#alligator sausage

[rabbitcruiser]

National Something On a Stick Day 

Skewer your cravings with delicious foods impaled on a stick! From corn dogs to kebabs, food on a stick is a portable and fun way to snack and dine.

No, this day is not talking about mops or brooms (although it’s certainly good to be very thankful for them, of course!) but National Something On a Stick Day is all about celebrating foods that people love to eat – and this amazing food just happens to come on a stick!

Because, who doesn’t love relaxed finger food that can be picked up by the stick and eaten? Whether it’s a toffee apple, camp-fire sausage, cheese cubes on a toothpick, an ice cream bar, lollipop or other lovely treats, feel free to indulge in them in celebration of National Something on a Stick Day! Or why not try the favorite American food on a stick if it’s possible – the famous corn dog?

History of National Something on a Stick Day

For thousands of years, people have been using skewers and sticks as a useful tool for cooking food, before forks were even thought of. In fact, single sticks were used in Ancient China as a predecessor to the use of chopsticks.

The concept of being able to use a stick to hold food over a fire is a clever one, resulting in the ability to cook without the need for pots and pans. From skewers for making kebabs to rotisseries that would slow roast meat on a spit over a fire, sticks have been an important part of food delivery for many years.

In modern times, the idea of not only cooking but also eating food that is presented on a stick is more about convenience. It’s just a simple and easy way to serve something without the need for a plate or utensils.

So forget the fork, because National Something on a Stick Day offers the perfect opportunity to serve and eat foods that work naturally on a stick!

How to Celebrate National Something on a Stick Day

Take advantage of National Something on a Stick Day to round up all sorts of food options to see how well they fit on a stick! Consider some of these ideas for observing the day:

Host a National Something on a Stick Day Party

What about planning an entire meal that includes an appetizer, main course and dessert, all of which are served on sticks? This concept for hosting a dinner party couldn’t be more easy, informal, and fun. And an added bonus is that there is very little cleaning up to do afterwards! What a great theme for a dinner party to have on National Something on a Stick Day!

Although it is certainly fun to revolve the day around the food, there are also some games that might be fun to try out during the party. Adults and kids of all ages can participate by playing games that include “something” on a stick, like pick-up sticks, kick the stick, or three sticks (aka capture the flag).

Get Creative with Food on a Stick

Take the opportunity to celebrate National Something on a Stick Day by thinking outside the box. Sure, it’s possible to serve corn dogs and shish kebabs. But what about some more interesting foods that can be eaten on a stick? Try out some of these ideas:

Fruit Kebabs. Great when served as an appetizer, side dish or dessert, fruit kebabs can be made by stacking strawberries, grapes, watermelon chunks, pineapple pieces and many other varieties of delicious fruit onto a stick.

Waffle Pops. Eating waffles just got a little more fun! Make waffles ahead of time in a round waffle maker, with a stick baked into each quarter. Drizzle with melted chocolate and top with sprinkles.

Chocolate Bacon Skewers. The sweet and savory blend of bacon with chocolate is an amazing combination!

Prosecco Pops. While popsicles are a delicious treat, making them for the adults-only crowd is even more delightful. These are especially tasty when paired with slices of fruit.

Source

[thegoodmorningman]

It doesn't matter what you want. Good Morning!!!

[gonechoo]

Movie Time Tails 030: The End (of the Giggle-o-Grams) Cartoon.

[cookinwithchefavi]

Alligator Po-boy, you say? Absolutely! Grilling or pan-frying fresh ground Louisiana Alligator sausage with this recipe, served with roasted bell peppers, onions and mushrooms. #alligator #sausage #louisiana #nolaeats #cajunchef #poboys #neworleansfood #foodhotography @americapicayunephotography (at Metairie, Louisiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ciqz-umsI16/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[southernfoodtournament]

[felixcloud6288]

Y'know, if I could have any animal as a pet, it would be an alligator. Those scaly, murder sausages are just so adorable in a way I can't explain.

Look at it!

Look with your eyes!

I just want to pet it and scratch its chin.

Did you know gators like chin scratches and purr?

[awholelotofladybug]

(Stammering Adrien AU: Chloe and Katrina getting along? Based on Fate Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei scene)

Marinette: Although Katrina is always hate and despite Chloe, she's actually being nice to Chloe this time.

Adrien: *stammers* I-I guess y-you c-could s-say t-the same w-with Chloe too! S-she's getting a-along w-with K-katrina v-very w-wells. I g-guess th-they're-

(Before Adrien could finished his sentence, both Chloe and Katrina falling into a bottomless swamp)

Marinette, Adrien, Alya and Nino: *sweatdrops*

Alya: A bottomless swamp...

