Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

I know that there are a gazillion ways to fix gumbo.  Well, I've never had it until today, and I wanted to put in it what my family would eat, so there isn't any seafood (although I would have liked to have included shrimp, at least).  There also isn't any okra, from where the dish gets it's African name.  So, can I still call it gumbo?  Well, I'm going to, and I'm going to enjoy it!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup of olive oil

2/3 cup of all purpose flour

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

ground black pepper

4 cloves minced  garlic

4 cups hot water

4 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

12 oz smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices, then halved

Hot, cooked rice

1. In a deep, heavy pan stir together oil and flour until it's smooth.  Cook over medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring continuously for 15 minutes until a dark, reddish brown roux is formed.

2. Stir in vegetables, garlic, and pepper.  Cook for 3-5 minutes until the veggies are tender.  Slowly add the hot water.  Stir in chicken.  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add in the sausage and cook for 20 more minutes.*

4.  Serve over hot rice, which you should cook the last 20 minutes of the gumbo, so it will be ready at the same time.

*If you add oysters or shrimp, add them in after the sausage and let them go for 10 more minutes.