Hilary Porta has lots of great recipes, including Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, which she says is always a big hit.

Being a good cook seems to be hereditary in Hilary Porta's family.

“I grew up loving to cook — between my mother, who was a gourmet cook and my grandmother, I started young,” the Tennessee native says. “I won my first blue ribbon when I was 10 for homemade buttermilk biscuits at the county fair and I catered my first event when I was 16.”

“Prior to becoming a stay-at-home mother and educator, I was in financial services consulting, traveling internationally,” says Porta.

Porta has lived in the Jetton Cove subdivision for almost 10 years, with husband Drew and sons Hampton Banks, 10, and Graham, almost 2.

“Before becoming a home educator this year, I was involved heavily in my son's school as room mom, prayer partner, as well as den leader, treasurer and assistant Cub master for his Cub Scout Pack, while facilitating Bible studies and speaking at women's conferences,” says Porta.

“I also love to travel, snow ski and am a voracious reader and, of course, I LOVE to cook,” she says.

Porta is sharing her Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, which says is always a big hit. “People have asked me to make it to sell.”

Her husband, Drew, is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “Naturally I wanted to cook some native dishes for him and Chicken and Andouille Gumbo is one of his favorites.”

Why is this recipe a favorite? “It's enormously flavorful.”

Has it changed over the years? “Nope!”

When and how often do you serve it? “Each fall when we get the first blast of cold there's nothing like it.”

Time to prepare? “It usually takes a few hours but worth every second.”

Any special instructions?: “Add a good french baguette and you're in heaven.”

Chicken & Andouille Gumbo

Ingredients

1 lb. andouille or kielbasa sausage cut into 1/4" cubes
5 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
3 cups chicken cut into pieces
6 cups water (or more)
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp. fresh parsley chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Tabasco pepper sauce (use as little or as much as you like, I typically use 1 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
Cooked white rice

Instructions

In a 3 quart saucepan brown andouille or sausage in 2 tablespoons oil (about 7 minutes). Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add chicken pieces and cook until golden brown (roughly about 10 minutes) turning occasionally.

In a skillet — over medium heat — mix the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and 1/2 cup flour and stirring constantly making your roux until it turns dark brown (about 30 minutes). Add chopped onions, celery, green pepper, garlic and parsley and cook about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Pour 6 cups water into the 3 quart saucepan used to brown meat and add vegetables along with the bay leaves, thyme, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then add andouille sausage and chicken back in, reduce heat to simmer for 45 minutes. Add chopped green onions and adjust seasoning. Let gumbo stand for about 10 minutes. To serve, mound about 1/3 cup rice in each bowl then ladle at leas 1 cup of gumbo around rice. Add filé, a powdered spice made from dried and ground sassafras leaves.