(Both Chloe and Katrina's heads came out from the swamp)

Chloe: *yells* Why is there such a fatal trap in a place like this?!

Katrina: *scowls* What's the meaning of this?

Adrien: *stammers as he pulls Chloe's hand*: C-Chloe!

Marinette: *pulls Katrina's hair* Are you okay, Katrina?

Katrina: *cries* Ow, ow! Why are you pulling my hair, Marinette?!

Nino: Oh, it doesn't look you can pull them out...

Alya: Guys, with a bottomless bog like this, I believe we'll have no problems disposing of the bodies.

Plagg: *inside Adrien's bag* It's not the time to say something like this!

Marinette: Wait, I have an idea. Let's go, guys! Chloe, Katrina, stay here. We'll be back to laters.

(As Marinette, Adrien, Alya and Nino began to hiding in some trees. Chloe and Katrina cried)

Katrina: *cries* Don't leave us here!

Chloe: *cries* Where are you guys going? Come back and pull us out!

(Chloe and Katrina were fighting inside the swamp. While, the Miraculous gang began to transformed)

Chloe: *growls* Stop trying to climb up me!

Katrina: *screams* You thinks I want to climb up to your body, you stupid blonde?!

(Chloe kicked Katrina and Katrina knocked Chloe out while both of them are almost drowning)

Katrina: *growls* That hurts, you stupid blonde!

Chloe: *yells* Let go of me, you sausage-curls! You stay there, I'm getting out first!

Katrina: Why, you...

(They were almost drowning inside the swamp)

Chloe: *glares at Katrina* I won't let you get out before me!

(Five minutes later)

Chloe and Katrina *drowns but you could still see their hairs outside the swamp* Ughhhhhh...

Ladybug: Chloe! Katrina! Are you guys okay?

Marinette: I don't get it. One minute, Katrina hates Chloe's guts, the next they're practically sisters. You think something's up?

Adrien: Who knows? They s-s-s-seem to be pulling it off though. Maybe Katrina's finally...

*Suddenly, Chloe and Katrina fall into a bottomless swamp*

Marinette: Mon Dieu!

*the gang rushes over to find them*

Marinette: Chloe! Katrina! Are you guys alright?!

*Chloe and Katrina pop out of the water*

Alya: This trap seems a little too convenient. An easy place to hide bodies.

Chloe: Can we PLEASE skip the morbid observations and work towards a rescue?!

Marinette: Wait right here! We'll get help!

*the gang leaves to do just that*

Katrina: Wait! Don't leave!

Chloe: Guys! There are SNAKES and ALLIGATORS down here!!!

Katrina: Oh, this is hopeless! I knew this would backfire!

Chloe: Backfire?! Wait, you were a PART OF THIS?! You know what, don't answer. I already know. This has your deranged uncle's fingerprints all over it.

Katrina: W-What?! Wh-Who told you about my Uncle Anton?

Chloe: Katrina, your mom's maiden name is Moreau, and there are, like, four other people in Paris with that name. It took me twelve seconds on the Internet. I'm not stupid.

Katrina: *gets angry* Could've fooled me, you dumb blonde *shoves her*

Chloe: Hey! Don't you shove me! *shoves back*

Katrina: Well then you stop shoving me! *shoves back harder*

*Thus begins a fight between the two, which causes them to sink, only for a yo-yo to pull them out*

Chloe: *coughing and pulling seaweed off of herself*

Ladybug: Are you girls okay?

Chloe: *panting* I'm fine. Katrina, look, I know that... *sees that Katrina has made a run for it* Katrina!

Chat: Let her g-g-go. We'll deal with her later.

*Katrina turns down a dark alley, and pants then panics as Bogeyman (aka her uncle Anton) appears*

Katrina: Uncle, I-I-I-I can explain...

Bogeyman: Explain what?! That you jeopardized my plan because you forgot that you were only pretending to like Bourgeois?! Criminy, Katrina, you're supposed to be smarter than this!

Katrina: Hey! It was YOUR stupid idea to make some sort of dumb swamp deathtrap, and maybe a warning could have... *gets grabbed by her uncle*

Bogeyman: Are you talking back to me?

Katrina: Uh.. I-I-I-I...

Bogeyman: *eyes glowing bright red* ARE YOU TALKING BACK TO ME?!

Katrina: N-No, I'm not! I'm sorry!

Bogeyman: *softens* Look, my little dandelion, please understand, that I have long-term plans, and they're all for you. To give you what you deserve, remember? But they can only work if you do what I say.

Katrina: Yes, Uncle Anton...

Bogeyman: So follow my instructions as closely as possible, understand?

Katrina: Yes, Uncle Anton...

