Crockpot Gumbo with Chicken and Sausage

We're still having some wild weather here in New Orleans.  It goes from freezing to shorts weather from day to day.  For those cold days, here's a crockpot recipe for gumbo to keep you warm.  Gumbo is perfect for crockpot cooking because the longer it cooks, the more the flavors develop.

The hardest part of any gumo is making the roux, so you can make the roux ahead of time. When cooked, the roux should be a coppery color, similar to a tarnished penny.

Ingredients:

* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup cooking oil
* 3 cups water
* 12 ounces fully cooked smoked sausage links, quartered lengthwise and sliced
* 1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or 12-ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut int
* 2 cups sliced or one 10-oz package frozen whole okra, partially thawed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 3 cups hot cooked rice

For the roux, in a heavy 2-quart saucepan stir together the flour and oil until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir constantly about 15 minutes more or until a dark, reddish-brown roux forms. Cool.

In a 3-1/2-, 4-, or 5-quart crockery cooker place water. Stir in roux. Add sausage, chicken, okra, onion, sweet pepper, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, and ground red pepper.

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Skim off fat. Serve over the hot cooked rice.

Serves: 5

Nutrition information: per serving: 637 calories, 39 g total fat, 11 g saturated fat, 83 mg cholesterol, 952 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 28 g protein.