage, sliced thin {We prefer Richard’s.}
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsps Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 fully cooked rotisserie chicken, all meat removed by hand and set aside
- 3 cups cooked rice {I typically cook mine in a rice cooker once I add the stock to the Gumbo pot.}
Method:
First, you Make a roux. {That’s how all great recipes start down the bayou, and this one is no exception.} A roux consists of flour and vegetable oil. That’s it. I like to prepare mine in a nonstick skillet. I later transfer it to my stockpot.
In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add flour and vegetable oil. I use a silicone spatula {like this} to gently combine the two and stir almost continuously for 30 or so minutes. It should reach a medium to dark brown color. Be very careful not to burn it, or you will need to start over.
Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Once melted, add celery, onions, and bell pepper. As those begin to turn translucent {5-10 minutes}, add sliced andouille. Then add garlic and green onions. Cook until softened. Add the roux to the stockpot and stir to combine. Pour chicken stock into pot. Stir well. Add Cajun seasoning and bay leaves. Bring to a slow boil. Add shredded chicken. Stir. Cook until fully heated through. Taste and add salt, pepper, and more Cajun seasoning if necessary.
Ladle into bowls and serve with white rice. It should be 1 part rice to 3 parts Gumbo. Many Cajuns also like to serve potato salad with this Gumbo. Some people eat it on the side, and others put it directly in the bowl. I have done both. It’s a delicious addition if you have time to make fresh potato salad.
Fall Recipes: Beef and Bean Chili
Serves: 6-8 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground sirloin
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chili powder {not to be confused with cayenne}
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
- 1 {15 oz} can pinto beans
- 1 {15 oz} can black beans
- 1 {10 oz} can Rotel tomatoes, original or mild
- 1 {29 oz} can tomato sauce
- salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- sliced green onions for garnish
- shredded cheddar cheese for garnish
- sour cream for garnish
- avocado for garnish
- crackers, tortilla chips, or corn chips for dipping
Method:
In a stockpot over medium heat, add sirloin, onions, and bell pepper. Once the meat begins to brown evenly and the vegetables soften, add garlic. After 2-3 minutes, add chili powder, cumin, and Creole seasoning. Stir well. Cook 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Add 2-3 cups of water. Stir. Add salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer, approximately 20-25 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Top with cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, green onions, and avocado. Serve alongside tortilla chips, crackers, or corn chips. Our family loves to use H-E-B’s Texas Dippers. They are big corn chips, and we use them to scoop up our chili like a spoon.
Fall Recipes: Red Beans and Rice- It’s a Monday thing.
Serves: 6- 8 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 hours on low in slow cooker or 2 hours on stovetop
Ingredients:
- 1 bag dried Camellia Brand Red Kidney Beans, soaked overnight in water, drained, and rinsed
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
- 8 cloves of garlic, minced
- Savoie’s Hickory Smoked Tasso Ham, sliced
- 8-10 cups water
- 1 package andouille sausage, sliced thin {We prefer Richard’s.}
- Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, to taste
- salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 bay leaves, broken in half
- sliced green onions for garnish
- 3 cups cooked rice
- Serve with French bread or cornbread
Method:
How you begin will differ depending on whether or not you will cook this on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. If cooking in slow cooker, start by melting butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, and Tasso. Cook until vegetables soften, and the Tasso releases its flavor.
*If you cannot find Tasso, you can add ham hocks directly into your stockpot to enhance flavor while cooking.
In a slow cooker, add red beans, Tasso, vegetables, Creole seasoning, water, black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. {I would wait on adding salt. The Tasso, andouille, and Creole seasoning all have a lot of salt.} During the last hour of cooking, press beans against the side of the slow cooker to create a creamier consistency. In a skillet, saute andouille until it begins to caramelize on both sides. Serve red beans in a bowl with white rice, sausage, and top with green onions.
On the stove top, eliminate the need for the first skillet, and saute everything directly in a stockpot. You could even add the sausage in with the vegetables and Tasso. Once everything is caramelized, add beans, water, black pepper, Creole seasoning, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1-2 hours, or until beans are completely soft. Serve with rice and top with green onions. A 2:1 ratio of beans to rice is close to ideal.
*If you are in a hurry, we also use and love Blue Runner Creole Cream Style Red Beans. I buy one {27 oz can} and one {16 oz} can. Fill the small can up with water to add to the pot {instead of the 8-10 cups}. I do everything else the same as with the dried beans, but the stovetop cooking time is maybe thirty minutes total.
I hope you enjoy these fall recipes. If you have any questions or do try them, please leave your comments below. What are your favorite fall recipes?
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