C is for Cookin' #AtoZChallenge

I love to cook!  I love for people to eat what I cook and for it to satisfy their desire for something yummy!  (No, of course there is no ego involved in that statement! Ha!)  My husband and I both have the gift of hospitality so it works out quite well!

So what's been cookin' (in the south, we often drop those g's, don't we?) at our house?

For our young adults tonight, I'm cooking potatoes and sausage and onions in the crockpots.  I love these Honey Gold potatoes.  I have two large crockpots filled with 8 pounds of Conecuh Sausage, about 8 pounds of potatoes, 2 large onions, a clove of garlic, salt, pepper, Cavender's seasoning, some butter and olive oil -- Yummy!!

Last night, I tried a new recipe from the most recent issue of Southern Living.  It was delicious and nutritious.  I used a regular cucumber instead of the fancy cucumber.  The fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh herbs are a wonderful addition.  My husband wanted more flavor so he added Sriracha sauce to his.

On Sunday night, I usually do some meal prep for Tuesday night and I try to make my lunches.  If I don't plan ahead, I'm going to want a hamburger and French fries or a giant BBQ baked potato from Saw's BBQ or something equally as bad.  I made some homemade spaghetti sauce that has diced carrots in it!  A nutritional bonus and a bit of texture.  I used whole wheat noodles.  I ate some on Sunday night and I've eaten it for lunch two days.  I've been cooking with fresh garlic lately and I feel like I probably reek all the time.  Friends, I'm sorry if I do.  Really, I am sorry . . .but it just adds so much flavor!! 

Speaking of "cookin'" I just had to add this picture of these ladies in their aprons.  They weren't actually cooking, they were serving.  That is my sweet mother-in-law second from the left.  I can't tell you how old she is because she would shoot me (she doesn't own a gun) but you would be shocked if you knew.  She is still driving and is quite amazing!!

We've been receiving Blue Apron boxes every few weeks this year and I can't believe how much their recipes and ingredients have broadened my horizons.  This dish below may be the one that was so spicy (my fault - they said add spices sparingly) I couldn't eat it.  I love this new adventurous side of me in the cookin' department.

The ingredients below, along with tater tots - yes, tater tots - morphed into the most wonderful taco tater tot casserole you've ever eaten.  I used several different recipes I found on the internet and melded them together for my own creation.  It was really good!!

Last but certainly not least (these were the most recent food pictures on my phone!) is gumbo.  I love a good pot of gumbo.  I made it on New Year's Eve for our supper club and it just warms you all the way through.

I must admit to using Zatarain's Gumbo base as my starter.  I've tried making a roux before and mine has never been just right.  I use homemade ham and chicken broth instead of water.  I use Conecuh Sausage (hear that Alabama theme going on - Conecuh sausage is cookin' in my kitchen right now!).  I use lots of okra, tomatoes, celery, onions, and peppers.  I also use a mixture of shrimp (several pounds), chicken and ham cooked from the honeybaked ham bone!!  Yummy!!!

Do you enjoy cooking?  What is your favorite thing to prepare?  Do you like to entertain?