Bogeyman: Good girl. Now you run along and remember, this is between you and me, okay?

Katrina: Y-Yes, Uncle Anton.

*Bogeyman slips into the shadows and disappears*

[atsadi-shenanigans]

Feeding Alligators 17 - Panties!

You and Gale chat about linguistics. Astarion has elf ears and thus, elf hearing. Ruh-roh.

Rated M for language and violence. Still not for smut, because when I said this was a slow burn, I meant it and also Eleanor is demisexual, so does not compute for her (yet).

On AO3.

You don’t make it much further before calling quits. Between your horror vomiting, Lae’zel’s brush with acid, and the rest of the party being generally wrung out from killing a wholeass owlbear, y’all are beat.

Camp is in a pretty, little clearing just off the trail. The grass is soft—and joyously free of ticks—with patches of pretty, yellow flowers. It’s a clear night; the moon is a great, big silver plate, and the spray of unfamiliar stars overhead shine bright and crystalline.

While Lae’zel scrapes the brains out of the skull of the owlbear, the others hunker down for a good and proper soup. It’s mostly vegetables, with sliced sausages, and you’re so, so fucking thankful Gale kept spices in his magical go bag. More than salt and pepper, too. You’re picking up traces of chili powder, paprika, and even a taste of cumin, you think. Not bad at all.

After your meal, y’all sit around for a bit. Astarion returns from scouting and takes his bowl back to his tent. Mr. Fancypants doesn’t like eating with commoners. It’s the first night everyone’s free, not working on spells or meditating or sulking alone. But the mood is still heavy and subdued.

Fucking cults will do that.

You wonder if your group’d listen to White people ghost stories—the Cherokee ones you do not tell at night out in the open.

You kick back and stare at the red line dancing around the edges of the embers.

Your stomach is still sore; throat still scratchy. And your headache is a constant grind. Must be the brainworm chewing on your gray-meats. The others hide their own discomfort pretty good—though that might just be the whole “not human” thing. Except Gale is human. Does he have wizard ibuprofen?

You stare into the fire some more and resist the urge to palm your right eye and press until you see sparkles.

The next thing you know, everyone has moved around the fire.

You sit up. Look around. Shadowheart and Lae’zel are arguing over the importance of keeping trophies (which Shadowheart dismisses as barbaric nonsense). Astarion is now standing outside his tent with a book propped open on one arm. You literally blinked and they all moved. What the fu—

“Are you alright?” Gale says. He was opposite you on the whole other side of the fire. Now he leans on the same fallen log you rest against with his own book sitting in his lap.

“I,” you say. You lost time. You completely lost, at minimum, several minutes. You try to breathe normal, instead of panting like a sick dog. “Yeah. I just…zoned out pretty good right there.”

Gale frowns. “’Zone?’ How would you use area as a verb?”

God, your head hurts.

You flap a hand. “Means I wasn’t paying attention, is all. D’you, you got anything for a headache? The stress has got my neck wound so tight it could crack a walnut.”

“Mmm, I don’t think so. Shadowheart may have an easier time of it. Are you…?”

He pauses. There’s more than confusion etched into his brow. It looks suspiciously like concern.

“Are you having any other symptoms?” he says in a low voice.

You look at him until it clicks. The whole face melting thing. All the stuff he’s described.

“No, no,” you say. “I don’t think it’s any of that. I woke up with this back on the butthole—I mean, the nautiloid.”

But his eyebrows have already shot up to his hairline. “The what? I’m not sure that translated accurately.”

Oh shit.

You groan. “No, it probably did. It’s what I been calling the nautiloid, before I learned its name. The doors on there looked like, well, buttholes. So I just went with it.”

His mouth opens. No words come out. You’ve shocked Mr. Verbose into silence. You almost give yourself a high five.

“I named all you’uns,” you continue, a bit more of Uncle Randy’s vernacular slipping in. It feels nice, letting your tongue slide back into that cadence. Feels like relaxing. Once you’d moved away, you tried to soften your country accent, fold it up into neat, shortened northern.

“I can only hope it was more sophisticated than your naming convention for the ship,” Gale says.

“You were mumu.” You wait. His expression doesn’t change, so the dirt potion must not’ve had a decent replacement for that. So you explain it, and by the end, he’s got a wry sort of smile.

“I can state with full confidence I’ve been called much worse,” Gale says. “Though it is a slight blow to my ego that I couldn’t impress any of my more noteworthy traits over my wardrobe.”

“It was either that or mullet.”

Having explained that, he proceeds to quiz you on the others, stumbling only over “goth.” But educated on that, he agrees with you on all counts.

“We’d been calling you Tav,” he says. At your blank face, “It’s a name used for orphans or someone whose name isn’t known, usually due to illness or injury. Quite common.”

