Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo Yummmmm

Are you ready to add some spice to your winter nights? Celebrate in February with a bowl of Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo! It's so delicious and tastes like you won a first-row seat at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The heat from the spices and sausage warms you from the inside out. You might want to pour yourself a neat glass of bourbon and throw on some zydeco music. Luckily I get to play bartender and DJ while my hubby does the magic in the kitchen. This recipe brings the flavors of Louisiana straight to your table and makes me a very happy girl. From the moment he gets the roux started, I just know it's going to be amazing. Take a little chill out of the cold winter night, let us know what you think.
Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup flour
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
Kosher salt
2 bay leaves
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ - 2 tsp cayenne pepper
1½ - tsp smoked paprika
12 oz andouille sausage, sliced
6 cups chicken stock
2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 scallions, sliced
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Cooked white rice, for serving
Louisiana-style hot sauce, for serving

Directions
Make roux: Warm oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add flour and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes, until mixture is rich medium brown, the color of peanut butter. Pay attention to the bottom of the pan, scraping often, so the flour browns but doesn’t burn.
Increase heat to medium and add onion, garlic, celery, and peppers. Add salt. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, black pepper, cayenne, and paprika; cook for 2 minutes. Add sausage; cook 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, increase heat to high, boil, and then reduce heat to maintain a simmer, for 10 minutes.
Stir in shrimp and simmer until just cooked through. About 4 minutes. Stir in scallions and butter. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.