Amber Dauzat likes to ‘bring a little Louisiana’ when she cooks

By Published On: February 13, 2019

Amber Dauzat’s grandmother, Nancy Sullivan, has always made Potato Candy at the holidays, a tradition that has been passed down for many years in their family.
“It is a little taste of home,” said Amber, “the greatest Irish candy ever.”
After that one mention of Irish, there was a lot of Cajun to follow.
She is the daughter of Debra and Pavay Dauzat, and he is originally from Louisiana.
Her mom’s original “from scratch chicken sausage gumbo” is made with an all-scratch homemade roux.
“The roux was the hardest thing to accomplish,” said Amber.
Her mother actually gave up her secret of using Espresso when making the gumbo.
“Never add water, always add chicken broth,” she has been told while making gumbo, and “it is so worth (the mess in the kitchen.)”
Her mom cooked a full meal at supper every night and she remembers as a little girl standing in a chair watching her mother cook. One of the first thing she learned to cook was Jambalaya.
“Mom cooked a lot,” she said and Cajun white beans and rice was one thing she really liked.
But if she had to name a favorite food, it would be her mother’s rice and gravy with stew meat.
Cooking is a hobby and she’s always looking up recipes. Pinterest is her favorite place to search.
As the new Extension secretary, a part of her job entails working with the 4-H Kids in the Kitchen after school cooking program.
“Cooking with the kids is great,” she said.
Their February project Thursday will be chocolate dipped Oreo pops decorated with sprinkles and in January they made sweet potato pie in a cup.
But for March, she is “going to bring a little Louisiana in here” with a quick, easy way to make a King Cake dessert.

Grandma Sullivan’s Potato Candy
Half of a small boiled potato, tender to the fork
1 tsp. butter mashed with potato
2 cups powdered sugar, add slowly
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Mix well until it starts turning into a dough-like substance. Add more powdered sugar if needed. Once it’s reached into a ball, take out of bowl. Put some powdered sugar on counter so it does not stick and begin to roll it out until thin and flat. Once flat, spread peanut butter all over it very thinly. Then roll it up very carefully and cut into half an inch pieces.

Mom’s Chicken Sausage Gumbo
1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken
1/2 lb. smoked Andouille sausage
2 onions, finely chopped
About 2 lbs. okra, sliced
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1-2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp. Espresso
1 Tbsp. gumbo file powder
1 carton chicken broth
Creole seasoning, to taste
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Boil chicken, drain and shred. Place in bowl and set aside. In large skillet using cooking oil or butter, add onions, bell peppers, garlic, celery and 1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning. Saute until soft. Remove and set aside. In skillet, de-slime okra. Cook on medium heat until slime is almost gone. Remove from heat and set aside. In Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, begin making roux. Add 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup flour on low to medium heat. Stir constantly so it does not burn. Cook until it is a dark brown color. Add in veggies to help soak any leftover oils. Slowly add in chicken broth. Add chicken and sausage. Add Espresso, gumbo file and okra. Bring to boil and let simmer about two hours. Add more Creole seasoning or salt and pepper if needed for taste. Serve over rice.

King Cake Bubble Up
2 cans Pillsbury cinnamon rolls
1 pack cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk
Purple, yellow, green sugar or sprinkles
Preheat oven to 375°. Use 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Cut cinnamon rolls into tiny pieces (4). Place in bottom of pan. Save icing. Mix/beat together cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add milk and mix until combined. Pour over chopped cinnamon rolls. Bake 30-35 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Spread icing over top and decorate with colored sugar or sprinkled. Ready to serve.

If you have a suggestion for a “Cook of the Week,” please email us at calhouncountyjournal@gmail.com.

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