Spice It Up with a Mardi Gras Menu!

January 2010
Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!

Greetings!

It's Carnival season! Mardi Gras is such a fun, celebratory time complete with the Kings and Queens, parades, Mardi Gras colors, brass bands, beads -- and, of course, great food! In our family, we liked to celebrate Fat Tuesday featuring a festive menu with my mom's special Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo as the main course. I'm happy to share our menu if you want to bring a little "N'Awlins" to your home.

Let the good times roll!

Lee

Lee Clayton Roper

A feast fit for a king!

Mardi Gras is New Orleans' premiere party! It's irresistibly fun, vibrant and sassy. While you might not be able to head South to catch beads or take in the extravaganza of the parades and balls, you can create your own Mardi Gras at home with this festive menu. Be sure to make the Hurricanes - it's an authentic way to get the party started!

Click on each of the menu items to download the recipe or download the full menu on our website. Page numbers are also included for the recipes featured in "A Well-Seasoned Kitchen."

Get the party started!

New Orleans Hurricane Cocktails

Zesty Pimiento Cheese Spread with crackers

Kick it up with a spicy main course!

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo (p. 156)

Spinach Salad

Cornbread

End the evening in style!

Jam Cake with Caramel Frosting - don't forget to bake in the baby charm! Read the online recipe for more about this fun tradition! (p. 238)

Or, make it easy with a purchased King Cake from Haydel's Bakery.

Quick Tip: Cooking with okra

Cooking with the traditional Southern vegetable okra can be tricky. Use frozen okra to keep your dish from getting a slimy texture. If you are using fresh - simply freeze it before slicing and then add it to your gumbo. And, never cook okra in cast iron - it darkens it.

Dress your party with beads and boas!

Want to make the most of your Mardi Gras meal? Buy all your beads, boas, masks and more at local party stores or online.

Check out your local Party City for a full line of Carnival items. To order online, visit Mardi Gras Imports.

A cookbook that celebrates family and food

"A Well-Seasoned Kitchen" is a recipe treasury for all cooks who cherish creating delicious meals to nourish relationships with family and friends. The cookbook was written by Lee Clayton Roper and her mother Sally. The Claytons have long been known for effortless style and smart sensibility when it comes to home cooking and entertaining. So, when Sally began to suffer from the effects of osteoporosis and memory loss, it was natural for Lee to to engage her mother through memories of their shared times in the kitchen. The result of their effort is "A Well-Seasoned Kitchen," a cookbook of classic recipes for today's contemporary cook.

The hardcover cookbook includes 186 recipes, planning menus and helpful tips on 272 pages that feature delicious photos of some of Sally and Lee's favorite dishes. Renowned food photographer Laurie Smith, whose pictures have appeared in Saveur, Food & Wine and many other esteemed publications, shot the photos for "A Well-Seasoned Kitchen."