Tav. It’s…their version of Jane Doe?

Then Gale’s face twists up. You can’t tell if it’s some flavor of perplexed, or if there’s a hint of amusement around his eyes. “Though I am curious how you’d gotten a glimpse at Astarion’s pants?”

You stare. Twist to find Astarion lounging on a nest of pillows he’s somehow managed to collect—he stole them from the tieflings, didn’t he.

“He’s wearing them?” you say and gesture with your thumb.

Gale’s whole face opens in surprise (relief?). “Ah! Another translation quirk. We call the outer garments trousers. The inner clothing is called pants, or smallclothes.”

You sit there. He’s definitely amused, now. Because you’ve been calling Astarion ‘Fancy Underwear.’ Good god. You’re so glad you figured that one out with Gale.

“Right,” you say. Your face definitely doesn’t feel warm. Not at all.

“Apologies for the distraction, and back to your headache. So you have no other symptoms.”

“I mean.” You gesture to your face, which as far as you can tell by touch is still your face. Goddamn, you haven’t had a proper bath in days. At least y’all are camped next to a stream; you can keep on dunking yourself as best you can. Still, no moisturizer or shampoo. Your elbows are getting rough.

“It’s all rather odd,” Gale says. “We should be halfway through the gestational process, yet none of us—aside from possibly you—have shown any sign of it. Either your being from a different plane has made you more susceptible, or our own physiology has shielded the rest of us. But Lae’zel isn’t a local, either, and even you aren’t following the standard process, as I understand it.”

He studies you a long moment. His lips press thin. But then he sighs and shakes his head.

“No, I don’t think you alone are going through the melt-change-condition.” You catch the vague shape of the actual word he uses behind the magical translation, but can’t suss it out. “I think it safe to assume this is merely the stress from all of this. I would suggest you find a way to relax, but, well.”

Lae’zel has finished both her scraping and her argument. She settles down next to a big, stone wheel that starts to spin as her foot taps a pedal. You watch, curiously, until she lifts her brains-scraping knife and you realize that sumbitch is a fucking grinder.

The noise shoots right through your eyeball to lodge deep in your aching brain.

“Nice talk, Gale, I’m getting out of here,” you say.

He winces next to you. Nods. “I’ll retire to my tent and see if I can’t come up with something in my stores to help with that ache of yours. In your head. That you mentioned.”

He rolls to his feet super spry for someone with gray streaks in his hair. He gives a little bow with his head, which you return with a nod as you make your way to the opposite side of the camp from Lae’zel.

Which happens to be where Astarion has set himself up for the night. Almost like he didn’t want to be around someone scooping out a dead owlbear head.

He glances up as you near. Watches you sink down into the grass nearby. You pause for a moment, considering, and flop onto your back in a full sprawl beneath the stars.

You don’t say anything. Neither does he, for a long moment. He flips a page. The pounding in your brain begins to unclench. Turns another page.

“So,” he says in a fucking tone.

“Oh god,” you say preemptively.

“You think my pants are fancy?”

Fucking elf ears. Of course he fucking heard you. Of fucking course.

You cover your face with one arm. “Would you stop if I said it was a mistranslation and I meant your trousers?”

“Whyever would I do that?”

Whyever would he. The man is a fucking menace.

Thing is, you’ve been so polite and quiet this whole time (until today, really). But Mother and the other leadership saw something in you, even as a child. And they weren’t exactly wrong about it (just the part where it was bad bad sinful bad the devil shame shame bad).

You turn to squint at him through the throbbing in your skull. “Are they?”

“Are what, dear?”

“Your underwear. Are they fancy?”

Bitch doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. He wants to give some, he better be able to take some.

You almost miss his hesitation, it’s so fast. Then his malicious smirk is back on and he snaps his book shut. Spins to face you. “They are, actually. I would ask the same of you, but I’m rather sure you’re not wearing any.”

“Nope,” you say, popping the “p” and waggling your legs back and forth in the grass. Outbrazen that, chucklefuck.

His mask doesn’t even crack. Not a flinch, not a micro expression; the man is stone cold fucking with you. “Are those not a norm in your realm, either?”

“Oh, they are, I just didn’t have them on me when I got grabbed.” Let him wonder about that. Dare him to fucking ask. The reason is you were asleep, but he doesn’t know that. “Unless we find some kinda clothing store soon, I think I’m gonna have to make some myself.”

He leans forward to rest an elbow on his bent knee. “I could help you with that, you know.”

You…can’t tell if he’s being serious.

“I ain’t wearing your drawers, fancy man. You only got the one pair anyway, unless you’re walk around with spares in your pockets.”

