Jambalaya Pasta

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped*
2 bell peppers, chopped*
3-4 stalks celery, chopped*
1lb. Andouille (or other spicy) sausage
2 26 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans Rotel
2 tbsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2-3 tbsp. Garlic Powder
3 tbsp. Salt
1 tbsp. Pepper
2-3 Tbsp. Tony Chachere's (Cajun seasoning - in the green jar at the grocery store)
1 lb. pasta (anything you like, really - I've used penne, rigatoni, and angel hair before)
1 cup half and half
Cheddar Cheese


*You can buy onions, peppers, and celery in bulk when they're on sale, chop them, and freeze them in big gallon ziploc bags. If you're cooking veggies, you can definitely do this and you won't ever be able to tell the difference between fresh and frozen. Much cheaper, and you only have to deal with crying from onions once every few months!

Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Put olive oil in a large, deep skillet and let it heat up over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery and let them get soft (you might want to add some salt to help them soften up). When veggies are soft and have some color, add the sausage. Let the sausage cook through. When the sausage is brown, add crushed tomatoes and Rotel. Add red pepper flakes, Tony Chachere's, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drop the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce is heated. Add the half and half and mix sauce with pasta. Top with cheddar cheese right before serving.

Credit: Lambert's Lately