Shrimp And Okra

Ingredients

• 2 -3 2 -3 tablespoons butter or 2 -3 tablespoons margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups diced onions (1/4 - 1/2 inch)
• 2 bay leaves, broken in half
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 (18 1/8-21 3/4 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 2 (1 lb) bags of sliced frozen okra
• 1 1/2 lbs of peeled and deveined shrimp, use gulf shrimp for the best flavor
• salt and pepper
• cooked rice