Read A Long : Cajun Night Before Christmas

It's Christmas eve ..

We are having a Community open house with a book reading, gumbo and fun before Christmas mass. 

“Forget Dancer, Prancer, Comet, and Vixen. . . . Good Clement, wherever he is, will not be gnashing his teeth.”
–New York Times Book Review

Take the classic story of jolly old St. Nicholas, place it in a Louisiana bayou setting, dress Santa Claus in muskrat “from his head to his foot,” pile his skiff high with toys, and hitch it to eight friendly alligators. The result is this modern classic. Fifty years after its first appearance, Cajun Night Before Christmas® has sold more than one million copies and has served as the model for Pelican’s ongoing, best-selling Night Before Christmas Series.

The Cajun Night Before Christmas® has been a part of Louisiana’s holiday traditions since it was first published in 1973. A delight to both young and old with its rustic full-color illustrations and lively story, it has become a timeless addition to holiday celebrations far beyond south Louisiana, reaching all corners of the country with its charming presentation of Christmas on the bayou and the break-out star of Gaston® the Green-Nosed Alligator.

Conceived by J. B. Kling, Jr., Cajun Night Before Christmas® originally appeared as a Christmas message from Bergeron Plymouth Company of New Orleans. Under the pseudonymous byline “Trosclair,” the story won a Clio Award in 1967 from the Academy of Television and Radio Advertising.

Brought to life by the talented James Rice, the humorous illustrations of a colorful bayou Christmas have been nationally recognized as a classic in its genre.

Featuring eight pages of curated content released from the Pelican archives, this special Fiftieth Anniversary Edition showcases the rich legacy of storytelling within our state and the far reach that a humble (or not so humble!) gator has had on Cajun culture, Louisiana, and the entire country

Christmas Eve Gumbo : 

BY LISA'S * EVERYDAY  

• 1 C vegetable oil
• 1 C Flour
• 1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch Creole seasoning, or to taste
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1  cooked chicken, boned and shredded

Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat; whisk in flour until roux is smooth and has cooked to the color of chocolate milk, about 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux. If you see black specks in the mixture, it’s best to start over. Add sausage, celery, bell pepper, and onion into the roux; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add garlic; continue to cook and stir another 5 minutes.. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning; stir well to blend. Pour in chicken broth and add bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.. Stir in the chicken and simmer 1 hour more. Skim off any foam that floats to the top during this time.

Have a Wonderful Christmas! 

 From My family to yours .... Lisa