Laissez les bons temps rouler — let the good times roll — is a phrase that adequately describes the Hymel family during the Mardi Gras season.
“We love Mardi Gras! We attend balls in Mobile and on the Eastern Shore. We love going to all the parades in Fairhope and Daphne,” shared Ryan. “Leah is a member of the Fairhope Order of Mystic Magnolias (OOMM), and we love participating in all the things that go with that! We also love getting king cakes. We usually have a king cake sitting on the counter the whole season, with a knife in it!”
Ryan, Leah, and their twin daughters, Addi and Lori (18), truly enjoy spending time together. Outside of all things Mardi Gras, the family loves simply spending together. You can usually find the four of them boating, paddle boarding, playing games, traveling, camping, and running their family business together.
Ryan and Leah purchased a franchise and started Sign Gypsies Eastern Shore as a way to build a college fund for the girls. They love to be part of the exciting moments in people’s lives and these yard signs allow them to spread joy all over their community.
Family celebrations are very important to the Hymels. In fact, Ryan is one of six children and large family gatherings are one thing everyone looks forward to. When the family gets together, there are close to 70 people eating banquet style. It is truly an experience.
“Gumbo is a family meal and it is not made in small portions. This meal is meant to be shared,” Ryan said. “This is the perfect opportunity to invite family and friends to enjoy time together.”
In fact, it is almost a guarantee you will find leftover gumbo ready in the family’s freezer. It is the perfect weeknight dinner because it freezes well and can be pulled from the freezer and thawed during the day. It reheats in the amount of time it takes to make fresh rice, according to Ryan.
“Gumbo is a very special meal for us. It serves as the beginning of our “holiday” season. We always have gumbo on Halloween because my mom always made Gumbo on Halloween,” Ryan shared. “She used it as a way to keep tabs on us kids and our friends. She knew we would never stray too far from the food.”
The Hymel family serves gumbo on Christmas Eve and then again during Mardi Gras season.
“It is a perfect meal when returning home from those cold parades,” Ryan said. “In our family, we serve gumbo with vinegar and oil based coleslaw, potato salad, and a slice of French bread. You get to decide if you want to put your coleslaw and potato salad in the bowl of gumbo or eat it separately. Either way, no judgment here!”
Eating as a family each night is also an activity the Hymels prioritize. The family meal plans together each week and also uses the time to discuss what’s ahead for each family member and plan dinner at home, around their schedules.
“As our girls get older, and prepare to graduate from high school and go off to college, we have really focused on spending time as a family,” Ryan shared. “Any chance we get to have family adventures, family movie night, or family game night we try to take full advantage.”
Holiday Gumbo
Ingredients:
- 2 large Onions, diced
- 1 large Green Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 Bunch Green Onions, sliced
- 1 lb. Smoked Sausage
- 1 lb. Smoked Andouille Sausage
- 4 Chicken Breast
- 1 Cup Vegetable oil
- 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 – 32 oz Chicken Stock (8 Cups Total)
- 2 – 32. oz Beef Stock (8 Cups Total)
- 8 Cups water
- 2-3 Cups Cooked, White Rice for Serving
Directions:
- Serve over cooked white rice. Enjoy!
- On medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil in a 10-quart pot.
- Heat oil until a pinch of flour fries when dropped in. Then add the cup of flour.
- Stir constantly over medium-high heat until a roux forms and is really dark brown.
- Remove from heat and add veggies.
- Stir until the roux stops cooking.
- Add chicken breast to the roux and vegetables. Stir to coat the chicken.
- Pour chicken stock, beef stock, and water into the pot. Stir until roux is mixed in.
- Add sausage and bring everything to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 45 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks, and return to the pot.
- Remove sausage, slice, and return to the pot. Cook 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, let it rest, and skim the grease off the top and discard.
Author: Gabriele Jones
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 16 years. Together they have three incredible children - two boys, ages 15 and eight, and a sweet girl who joined the family last summer. She is a full time Pink Cadillac Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Foley.
