Leighton's Sausage Gumbo



 Bernie (left)with George & friend
in 1920.

Bernadine Wilklow with son, George Wilklow in 1927.

My dad, Leighton Bernard Wilklow, the second son of Bernadine and George Wilklow, was born six years after his older brother, George Jr. Leighton has big shoes to fill as his brother had been the apple of his mother's eye! They had actually wanted a little girl but got my dad! How lucky were we!!!

Leighton's Sausage Gumbo:

1/4 cup olive oil
1tsp minced garlic
1 medium onion - diced
1lb pork sausage (I have actually used breakfast sausage or hot Italian or even sweet)
1/2 red, yellow, orange and green peppers - seeded and diced
1 tbsp. ground red pepper
1 tbsp. kosher salt
3 bay leaves
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 cups instant rice - white or brown

Heat a large soup pot or sauté pan add olive oil, add diced onion and diced peppers. Sauté until onions and peppers are soft. Remove from heat and add to large crockpot or remove while cooking the sausage so the vegetables do not overcook.

Brown the sausage until cooked completely add 2 tbsp floor. Then add to crockpot or leave in soup pot.

Add 4 cups of chicken broth then add bay leaves and can of diced tomatoes. Keep on medium high heat until the gumbo begins to bubble. Lower heat to simmer and cook for at least 3-4 hours. Add rice and keep cooking at low heat for another hour. If gumbo gets too thick, add another can of chicken broth.

Serve with baguette bread.