Crockpot Gumbo

This recipe is super easy. I start the bacon when I get up and then add everything else at lunch. It is a big hit in my house. I make it in a 2-quart crockpot, which is the perfect size.

Ingredients

• A handful of bacon bits
• A heaping tablespoon of flour
• 1-2 ribs celery (diced - you can use a food processor)
• 1-1.5 cups diced onion & pepper blend (frozen - I use about a third of a bag)
• 1-1.5 cups frozen cut okra (again, I use about a third of a bag)
• Half a pound of andouille sausage, cut into quarter-inch-ish slices
• 1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• broth
• creole seasoning
• hot sauce

Directions

• Throw the bacon bits in the crockpot & turn it to high. Let them cook for a few hours to crisp up & render the fat a bit.
• A few hours later....... turn the crockpot to low
• add the flour and stir it into the bacon/fat. It's not a proper roux but it works for thickening.
• Add all the veggies & stir them around with the bacon & flour.
• Add the andouille sausage
• Add the diced tomatoes (undrained) & the tomato sauce
• Fill the rest of the crockpot with broth (the tomatoes don't fill in all the gaps; even if it looks full you should still add some)
• Season with the creole seasoning - I add like 10-15 shakes
• Add a dash of hot sauce. I add like a quarter teaspoon; just use your favorite hot sauce.
• Stir up the gumbo
• let it cook for 5-6 hours
• serve with rice!