Cheater Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

I swiped this recipe from Cooking Light, then changed it a bit. I can not follow recipes. It's a bad habit. Their recipe is called Chicken and Sausage Stew, but says it's gumbo inspired. It does start with a roux. Personally, I do not put tomatoes in my gumbo. But some people do and I've had it great both ways. At any rate, a really good gumbo takes at least a day to make. This is much, much faster and a good substitute for a quicker fix.So give it a whirl if you like.

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Flour
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large onion
1 large bell pepper
3 celery stalks
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano (more if you're me)
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
12+ ounces chickens thighs
1 package sausage (turkey if you want to keep it light)
1 can of corn
1 can stewed tomatoes (diced works well)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce OR can 1/2 tomato paste plus 1 cup water or broth
Cooked rice

Process:
To make your roux put the olive oil and flour in a pot over medium heat and stir until browned and the color of a cafe au lait. Add chopped onions, bell pepper and celery and cook until soft. Sprinkle with herbs, red pepper and garlic. (side note: I like to put my herbs and spices in a soup or stew onto the sauteed veggies. They stick to them and then cook into the stew better) Add chicken and sausage and cook until chicken is white on the outside and the sausage is beginning to brown. Add cans of tomatoes and corn, then broth and marinara or tomato paste. Simmer at least half an hour. Serve over rice.

As will all soups and stews (and any self respecting gumbo) it's best if it sits overnight.

Original Recipe
How you make REAL gumbo

In other news, Niki and I took Lorelei for ice cream last night and she proceeded to COVER herself in it by eating it with her fingers rather than her spoon. Good times. In a good faith effort to keep her child seat and the car clean, I just took all her clothes off. She proceeded to yell, "Naked TIME!" in front of TCBY. Love her.