Gumbolaya, Take 2

One year ago, I invented a cross between jambalaya and gumbo that we called vegetarian gumbolaya.  Unfortunately, the rice did not cook well (okay--at all) in the Creole-style tomato-based sauce, but I vowed to try again. Okra was back at the farmers market this morning, and our local Cheese & Crackers shop sells a variety of sausages, so I decided a meat gumbolaya was on the menu for the week. Here follows the second iteration of this recipe:

Looks suspiciously familiar; tastes 100% better!

1. Put on an episode of your favorite tv show--a finale episode that lasts an hour is particularly suited for this purpose.

2. While assembling ingredients, discover your spousal unit forgot to get the items you texted him for the recipe.

3. Bike to grocery store.

4. Find out the store doesn't carry cans of black-eyed peas (?!). Finally settle on cannellini beans. (Pinto beans came in a close second.) Pick up birthday cards for your niece and nephew. Bike home.

5. Set 1 1/2 cups brown rice to boil in four cups of vegetable broth. Meanwhile, chop two pints okra, two small red onions, and two Italian fennel sausages.

6. Because rice is still boiling, prep corn on the cob. Open can of beans into a pot. Wash and strip kale; place on top of beans and cover.

7. When rice is nearly done, cook onion with some garlic in oil. Turn on burner under beans/kale.

8. Brown meat, then add okra. Empty one 12-oz. can of tomato paste and one 14-oz. can of diced tomatoes with jalepenos into the rice. Stir beans/kale.

9. Combine meat-okra mixture with rice so the flavors can mingle while you plate the sides.

10. Ladle gumbolaya into bowls and eat! Goes well with watermelon for dessert.

The sausage and spicy tomatoes added a punch to the rice, which cooked this time. Dear Husband even found that he did not taste the okra, of which there was "too much." It's a very visually appealing dish, and I look forward to leftovers this week!