2 strips turkey bacon or Canadian bacon
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (16 ounces) chopped tomatoes with juice
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.

2. Place on a paper towel–lined plate.

3. Crumble when cool. Leave any drippings in the skillet.

4. In the skillet, over medium heat, cook the onion, bell pepper, and celery for 5 minutes, or until tender.

5. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes (with juice), bay leaf, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and hot-pepper sauce. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Add the shrimp and bacon and cook for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink.

7. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving.

Here’s an easy way to get a taste of the Big Easy. Serve this traditional shrimp creole dish over brown rice to turn this into a dinner. If you like, you can substitute sea scallops for the shrimp.