Best Shrimp Creole Ever

My all time favorite recipe. It's great for parties with no specific meal time. I like to have it finished cooking about 30 minutes to an hour before anyone arrives and just keep it warm on the stove with rice, bowls and spoons on the counter next to the stove. As people get hungry they can help themselves. People who say they don't care for shrimp creole usually ask me for a copy of recipe after they try it. I read about half the other Shrimp Creole recipes and did not find any prepared like this one. The veggies stay crisp instead of mushy like other shrimp creole recipes I have tasted. I like to use small ( 50 to 60 per pound) raw shrimp that I clean myself. But the lady I got this recipe from likes to use leftover boiled shrimp and my neighbor I gave the recipe to like to use frozen pre-cleaned shrimp. It's good with any of them so choose what you prefer. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I think you will.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2  lbs shrimp (cleaned)
• 2  cups  chopped onions
• 1  cup  chopped celery
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped bell pepper
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 1⁄3 cup  cooking oil (optional)
• 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel Tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 6  teaspoons sugar
• 4  bay leaves
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can chicken broth
• 1  teaspoon flour

Directions

1. Pour oil in heavy pot. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, all tomatoes, salt, sugar, and bay leaves. (that's everything but shrimp, broth, and flour) Bring to boil, then turn to medium heat. Cook for 1 hour; stirring occasionally at first. increase frequency of stirring as hour progresses and liquid reduces. After one hour the mixture goes from soupy to thick paste. careful not to scorch as thickens.
2. Dissolve flour in chicken broth and add to tomato sauce mixture. Bring to boil. Add shrimp and bring back to boil; boil 10 minutes. Turn heat off, cover pot and let set for 20 minutes.
3. Serve over rice and enjoy!
4. note: I use tabasco as condiment since hot is such a personal thing.