Cheesy, cajun-style farfalle

Tasty tasty and so easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. diced onion
• 1 c. diced green or red pepper.
• 1 lb. cajun sausage
• 2 c. farfalle pasta
• fresh ground pepper and pink Himalayan salt to taste. About a teaspoon of each should be enough.

Directions for cheese sauce: make a roux and add grated, sharp cheddar cheese until desired cheesiness is attained. Make your sauce first.

• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp bacon drippings*
• 1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

*Olive or vegetable oil can be substituted.

1. Make your roux by heating the bacon drippins and then adding the flour, stirring often.
2. Add 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, gradually
3. cover and set aside.

Directions:

Dice 1 c. onion, 1 c. red pepper.

Thinly slice 1 pound cajun sausage (halve the slices.)

Heat 2 tsp bacon drippings in large saucepan. You'll be mixing everything in this later.

Now, boil the water for pasta.

Saute onion for 4 minutes on medium heat then add bell pepper and cook until tender.

Add sausage last and cook on medium heat for another 8-10 minutes.

Your pasta water should be boiling now, so add the farfalle and boil until al dente.

When the sausage vegetable mixture is through sauteing, gradually add the pasta and cheese sauce and mix until desired consistency is achieved!

Sooooo goooood. This was supposed to be a quick snack to start with, but turned into a very tasty cajun-style pasta that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. Anthony actually gets excited about it now. It definitely deserves four of five stars. 

I am so happy now that I've added this to my blog. ^_^

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Hello, all! I've had a lot of time on my hands the past two days due to the icy roads, in the Mississippi Gulf Coast of all places, so I baked two dozen of these delicious cranberry orange muffins. I love anything paired with citrus, and that's especially including muffins! They are purrfect for anytime of the day and easy as pie to make. You might sleep walk into the kitchen and eat one. I wouldn't doubt it. 

So here's what you need:

makes a dozen small muffins

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup soy or rice milk OR 1/4 cup orange juice + 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided (use unbleached organic cane sugar if possible)
• 2 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 3/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
• zest of 1 orange

I use Rumford because they hold the aluminum in my baking powder. 

First, mix your cranberries, sugar, and fresh orange zest.
Mix your dry ingredients and set aside.

flour...

salt...

baking powder...

and sugar! 

 

Whisk all dry ingredients and set aside.

Next, mix your wet ingredients in a large bowl because you will be mixing your batter in this one.

milk...

orange juice...

vegetable oil...

Oh, neat...

Whisk all of that and set aside for a sec...

Let's prepare the cranberries. I like to chop them so it seems like there is more.

Now you may chop your cranberries before you start mixing ingredients, which I choose to do, or after. I find it smoother to do it before hand. Go ahead and add the sugar and fresh orange zest while you're at it, too. I use just enough sugar to coat them, which is less than 1/4 c. You don't need as much as the recipe calls for, but I'd suggest trying it both ways. Maybe you like it sweeter. 

Mix in the sugar.

Next, gradually mix in flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just blended. Try not to over mix. 

Just a little bit at a time.

A well mixed muffin batter.

Gradually mix in the sugar, zesty cranberries.

MMMM. Get in the oven already so I can eat you.

Grease up the muffin pan. 

I use olive oil. You can use any type of vegetable oil, however.

Pop them babies in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Mine were done in 15 minutes, with the tops just barely beginning to brown in tiny spots. That's the way uh huh uh huh I like em'.

Aw h'yea. So great. 

Wrap those tasty goodies for the go, but leave the wine at home...


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