CAJUN DELIGHTS

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo à la Bob

Ingredients:

3 lbs. chicken

1 lb. smoked sausage

1/3 c. oil

2 lbs. cut okra (frozen)

1 can whole tomatoes (cut up)

1 lg. onion

½ lg. bell pepper

1 t. sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

2 qts. water

Step 1—Cut up skinned chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees until you can easily take the meat off the bone, possibly 45 minutes.

Step 2—While chicken bakes, smother the okra:

In a heavy pot, combine vegetable oil, okra, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers. Cook over medium heat about 45 minutes or until slime of okra disappears, stirring constantly.

Tip: Cajuns usually cook large amounts and freeze in quart bags for future gumbos.

Step 3—In a large pot combine smothered okra, de-boned chicken, cut-up sausage, sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat for approximately ½ hour. Serve over cooked rice.

Umm-umm, good!

Bob’s Special Lima Beans

1 lg. pkg. (3 lbs.) frozen small lima beans

1 lg. onion

½ bell pepper

1 t. sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. cut-up salt pork (optional)

In a heavy pot, sauté onions and bell pepper until onions are clear. Add frozen lima beans and cover with water that extends 1½ inches above beans. Add sugar and cook about an hour, or until beans are soft.

If salt pork is used to enhance the flavor, cut it into small cubes. Wash off to remove some salt and place in a pot of water. Bring it to a boil. Drain water and wash the meat again. Add salt pork to the lima beans while sautéing the onions and bell pepper.

Eat as is or over rice. Enjoy!