How to Fill Your Fat Tuesday Plates | Heirloom Gumbo and Meggen's fav Pancakes
Published 3 months ago • 1 min read
February 17rd 2026
Postcards from My Montana Kitchen
Happy Fat Tuesday, Everyone!
Tonight, we will be at All Saints Church for the Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. I’m bringing a caseload of Vanilla Maple Syrup for everyone to enjoy.
Fat Tuesday always gets me excited for all the spicy Creole and Cajun dishes that I love.
Let's Talk Gumbo!
One of my all time favorite cooking memories has to be the day Lionel Eby Smith-McGehee and I spent the day in my kitchen in Winter Park making the best sausage and chicken gumbo. The recipe is long and involved, but it is the best gumbo I’ve ever had.
Lionel is from Monroe, LA and boy, oh boy, can he cook!
Lionel Eby Smith- McGehee’s
Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
Filled with okra, chicken, country sausage and love. Like many things Southern - it’s pace is slow and flavor is hot.
¼ cup Greek yogurt (you can substitute sour cream)
3 large eggs, beaten well
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 TBSP Vegetable oil for the pan
Optional: 1 cup fresh blueberries or huckleberries, washed and patted dry
Instructions:
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a smaller bowl , whisk together vanilla, buttermilk, yogurt, eggs, and melted butter. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined and no large lumps are visible. Do not overmix. Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes. The batter can be made overnight.
On a griddle on medium-high heat, add a tbsp of oil. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle. Add a few berries. When the top of the pancake is covered with small bubbles and begins to dry, flip it with a thin metal spatula. Repeat.
Keep pancakes warm by placing them on a baking sheet or plate in a 200-degree oven. Cover with paper towels and foil before serving to prevent the pancakes from becoming soggy.
See you next time!
Meggen Wilson
Pine and Palm Kitchen | Wild Montana Foods, Founder