To this, he grimaces. “I didn’t need the reminder. All the material we’ve come across has been roughspun, mildewed, or both. Not a scrap of silk to be seen anywhere.”

You turn your head to frown at him for a long moment. Because yeah, that tracks. Of course this floof-haired, ridiculous city man wears silk drawers. You should not be so surprised at this. But also…

“You expecting to find you some silk out here in the boonies?” you say.

Now it’s his turn to frown. You watch his lips form the word “boonies.”

“Outside the city,” you say. “Back woods, back water, the sticks, wilderness, middle of fucking nowhere.”

“Hmm. No, I suppose I didn’t. People travel through here, but not the sort to own any apparel worth salvaging, would they? No, you’re correct.”

You say nothing to that. Content to lie beneath the moon and let the conversation about y’all’s panties die a quiet, natural death.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch his head tilt. He’s watching you.

“That was a clever little plan, back there,” he says after a moment. “I dare say, you thought further ahead than any of the others regarding those cultists. And regarding how to deal with them. It was very clean—efficient, even if their deaths were very much not. It’s a shame you had to leave us so quickly back in that den.”

To vomit.

You’re not gonna out-edgey the edgelord here. Simpler to go for the boring answers. “Ain’t used to seeing something like that. Horror is a normal response to people getting torn up back where I come from.”

“Mmm. Sounds terribly dull. And yet, for someone so inexperienced,” he makes some gesture that either their version of air quotes or him just being a theater kid, “you came to that conclusion quickly and you saw it through. Against some objections, even.”

Objections from half of them. Or only Gale, really, as the only part Lae’zel hadn’t liked was the sneak factor. She seemed pleased as punch when then owlbear turned on y’all and she got to hack it to pieces.

And Gale got over it all well enough to come hang out with you at camp.

These fucking people.

And goddamnit, you’re fitting in.

You find him with his chin propped up, his gaze fixed on you.

“I have never, in my life, had to deal with this kinda shit before,” you say. “I’m just…getting ideas as we go along and trying not to die.”

“Quite vicious ideas.”

Your neck is hot. You turn away, point your face at the sky as if the cold starlight will chill the head building over your cheeks.

He’s not wrong. You have a ruthless streak, you know. Part of your whole healing process was recognizing and accepting that part of yourself. And you had. And now, you wonder if that is part of the problem. If you hadn’t just gone down into your mental basement to feed the monsters there, but you’d pulled up that cellar door and leapt in yourself.

You feel guilt, for sure. But you already know you’d do it again. You’d put up that ruthless streak in a shoebox and set it up on a tall shelf in a back closet in your brain. But now you went and you opened that up, and it’s working for you. It’s a tool and a weapon, and it might be your best shot at surviving all this.

“Your ideas got you out of that crash,” Astarion says. “They kept you with all of us, saved you from that bandit, and effectively took control of our little band of miscreants.”

“What? I’m not—”

You didn’t take control. Did you? They went along with one horrible idea. Or two, actually, with Kahga. Except there were several ideas involved in that—

You’re not the leader.

You’re not.

“And even now, that mind of yours is plotting out our continued survival, isn’t it?” he says. “You might be a useful person to know.”

“Well thank you, darlin,’” you drawl.

He makes a sound that forces your attention back to him. You catch his eyebrows raised, eyes round. The laugh is more of a snort, and he seems as surprised at it as he does at…whatever caused it.

Oh.

Oh fuck.

“That’s just a saying,” you start.

But he’s already waving it off. “Not to worry. I believe I’ll leave you to your little respite away from that cacophony. Take a walk and get some air, myself.”

Oh shit, you weirded him out. It’s just a phrase. Old, southern ladies you’ve never met call you “sugar” and “honey” all the time.

He stands. Sweeps the wrinkles out of his clothes—mostly his silly, frilly shirt. Then he gives you some ridiculous, over-the-top, one-arm-in-the-air courtly bow. “Do sleep tight, darling.”

He wanders off. The wind hisses in the trees. Lae’zel’s grinder screeches like a thousand souls of the damned, and your brain worm nibbles contentedly at a piece of your pre-frontal cortex.

“Jesus christ,” you say and roll over to lie face down in the grass.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Something On a Stick Day 

Skewer your cravings with delicious foods impaled on a stick! From corn dogs to kebabs, food on a stick is a portable and fun way to snack and dine.

No, this day is not talking about mops or brooms (although it’s certainly good to be very thankful for them, of course!) but National Something On a Stick Day is all about celebrating foods that people love to eat – and this amazing food just happens to come on a stick!

