( Via: BHG )
You wouldn't exactly know it by the tipsy tourists slinging beads from balconies, but Mardi Gras is fundamentally a religious holiday. In other words, Fat Tuesday can be considered divinely sanctioned binge eating! It's the last day, for some, to indulge in all the booze and beignets one can eat before Lent begins. I have never been to "N'awlins, but after doing this roundup, I want to be there now! If you and I can't be there dancing in the streets, we can at least feast like we are. Scroll down and get ready to Laissez les bon temps rouler!
HERE: 20 Party Perfect Recipes
Commander's Palace Bread Pudding Souffle with Whiskey Sauce
Let's start with dessert first, shall we? Adapted from "Commander's Kitchen," by Ti Martin and Jamie Shannon. This is an authentic recipe.
Martha Stewart
Chicken Étouffée
This just looks like a big bowl of comfort food. It does have a long list of ingredients, and Maple Syrup and beer are two of them.
Wholefully
Tequila Slammer Marshmallows
Forget any past experiences that you may have had with tequila. This dish will change all of that. And how fun is it to drink your dessert?
Masquerade Sugar Cookies
Blue Cheese Lobster Beignets with Spicy Avocado Cream + Garden Veggie Sauté
Boy, a picture does say a 1,000 words, doesn't it? For a girl that has never had a Beignet, this recipe is a good place to start!
Shrimp and Crab Gumbo
A gumbo from chef-owner Donald Link of Herbsaint in New Orleans. This is the real thing made from a roux that with the right amount of cooking becomes coffee colored. Gumbo Yummo!
Food and Wine
Oyster Pot Pie
You can have your chicken pot pie, I'll have this. Let's just say two words - garlic and pecorino cheese. Click the link for more drool worthy ingredients.
Louisiana Cook'n
Lighter Shrimp Po Boys With Avocado Mango Slaw
Instead of being breaded and fried, the shrimp in this recipe has been skillet seared with just a little olive oil. Don't worry, there are plenty of spices, so the flavor is there without the fat!
King Cake Filled Two Ways
A Mardi Gras classic cake that celebrates the season with two different fillings - gooey cinnamon-pecan or a kicked-up cherry bourbon cream cheese. They both sound fabulous.
Lemon - Sugar
Classic New Orleans Remoulade Sauce
If you love mayonnaise, you'll adore this classic French sauce. Louisianans have adapted it for their own by adding spicy creole flavors. Serve it with po'boys, fried shrimp, oysters, crab cakes and catfish.
My Recipes
Bourbon Shrimp and Cheesy Grits Recipe
If you are not a grits fan, like me, this recipe may change your mind. Sounds delish!
Beignets Tiramisu With Chocolate Ganache
Called donuts of the South, beignets are one of the reasons people travel to New Orleans. Teaming these treats up with dark chocolate, coffee, and Kahlua, creates an over the top dessert! I think I will try this one.
Half Baked Harvest
Shrimp and Chorizo Cajun Jambalaya
Fresh and fragrant, this dish is a saucy-spicy mix of shrimp, sausage, rice and veggies. Dinner is done!
Baker By Nature
Passion Fruit Hurricane
Try this, if you can't get to Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans. I have not had one, but they look like fun. They are created with Passion Fruit Juice, which may be hard to find. Amazon has it, if you can't find it locally. Make a big batch, this drink is a crowd pleaser. Cheers!
Spicy Slow Cooker Gumbo
A five star Southern recipe that is made from chicken thighs and okra, just to name a few ingredients. It just looks like it smells and tastes like heaven.
Williams Sonoma
Pain Perdu
New Orleans style French Toast. Ice cream for breakfast? Yes, please!
Food52
Crawfish Bread
This bread has been a New Orleans Jazz Fest favorite for decades. Get the history of the bread at bite and booze. It looks good, right? It might be even better when served with the following dip.....
Louisiana Travel
Hot Crawfish Dip
If it is February, they are eating crawfish in New Orleans. Sounds much like a warm crab dip. That's a good thing.
My Recipes
Crème Brûlée
This traditional French dish has been adopted by the people of New Orleans for many years. There are flavored versions, but Emeril chooses to serve up a classic. Sur La Table has a selection of Torches.
Emeril Lagasse
Cajun Eggs Benedict
I just want to sit down to brunch in the French Quarter and enjoy a beer and this egg dish! It's put together between two chive and cheddar cheese biscuits (recipe included). Andouille sausages are substituted for the Canadian Bacon, which even sound better. A must try.
Life As A Strawberry
Bananas Foster
One of the best desserts ever! This recipe was created in 1951 at the legendary Brennan's restaurant. This boozy, buttery concoction is now a dessert classic.
Saveur
The Sounds Of New Orleans
And finally, if you are having a party or even going to one, you need Harry Connick Jr's. album "Oh My Nola." It is dedicated to his hometown and the horrors it experienced since Hurricane Katrina. Get in the Mardi Gras mood and have a listen at i-Tunes.
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