It is Bastille Day. How do we celebrate? We make gumbo, of course. Actually, not really. I just had the urge for gumbo today. Ginny makes the world's best gumbo, but it takes a lot of work. Chopping up the holy trinity (onions, celery and bell pepper) is time consuming. Making the roux is an art. Getting all the stuff together takes a while. Is there any other way?

Yes, there is an easier way. Our son David gave us some Jambalaya Girl gumbo base a while back. We tried it and it was very good. So now we keep it on the shelf in the pantry for occasions like this. A quick trip to the freezer for chicken and andouille sausage and we are all set to go. Brown the proteins, add some water, add the mix, simmer for 45 minutes and VOILA, you have some very good gumbo. A little rice makes it even better. Life is good.