Time To Make You Hungry

Since the weather has finally cooled off, I think I'm going to make a batch of gumbo up as a treat for the husband that is one year older tomorrow.  The recipe I use doesn't have okra in it since he doesn't like okra.  Still excellent none the less and not that difficult to do once you get the hang of making a roux.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 lbs sausage (we use mild and hot smoked country sausage)
• 2 quarts of chicken broth (you won't need all of it but you need enough to stir in to the mixture)
• Butter or oil for roux (we use 1.5 cup of peanut oil)
• flour (we use 3 cups of white flour)
• 2 large onion, diced
• 2 large green pepper, diced
• 2 head garlic, diced (as many cloves as you'd like)
• 2 stalks celery, cut up
• salt
• pepper
• cayenne pepper (to taste)
• cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's, available on the internet or in grocery stores)

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a cast iron skillet
2. Brown chicken and set aside
3. Add remaining oil and heat until a pinch of flour sizzles when you put it in (heat is usually on med/high
4. Slowly add a spoonful of flour one at a time and whisk to incorporate it in before adding the next spoonful.  Do this until all 3 cups of flour has been added.  
5. Continue whisking roux mixture until the color has turned milk chocolate brown or darker depending on how rich of a roux you want.
6. When the roux is the color you wish it to be add in the chopped vegetables to stop the roux from cooking.  Mix all vegetables in and let them cook until the onions are clear.
7. Pour roux and veggie mixture into a crockpot.  Add the browned chicken breast cut up into smaller pieces and cut up sausage.  Mix together.
8. Slowly add a bit of chicken broth in and stir mixture in crockpot.  Keep adding until the consistency of ingredients is a thick soup.  
9. Add spices
10. Turn crockpot on low and cook for 3-4 hours.  Check the gumbo and spoon off any oil floating on top.  If it seems to be too thick add more broth.
11. Serve with white rice and french bread.  I also recommend serving with Gumbo File' found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores.

Any leftovers can be refrigerated to have the next day.   It will serve six hungry people easily.  

The peanuts I ordered should be here soon so I'll get to boil those this week too. :)
Katie's Green Boiled Peanuts