This recipe has nothing to do with the title of the post, she just said it a lot, and I was thinking about her today!

SHRIMP CREOLE

Creole cooking is a unique style of cooking. This cuisine has European, French, Caribbean and African influence.  French creoles speak French Black Creoles speak Louisiana Creole which is a mixture of English, French, and Spanish.

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1/4 pound hot links, sliced and grilled, 1 stick butter, 1 cup onions, finely chopped, 2 stalks celery, chopped, ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped, ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped, 2 cups shrimp stock, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ tablespoon cayenne, 4 garlic cloves, minced, 2 bay leaves, 1 fresh thyme stock, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 (.5oz.) package dried shrimp, 4 slices of bacon, fried and diced (optional), 1/4 pound hot links, 1 (14.5 oz.) can stewing tomatoes, 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup dry white wine, 2 cups cooked rice, 6 green onions, thinly sliced and flat leaf parsley, chopped for garnish.

Peel, clean and devein shrimp, season with salt and pepper set aside.  Make up your stock, Add 6 cups of cold water to pot; add shrimp shells, heads, and tails, onion skin, celery tops dried shrimp and green onion.  Bring to a rapid boil; reduce the heat to a low simmer. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Steep for 30 minutes. Strain stock and set aside.  Melt butter and vegetables in a large saucepan.  When the butter begins to froth, add all your vegetables. Cook on low heat until the onions are clear.  Add dry seasonings.  Continue to sweat the vegetables until they are soft.  Add the tomato paste and cook until the paste begins to brown, then add the remaining tomato products and a pinch of sugar. Continue to stir; the tomatoes will start to break down when they do add the wine.  Turn up the heat and cook off the alcohol; this takes about 3-5 minutes. Add the bacon. Now add 2 cups of the shrimp stock, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne.  Bring to a rapid boil for about a minute then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.  The sauce should be the consistency of gravy.  If not thick enough, thicken by adding 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of shrimp stock, beat with a fork till the cornstarch is smooth, then add to the pot. Bring to a boil to maximize the thickening power of the cornstarch.  Add Worcestershire sauce, and season to taste.  Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat too low and add the shrimp and hot links. The shrimp are done when they curl and turn orange.  Serve with steamed rice and garnish with the remaining green onions and parsley.