Glenview, 10/25/11--Nancy Stonis of Glenview puts on an apron for the cajun food cooking class at the Glenview Senior Center in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Cooking instructor Jennifer Noone (facing) introduces students to the holy trinity of vegetables in cajun cooking, celery, green peppers and onion, at the Glenview Senior Center in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Mark Weinberg of Highland Park (front) and Greg Simetz of Evanston stir a pot of gumbo in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Senior Center Director Megann Panek dices an orange bell pepper in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Roux, a paste-like blend of flour, browning, and stock, makes the base of a gumbo in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Greg Simtez (from left), Jennifer Noone, Nancy Stonis, Ann Noone and Mark Weinberg stir a pot of roux in the cajun cooking class at the Glenview Senior Center in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Cooking instructor Jennifer Noone (at left) talks with her class about dutch ovens in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Nancy Stonis of Glenview tops a bowl of gumbo with rice at the Glenview Senior Center in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Greg Simetz of Evanston samples the gumbo made by the cooking class at the Glenview Senior Center in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media

Glenview, 10/25/11--Jennifer Noone (left) and Nancy Stonis brown the meat for a pot of jambalaya at the Glenview Senior Center in Glenview, IL on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. | Shauna Bittle~for Sun-Times Media