Because, who doesn’t love relaxed finger food that can be picked up by the stick and eaten? Whether it’s a toffee apple, camp-fire sausage, cheese cubes on a toothpick, an ice cream bar, lollipop or other lovely treats, feel free to indulge in them in celebration of National Something on a Stick Day! Or why not try the favorite American food on a stick if it’s possible – the famous corn dog?

History of National Something on a Stick Day

For thousands of years, people have been using skewers and sticks as a useful tool for cooking food, before forks were even thought of. In fact, single sticks were used in Ancient China as a predecessor to the use of chopsticks.

The concept of being able to use a stick to hold food over a fire is a clever one, resulting in the ability to cook without the need for pots and pans. From skewers for making kebabs to rotisseries that would slow roast meat on a spit over a fire, sticks have been an important part of food delivery for many years.

In modern times, the idea of not only cooking but also eating food that is presented on a stick is more about convenience. It’s just a simple and easy way to serve something without the need for a plate or utensils.

So forget the fork, because National Something on a Stick Day offers the perfect opportunity to serve and eat foods that work naturally on a stick!

How to Celebrate National Something on a Stick Day

Take advantage of National Something on a Stick Day to round up all sorts of food options to see how well they fit on a stick! Consider some of these ideas for observing the day:

Host a National Something on a Stick Day Party

What about planning an entire meal that includes an appetizer, main course and dessert, all of which are served on sticks? This concept for hosting a dinner party couldn’t be more easy, informal, and fun. And an added bonus is that there is very little cleaning up to do afterwards! What a great theme for a dinner party to have on National Something on a Stick Day!

Although it is certainly fun to revolve the day around the food, there are also some games that might be fun to try out during the party. Adults and kids of all ages can participate by playing games that include “something” on a stick, like pick-up sticks, kick the stick, or three sticks (aka capture the flag).

Get Creative with Food on a Stick

Take the opportunity to celebrate National Something on a Stick Day by thinking outside the box. Sure, it’s possible to serve corn dogs and shish kebabs. But what about some more interesting foods that can be eaten on a stick? Try out some of these ideas:

Fruit Kebabs. Great when served as an appetizer, side dish or dessert, fruit kebabs can be made by stacking strawberries, grapes, watermelon chunks, pineapple pieces and many other varieties of delicious fruit onto a stick.

Waffle Pops. Eating waffles just got a little more fun! Make waffles ahead of time in a round waffle maker, with a stick baked into each quarter. Drizzle with melted chocolate and top with sprinkles.

Chocolate Bacon Skewers. The sweet and savory blend of bacon with chocolate is an amazing combination!

Prosecco Pops. While popsicles are a delicious treat, making them for the adults-only crowd is even more delightful. These are especially tasty when paired with slices of fruit.

Source

[grandmamarieslouisianakitchen]

Culinary Cousins: Louisiana's Culinary Kaleidoscope of Cajun and Creole

Welcome back to our Louisiana kitchen, cher! Let’s delve into a topic close to my heart – the captivating world of Cajun and Creole cuisines. While these two culinary traditions share the same vibrant home, there are nuances that make each one a unique celebration of flavor.

Similarities

Most cousins share some traits and us Cajuns and Creoles? Well, now, we aren’t that different.

Rich Heritage Both Cajun and Creole cuisines are born from the rich cultural tapestry of Louisiana. They intertwine elements from French, Spanish, African, and Native American traditions, creating a delicious mosaic that reflects our diverse history.

Holy Trinity The "Holy Trinity" – a medley of bell peppers, onions, and celery in the heart of both cuisines. This aromatic trio serves as the flavor foundation for many dishes, providing depth and character to Cajun gumbos and Creole étouffées.

Rice Is A Staple Rice is a fundamental component in both Cajun and Creole cooking. Whether it's a bed for gumbo or jambalaya or a side dish, rice ties these culinary traditions together.

Differences

Everyone has their differences, even something as small as ordering a Dr. Pepper instead of a Big Shot. (It happens.)

Geographic Roots One key distinction lies in their geographic roots. Cajun cuisine hails from the rural areas of Louisiana, particularly the Acadiana region, while Creole cuisine originates in the urban centers, primarily New Orleans.

Influences and Ingredients Cajun cuisine often leans towards heartier, rustic fare with influences from the French countryside. Game meats, seafood, and ingredients like andouille sausage are staples. On the other hand, Creole cuisine showcases more refined flavors, often incorporating tomatoes, fine herbs, and a variety of spices.

Cooking Techniques The cooking techniques also set them apart. Due to their rural roots, Cajun dishes are often one-pot wonders simmered to develop robust flavors. In Creole cuisine, you might find more intricate sauces and delicate preparations, showcasing the finesse of French culinary techniques.

