Gumbo!

Benjamin Buford Blue, aka "Bubba" from Forrest Gump said, "Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it. "

I decided to make turkey sausage and shrimp gumbo tonight. This dish is a great soul food, especially after coming from work with a case of "the Monday's" :) I have never had true gumbo, so I apologize to true gumbo afictionado's... all I know is that this tastes great and I've seen on Food Network a gumbo looking like mine.

You will need:

• 1 lb turkey sausage (healthy alternative) or anduille sausage
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/2 bag frozen okra
• 1 can roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups prepared white rice
• 1 lb peeled white shrimp
• Salt and pepper

Bowl of warm gumbo for the soul

1. Brown the sausage in a dutch oven over medium heat
2. Add shrimp and cook until it is pink
3. Remove shrimp and sausage from dutch oven and place into large bowl
4. Add all vegetables and chicken broth, scraping the yummy brown bits with non-scratching spatula
5. When vegetables are tender, place sausage and shrimp back into bowl
6. Season with cumin, paprika, garlic powder and stir
7. Add prepared rice and stir into mixture
8. Add canned tomatoes and 1/2 cup water
9. Cover and cook for 15 minutes

Serve this comfort food with crunch french bread and cold drink!