Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Save time by making the roux ahead of time. When cooked, roux should be a coppery color, similar to that of a tarnished penny.

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cooking oil
3 cups water
12 oz cooked smoked sausage links quartered & sliced.
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 3/4 - inch pieces
2 cups sliced okra or one 10 oz package of frozen okra sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
3 cups hot cooked rice

1. For roux, in a medium heavy saucepan stir together 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 color is reached; cool.

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

3.Cover and cook on low-heat setting fo 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setiing of 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Skim off fat. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Recipe from: Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book 12th Edition.