Global Influences in Creole Being born in a melting pot like New Orleans, Creole cuisine has been influenced by a broader array of international flavors. Spanish, African, Caribbean, and Italian influences are more pronounced in Creole dishes, offering a diverse and eclectic culinary experience.

In the end, both Cajun and Creole cuisines share a love for bold, flavorful dishes that bring people together. Whether you're simmering a gumbo on the bayou or enjoying a Creole-inspired feast in the heart of New Orleans, you're partaking in the magic of Louisiana's culinary heritage.

Jambalaya: A Culinary Symphony

The iconic Jambalaya is one dish that is beloved by both Cajun and Creole communities. Jambalaya reflects the diverse cultural influences and rich culinary heritage of Louisiana. While there may be variations in the recipes between Cajun and Creole versions, the heart of the dish remains a shared love for bold flavors and hearty, one-pot creations.

Cajun Jambalaya

Ingredients Typically, it includes andouille sausage, chicken, and sometimes game meats like rabbit or alligator. It's seasoned with a robust blend of spices, and the trinity of onions, bell peppers, and celery forms the flavor base.

Cooking Style Cajun jambalaya often features a brown roux for added depth and a rustic, hearty feel. It's a flavorful dish that reflects the down-to-earth, rural roots of Cajun cuisine.

Creole Jambalaya

Ingredients Creole jambalaya may include a mix of proteins like shrimp, ham, and smoked sausage. Tomatoes are a distinguishing feature, giving the dish a slightly reddish hue. The trinity is present, but green bell peppers are more common.

Cooking Style Creole jambalaya tends to have a lighter, tomato-based sauce. The cooking style aligns more with the sophisticated techniques often associated with Creole cuisine.

Despite these variations, the essence of jambalaya as a communal, flavorful dish that brings people together is a shared sentiment in both Cajun and Creole communities.

It truly reflects Louisiana's cultural melting pot, where diverse influences meld into a harmonious culinary symphony. 

Whether enjoyed at a family gathering, a festival, or a casual dinner, jambalaya embodies the spirit of Louisiana's love for good food, good company, and good times.

Cajun Jambalaya Recipe

This Jambalaya is a meal that brings folks together, so gather your loved ones and savor the taste of Louisiana's heart and soul. 

Ingredients

1 lb andouille sausage, sliced

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 bell pepper, diced

3 celery stalks, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and black pepper to taste

Green onions, chopped, for garnish

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Prepare Ingredients

Slice the andouille sausage.

Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.

Chop onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, green onions, and parsley.

Sear Meats

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, sear the andouille sausage over medium-high heat until browned. Remove and set aside.

In the same pot, add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Sauté Vegetables

In the same pot, add a bit of oil if needed. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic until softened.

Build Flavors

Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook for a few minutes.

Add Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, and dried oregano. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Combine Ingredients

Return the seared andouille sausage and chicken to the pot.

Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with the flavorful mixture.

Simmer

Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is cooked and has absorbed the liquid. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Serve

Once the rice is tender, remove the pot from heat.

Garnish with chopped green onions and fresh parsley.

Enjoy

Serve hot, and enjoy the flavorful goodness of Cajun Jambalaya!

Nutritional Information

(Per Serving, Assuming 6 Servings)

Remember that the nutritional values are approximate and can vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes. The values provided are for one serving of Cajun Jambalaya, assuming the recipe makes approximately six servings.

Calories: Approximately 450-500 calories

Total Fat: 20-25g

Saturated Fat: 7-9g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 80-90mg

Sodium: 1200-1400mg

Total Carbohydrates: 35-40g

Dietary Fiber: 2-3g

Sugars: 3-4g

Protein: 20-25g

Note

The nutritional values can vary based on the specific brands and types of andouille sausage, chicken, rice, and other ingredients used.

Adjustments, such as using leaner sausage or brown rice, can impact the nutritional content.

For precise nutritional information, especially if you have specific dietary considerations, it's advisable to use a nutrition calculator with the exact brands and quantities of ingredients you use. 

Until next time, I wish you warmth and flavor!

[gonechoo]

Movie Time Tails 029: Food Escape!

[hermitcrossovers]

Sausage arrived slightly after Katherine did so she could help Shelby. The 2 stared at the wall where the Faxe Pearl stood, unmoving uncaring. Katherine turned to sausage.

"What is that thing, Sausage!"

Sausage looked at the creature, as it looked up slowly.

"Um.... so I was doing some prayers and may have summoned..her"

Katherine looked at him.

"So it's a demon!?"

"Not exactly"

Then a 3rd voice cut in.

"You morons done? I'm leaving"

Shelby spoke up, "don't you try, that barrier will kill you!"

The fake Pearl stared at her... pulled thier hand back... and punched a hole in the barrier.

