When the crawfish season begins, you can order them from us as well. Oh, and sometimes, I like to offer some pasta dishes as well on my Mardi Gras buffet. Check out the pasta sauces we have to offer. BUT, if you want to experiment, I’ll share a recipe for a pasta dish that I sometimes whip up at the last minute. I’m a spaghetti lover and came up with this combination. Rather than using a tomato-based sauce, I opted for red bell peppers and prosciutto. You can make it your own but adding ingredients you have on hand. You can use ham and mushrooms!

Spaghetti with red peppers and prosciutto

Makes 8 to 10 servings

• 1 stick butter
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 large red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cubed
• 5 ounces prosciutto, chopped
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves, or 2 tablespoons dried, crumbled
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 4 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves, or 3 teaspoons dried, crumbled
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 pound spaghettini

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat four tablespoons of the butter with the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, prosciutto and onions and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.

Add the basil, parsley, oregano and garlic. Cook, stirring, for two minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the stock, lemon juice and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about six minutes.

Remove from heat. Cover and let stand.

Cook the spaghettini in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the remaining four tablespoons butter. Pour the sauce over and mix well. Serve warm. Pass the cheese separately.

Also, let me share with you another suggestion for those of you who might want to do something a little different. Fry up or your chicken nuggets or strips (or order them from you-know-who) and serve them with a dipping sauce made by combining equal amounts of mayonnaise and ketchup, then spike it up with your favorite hot sauce. The dipping sauce can also be used on fried fish, boiled shrimp and yes, even fried crawfish tails. YUM!