Spicy Turkey Sweet Potato Gumbo

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 pound skinless, boneless turkey thigh meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound hot Italian-style turkey sausage links, casings removed

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups peeled cubed sweet potato

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook and stir the turkey thigh pieces until browned and no longer pink in the middle, about 10 minutes. Set the turkey aside. In the same pot, place the sausage, and break into chunks with a spatula. Cook and stir the sausage until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes.

Stir the onion, celery, and green pepper into the pot. Continue to cook and stir until the onions are translucent, about 5 more minutes. Mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute; then stir in the flour. Cook and stir the mixture until the flour forms a coating on the sausage and vegetables and begins to brown, 5 to 8 more minutes.

Mix in the sweet potato, thyme, oregano, chicken broth, tomatoes, and bay leaf, and bring the gumbo to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often, until thickened and the sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cooked turkey and hot sauce, and simmer until the turkey is heated through. Discard the bay leaf before serving.