Gumbo!

I saw a recipe for vegetable gumbo on a wellness page, and (of course) with just a few modifications, we had gumbo for supper. I've made gumbo before, and I've even posted recipes for gumbo and jambalaya in the past. I was especially proud of creating this batch with ingredients we already had in the house. Stock the pantry and freezer well, and it's easy to cook from scratch.

Daisy's Gumbo

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

(Oops, I was out of celery. I'd fed the last stalk to the bunnies that morning.)

1 stalk celery, diced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic

1 14 1/2 can tomatoes (I prefer them diced)

2 cups corn (fresh or frozen kernels)

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock

Optional: Italian sausage and/or shrimp, 1/2 lb. each

Creole seasoning or hot sauce to taste

Ridiculously Simple Directions

Before starting: Brown Italian sausage (if adding meat) and remove from pot.

1. Over low heat, begin cooking onion and peppers in olive oil. Add garlic (and celery). Simmer for a few minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, corn, potatoes, and one Tablespoon of Creole seasoning. Heat through.

3. Add stock. Bring to a boil.

4. If you're adding meats, add the sausage now.

5. Peel and dice shrimp. Add 3-5 minutes before serving.

Serve with rice!

I made this in my cast iron Dutch oven. It worked like a charm. Heated up evenly, nothing stuck to the pan, it was perfect. Did I mention that Chuck gave me the Dutch oven for Christmas? It's wonderful.

In case you don't like to follow back-links, here's the Creole seasoning.

Creole Seasoning Ingredients:

2 1/2 Tablespoons paprika
2 Tablespoons salt
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon dried thyme


Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in a tightly covered jar. Yields 2/3 cup.

Stumble It!