They all stood back all in shock at the event. Katherine looked at sausage.

"What is this thing Sausage!?"

"A warrior of Sainta Pearla, the emptiness of death, a fragment, Core... imbodyment of Hardcore mode.... she's here because I summoned her." He didn't need to tell him the rest. That wasn't important enough.

They didn't need to know that many Pearls from many timeliness were here. Not with Cores blades forming to cut them all down

sausage stepped forward, his shield knocking aside the oncoming blades.

sausage snapped at katherine and shubble, "get to the sanctuary. it's been warded against people like these. i will hold her off as long as possible."

katherine frowned, opening her mouth to argue back that she was just as capable at fighting as him.

"katherine," shubble's voice was steady as a alligator in the water, "as soon as this circle turns blue, jump in. fake pearl can't follow us. i tied it to only allow our player codes through."

fake pearl was not standing by idly during their conversation. she tested the strength of sausage's shield and katherine's axe defence, gaining more confidence over time as more of her attacks got through.

"it's blue! im going in first," shubble called out. katherine and sausage slowly backed away with katherine slipping first. fake pearl landed one final hit, glancing off sausage's shoulder as he fell backwards into the portal.

-mod tides

[tigersharks]

God i love alligator sausage

[modeus-the-unbound]

You like spicy food?

Yes! I love spicy food. Louisiana culture is like 60% food, and we love tabasco sauce, and all kinds of other hot foods.

Now one of what I am gonna list off, are things I can't eat. (Shellfish allergy) but I have seen people go banana's over.

This is Boudin (pronounced Boo-dan) sausage. Take your normal pork stuffed sausage, but replace some of the meat with rice, yellow onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, thyme, bell peppers, and black pepper. It is delicious. But the best version of this I ever had was when the gas station across from my work had a cajun kid employed there, so he would bring some of his uncle's Alligator boudin. Yes, alligator meat.

Meet Shrimp Etouffee, (meaning smothered shrimp) the the liquid is two parts, one of it is the etoufee, which is called that cause its cooked shorter than stew, but longer than a sauce. And the second half is hot sauce, just straight up whatever hot sauce ya want. With onion, celery, and green peppers mixed into the rice.

If your not a fan of sauced foods, then Jambalaya is better. Same trio of onion, celery, and green pepper mixed into rice. But now you got a mix of sausage and chicken. This one is great with some cayanne pepper or just diced jalapeno's if you wanna go mild.

[sins-of-the-sea]

"Why am I the one tasked to carry the Straight Man ball tonight?"

"Because the one who usually is tasked to hold it is in a figurative coma."

"......... Tag, you're it." Gio throws the Straight Man ball at Rashid.

"Don't give it to me!" Rashid throws it at Abena. "You hold it, you're the sole woman in this sausage bin!"

"But I'm sick of having to abide by the Women are Wiser trope! I can be capable of comedy and antics too! You hold it, you're the eldest!" She tosses it back to Rashid.

"I'm the Crew drunk!" Tosses to Gio. "Take it back, you're the ship cook and therefore it's your obligation to snark at us at every opportunity!"

"I do more than cook around this ship! I'm much younger than you both and I'm supposed to look up to you!" Tosses it to Rashid.

"You're chronologically older than both of us by at least a century!" Tossed back to Gio.

"I'm 'Shagua', remember?! That means I'm the crew idiot!" Tossed back at Abena.

"I'm the one who burns the galley just pouring milk in a cereal bowl!" To Rashid.

"I can't walk two feet without falling in a ditch covered in alligator bites crying about my ex-wife!" And the ball gets tossed around again.

All of this is happening, and Ruixiong frowns. "I hate how they never think I can handle holding the Straight Man ball."

Suffer. All of you.

[icebear4president]

Cajun dishes that I recommend when coming to any of the Acadiana parishes :)

1. Meatball Fricasse-thick roux gravy with meatballs made from ground beef. Served over rice.

2. Gumbo-light roux gravy and can be chicken and sausage(my fav), seafood and egg(mostly during lent), and okra(ewww). Served over rice.

3. Crawfish/Shrimp etouffee-crawfish or shrimp cooked in a cream of mushroom and Rotel gravy. Served over rice.

4. Sausage and tomato gravy-Sausage (preferably deer or green) cooked in a tomato paste and rotel gravy. Served over rice.

5. Boudin-Rice dressing stuffed in pig gut casing

6. Cracklins-Fried pig skin with the fat attached

7. Jambalaya: Rice soaked in a very light roux gravy mixed with sausage and chicken.

8. Corn maque choux: corn with peppers and onions. (I don’t like it).

9. Fried alligator: You can get it fried in a ball shape or, if you’re feeling fancy, on a stick.