CAJUN STEW

We were at the grocery store and my husband picked up some chicken andouille sausage. I made this up tonight and I think it's a winner. You can leave the sausage out, although it's all natural with no additives, no nitrates, and is low fat (just chicken and spices). For myself I would add hot sauce and cayenne, but Herbie doesn't like super spicy foods, so I omitted. Probably better to let people spice on their own anyway.


1 sweet onion, diced
4 celery hearts, diced
2 small green peppers, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
SAUTE IN LARGE POT until translucent
ADD
3 cloves chopped garlic, saute
ADD
2 cans petite cut diced tomatoes (get the no salt added if possible), juice and all
either some zatarains cajun seasoning OR, cayenne, paprika, splenda, salt, garlic powder
LET simmer
IN THE MEANTIME, in a large saute pan....
1 package smoked chicken andouille sausage, cut in to 1/4 inch slices and then cut in half (or you could create your own with ground chicken or turkey, chicken stock, and spices
12 oz shrimp, either cooked no tail or uncooked, cut them in 1/3rds
2 chicken breasts, cut in to chunks
SAUTE sausage, add shrimp. Cook until shrimp are translucent, drain. Add to vegetable base
BROWN chicken breast chunks, add to vegetable base.
Let simmer, add 1/4 cup or so of fresh squeezed orange juice.
ADD
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
ADD
1 can kidney beans, rinsed, drained, and puree with chicken stock.
ADD as much cut up okra as you like.
LET SIMMER.