God calls us to a life of relationship. Each of us is hardwired to pursue Him wholeheartedly and to love one another without reservation. What better place to start than around the dinner table? It was over a meal that I connected with my Gateway family for the first time nearly two years ago. When I first came to Gateway Church, I desperately needed a radical change in my life. A staunch Christian upbringing had taught me that God was my only answer. Now, if only I could get to Him. I found a seat close to the front, and all the seats around me were quickly occupied. After the service, the Maddox family, who sat next to me that morning, did something unusual. Karen Maddox invited me to her home for Sunday dinner with her family. That day, a relationship began that has continued to impact my life ever since. I eventually relinquished control of my life to God, became a member of Gateway and joined a Gateway Group hosted in the Maddox home. After witnessing Karen’s example of kindness and hospitality, I have since opened my own home to host a group for young single ladies. And I know the best is yet to come! Just look what God did over Sunday dinner—one meal, a heart overflowing with Christ’s love, and no reservations. Before becoming a Texan, I was a bonafide citizen of Creole Country, born and bred in “Looziana.” I’d like nothing more than to share two of my very favorite Cajun-influenced, cool-weather dishes: Crawfish Corn Bisque and Sauce Piquant.

CRAWFISH CORN BISQUE

½ cup finely chopped onion
Tabasco or red pepper flakes
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 small bulb garlic, finely chopped or minced
2 14 oz cans whole kernel corn (drained)
2 12 oz cans cream of potato soup
2 packages crawfish tails
(can be found in the frozen food section by the seafood)
2 14 oz cans cream corn
1 quart half & half
salt
pepper
Tony’s Cacheres
½ cup chopped celery

Sauté onion, celery and bell pepper until onion is transparent. Add 2 packages of crawfish tails and cook until it makes a gravy. Add garlic, half & half, cream of potato soup, cream corn, whole kernel corn, salt, pepper and Tabasco or red pepper flakes. Bring it to a boil, stirring frequently, and then allow to simmer for an hour or so. Add Tony’s Cacheres to taste.

Serve with fresh cornbread.

SAUCE PIQUANT

1-2 lbs beef stew meat
Cajun (or mild) sausage, sliced
2 14 oz cans tomato sauce
1-2 14 oz cans of stewed/crushed tomatoes
1 quart beef broth
1 tsp oregano
fresh basil
rice

Braise the beef. Then, simmer in the broth until it loses its redness and starts
to become tender. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, sausage, oregano and basil.
Simmer until beef and sausage are fully cooked. This is great for a Crockpot,
because it gets better the longer it cooks.

Serve over rice.