Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

serves 8-10

My mom gave me this recipe. She got it from one of her friends. It makes an easy, great tasting gumbo. And, yes, you cook most of it in the microwave!! This is our current "company" meal. I try to cook this the night before we're going to eat it. If it's cold enough, I stick the pot (with the lid on!) out in the garage overnight. It it's not cold enough, I store it in the fridge. Then the next day, I just heat it up on the stove and make my rice. To serve, just have the bowls ready and let everyone get a scoop of rice and then top with the gumbo. Leftovers are measured out in one-cup portions and frozen in Ziplocs. (I freeze the leftover rice the same way ... separate bags from the gumbo.) Then I have lunches ready to heat and eat!

I don't add okra because I don't like it. And the Conecuh sausage is a Mississippi or Alabama thing and we can't find it up here in TN. Edit:  I have found it at the "new" Kroger by the church.  So I use either andouille sausage or just some smoked sausage. Word of warning: If you try to use turkey sausage, it turns out pretty dry and not nearly as flavorful. I use chicken thighs (and the boneless thighs are the easiest to prepare).

2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup flour
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup parsley
4 chopped green onions
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp salt
1 can tomato paste
8 cups chicken broth
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 pkg (12 oz) frozen okra
2 lb. chicken, chopped
1 lb. Conecuh sausage

Put oil & flour in container and microwave for 4 min.; add onion, celery, & bell pepper and microwave 3 min.; add parsley, garlic, green onions and microwave 2 min. Put all in large pot and add rest of ingredients. Cook 1 hour.