Last night while everyone else in the Miami Valley hunkered down and prayed for daylight over the white death, Mr. FvF and I cozied up to a big-ass pot of gumbo and watched scary movies. I hadn't made this in a long time and forgot how incredibly rewarding it is.

Chicken, Ham & Sausage Gumbo

• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1 pound smoked sausage
  
• 1/2 pound smoked ham, cut into small cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 bay leaves
• 4-5 cups chicken broth (or stock)
  
• 3 cups cooked chicken
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

I like to start by chopping all of my veggies and (cooked) meats so they're ready to go when I need them.
Once you have that done, start on your roux - and be ready to be stationary for nearly half an hour. Heat your oil in a small stock pot and slowly sift in your flour, whisking as you add. You will need to stir this constantly for 20-25 minutes, until it's the color and consistency of melted milk chocolate. It's a pain in the ass, but it provides the base for your entire meal - so it's worth it. It should look like this...


Once your roux is the right color, add your yellow onions, peppers and celery and cook about 5 minutes until they start to wilt a bit.
Add sausage, ham & seasonings (salt, pepper, cayenne, bay leaves) and cook 5 more minutes.

Now, add your chicken broth, give it a good stir and kick up the heat a bit until it boils. Once that happens, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 1-2 hours. Much like chili, the longer you simmer it, the better the flavors meld together.