Reaping the benefits from yesterday morning!

Saturday morning I made homemade chili oil and homemade shrimp stock. Since then, I have already used some of both (and still have plenty to spare). First up, I made Gumbo using the shrimp stock.

First step was to prep the ingredients. I roasted bone-in/skin-on chicken thighs in olive oil, salt, pepper, and some fresh thyme. Bone-in is more flavorful and moist. The meat fell apart as you can see.

While the chicken roasted, I cooked the shrimp. I left the shells on because it adds more flavor to the shrimp and to the pot/oil. After just a few minutes, I removed and peeled them. I also browned some sliced andouille sausage.

This also gave me time to prep the vegetables in advance. Cajun gumbo will always start with a roux (equal parts flour and oil or some type of fat), which takes patience as you need to stir constantly until it turns the color of chocolate (for a dark roux), followed by the "holy trinity" (onions, celery, peppers).

After this step, the rest was a breeze. I added the shrimp stock, andouille sausage, chicken, and lots of spices - Old Bay, salt, pepper, file powder, brought to a boil, and then simmered on low for 2 hours. Right before serving, I checked for seasoning, added back the shrimp (they will be tough if overcooked), some fresh parsley, and served with rice and scallions.

To go along with the gumbo, I also made a batch of Old Bay Cheddar Biscuits. These were super moist and the Old Bay was perfectly balanced, not too overpowering. Perfect to pair with the gumbo.

For dessert, we needed something light so I made Maple Apricot Icebox Cake. There are so many ways to make an ice box cake even though the main star is whipped cream...some with cookies, some with cake, some with fruit. I decided on cake. I took two short cuts by using a boxed yellow cake mix, which I split between two 8-inch pans, and canned apricots in syrup. For the whipped cream, I added maple syrup, maple sugar, and some of the apricot syrup. In a separate bowl I mixed the apricots with more maple syrup and maple sugar. Garnish with some fresh mint and you have the perfect summertime dessert!

Now for the chili oil. Cut to Sunday morning when I made Tex Mex Chorizo Hash. Yes, it was as amazing as it looks!

I wanted the potatoes to be crispy so I roasted them separately in olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon or so of the chili oil. 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, and they were ready.

While the potatoes roasted, I prepped the rest of the ingredients (another time saver). Onions, garlic, scallions, cilantro, and a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (another short cut).

In a cast iron skillet, I browned some chorizo.

Next up I added all of the veggies plus more cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Then I added in the potatoes, another spoonful of the chili oil, and cooked for several more minutes. Off the heat, I sprinkled on a layer of shredded cheddar cheese. In a separate skillet, I cooked a few sunny-side up eggs to go on top of the hash and for even more flavor, I cooked the eggs in chili-lime butter which I had leftover from last week's dinner. Talk about flavor overload! This was one of the best breakfasts I have had in a long time....restaurant quality for sure. Have a great week and for my teacher friends out there, a great start to the summer!