#NationalGumboDay has arrived. What is gumbo you may ask?
Gumbo is a stew/soup that originated in southern Louisiana during the 18th century. It generally consists of primarily a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and veggies (celery, bell peppers, onions). Often times you’ll see gumbo made with okra as well. It’s traditionally served over rice or a heaty, warm, comforting dish.
There’s a lot of flexibility while making gumbo, so we’re in luck here at LiveCheapFeelRich. Not only can this be a crockpot meal, but it can also be a freezer meal – and depending on your family’s tastes, the recipe can be tweaked. Here’s a couple of recipes that I think our audience will particularly love.
Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
Sometimes seafood can be pretty pricey if you are looking to get a quality buy. This recipe capitalizes on the fact that the ‘meat’ of this recipe is chicken and sausage only, which is far less expensive. This recipe is also said to freeze so well that the leftovers are even better than the fresh batch! Best perk yet, WearyChef.com promises that this recipe can be done in a mere hour.
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo [http://wearychef.com/chicken-sausage-gumbo/]
You start out by seasoning and cooking your meat. While this is happening, all the veggie dicing occurs (there’s a lot of it!). Once the meat is done cooking, you make a roux with flour and oil and stir together until smooth. Then add in the diced vegetables and cook until tender. While this is happening, you can start the rice and shred the cooked chicken. Add chicken broth, spices, and garlic to the veggie/roux misture and stir until smooth – slowly add in water and additional spices + your cooked meat. Cook at a low boil for about 10 minutes.
To serve, simply ladle onto a generous portion of rice and enjoy! There’s a lot of steps and things going on during this recipe, but if you plan this right and capitalize on your time while things are cooking, this is a pretty simple recipe that’s sure to please!
Slow Cooker Chicken Gumbo
All, this recipe couldn’t look any easier – praise the slow cooker! Here’s the lowdown:
Slow Cooker Chicken Gumbo [http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robin-miller/slow-cooker-chicken-gumbo-recipe.html]
Add the following into your slow cooker: 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces, 1 package frozen okra, thawed, 2 links andouille sausage, diced, 1 cup chopped onions, 2 celery stalks, chopper, 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups reduced-sodium tomato juice. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Serve over rice.
A lot of the commentary on this recipe mentions that this isn’t ‘true gumbo’, but that it is a decent substitute and is a ‘healthier spin’ on the recipe. Try it out and let us know what you think!
Crockpot Gumbo
I had to include one recipe with the shrimp – I am a huuuuge seafood fan. Pro tip: don’t always say ‘no’ to frozen seafood! It’s generally flash frozen fresh and tastes just as awesome as fresh – usually cheaper too!
Crockpot Gumbo [http://sagetrifle.blogspot.com/2010/01/crock-pot-gumbo.html]
This recipe, besides the addition to shrimp, is pretty similar to the one prior to this – crockpots make life just so, so easy. Here’s the lowdown: layer in the following ingredients to your crockpot, in this order, not stirring: 1 lb kielbasa sausage, 1 lb cooked chicken, torn into pieces, 1 large onion, chopped, 1 bell pepper, chopped, 3 stalks celery, chopped, 1 lb sliced okra (frozen works), 1/2 cup roux, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp. brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 quart tomatoes, undrained.
Cook on high for 1 hour, then lower the heat to low and continue cooking for 7 hours.
About 10-15 minutes before serving, add 1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1 tsp old bay seasoning, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce, 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, and 1 tsp. hot sauce and cook until the shrimp are done but not overcooked. Ladle into soup bowls with a scoop of fresh hot rice!
So enjoy, everyone! Happy #NationalGumboDay! Have any family recipes that are your favorite? Show us the way!
Live Cheap, Feel Rich! 
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