Bringing the Mardi Gras Spirit to Your Next Party

[kcmckay]

Hi everyone.

So I decided to add a mardi gras theme to my flyer. I've attached flyer for input and use if you like as well. And I'm going to get a bunch of cheap masks and decorations and such to reuse for those that choose the theme and am thinking of using beads as "tickets" for ticket game. But I'm still panning that out and trying to come up with another game to do as well.

But what I need help with is recipes that could be considered mardi gras esque and Louisiana inspired as it's added because of New Orleans trip and though it's not during mardi gras it's what New Orleans is well known for.

So if anyone has any thoughts or ideas to share so I can be prepared if anyone chooses that I'd really appreciate it!

 

[kcmckay]

The attachment didn't upload for some reason. So here we go again! Ok I guess it's too big or something it won't upload! I'll try taking the pics out and doing it that way.

 

[kcmckay]

Ok 3rd times a charm let's see! Ok here you go. In mine though I have little pictures next to each of my titles after Open House and I think I've uploaded it before so I don't know why it wouldn't work now. ThanksHere's the link to original one I posted with pics just so you get better idea.
http://www.chefsuccess.com/f6/need-feedback-60425/

 

[ChefShalon]

I really like how you have choices for people I think I will still that idea lol

 

[kcmckay]

I really like how you have choices for people I think I will still that idea lol

Steal away that's why I posted it! I was very proud of coming up with my own flyer :blushing:that I really didn't "steal" from another! LOL

 

[PamperedMandy2010]

I'm so glad you posted this. I just signed up for this site today but told my director that I was going to do a Mardi Gras theme party to get myself pumped for New Orleans! I found these recipe ideas on here that I was thinking of doing. 3 different versions of King Cake...

Mardi Gras King Cake


1 pkg (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened ( DO NOT USE FAT FREE, but you can use 1/3 less fat)
½ cup Powdered Sugar
½ tsp. Vanilla extract
2 cans (8 oz) Crescent Rolls
1 can Blueberry, cherry or Lemon pie filling ( I have even used a pecan caramel filling)

Glaze:
½ cup Powdered Sugar
1-2 tbsp. Water

Colored Sugar:
Yellow, Green and Purple (red and blue makes purple) food coloring
½ cup sugar for each color

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Separate crescent rolls and arrange like a ring. Spread cream cheese mixture over crescent rolls. Scoop pie filling with large scoop (it will only use about ½ the can) onto the cream cheese mixture. Close the ring and bake until brown.
Mix together powdered sugar and water to make glaze.
Place sugar in 3 different sandwich bags then squeeze 3 drops of food coloring in each bag to make the 3 different colors.
Once king cake is cooled for about 15 minutes drizzle glaze then sprinkle with the 3 different colored sugars.


Easy Cinnamon King Cake
2 cans (9.5 oz) refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls (generic brand)
1 block (8 0z) Cream Cheese
½ cup Powdered Sugar
3 Colored sugars

Separate and unroll cinnamon rolls. Take 3 and braid or twist. Once all are twisted put together to make a ring. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar and pipe into twist. Bake until brown. Glaze and sprinkle sugars.

________________________________________
Ingredients:
2 pkgs refrigerated Crescent Rolls
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla or Almond extract
1 cup (or more to taste) pie filling of your choice in a can

GLAZE:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Colored sugar (purple green and gold for Mardi Gras, or pastel colors for spring, red and green for Christmas, Black and Gold for the Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints!!!, etc)

Using large Pampered Chef Bar Pan, arrange crescent rolls (points outward) slightly overlapping each other. Crescent rolls should form an oval shape in the middle of the Bar Pan, with the long pointed ends hanging off of the Bar pan by about 2 or 3 inches. Sprinkle lightly with flour or powdeed sugar using the Pampered Chef Flour/Sugar Shaker. Seal overlapped crescent rolls using PC Baker's Roller.

Prepare softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla or almond extract in Classic Batter Bowl, and mix until smooth using the Stainless Whisk. Spread mixture onto center of crescent rollls using the Classic Scraper. Generously spread pie filling on top of cream cheese mixture using the Small Scoop.

Fold over the long pointed ends toward the middle, tucking the point under about 1/2 inch and press the pointed end into the center of the crescent roll. Once you have all of the long pointed ends folded over, you should have an oval cake. You may or may not see the filling between the long pointed ends you folded over (depending on how much space you left the individual crescent rolls when you first put them on the Bar Pan).

Sprinke colored sugar on top of the cake, alternating colors as you desire (i.e. Black, Gold, Black, Gold) Bake at 350 until golden brown (approximately 20 or 25 minutes). Remove from oven and show everyone at the party. Not only will it smell simply wonderful, it will look great too! Allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes.

Drizzle glaze over cake and serve.

Colored sugar for people like me who had no idea how to color sugar.

1 cup sugar in a zip lock bag. Add a few drops of your favorite color food coloring, mixing as you see fit to make whatever color you want. Seal the zip lock bag and begin squeezing and mixing the sugar. The food coloring will not clump the sugar, but will turn it to whatever color you want.

And New Orleans-Style Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Smoked sausage, celery, green bell pepper and onion deliver big flavor in a flash. Ingredients:
8 oz (250 g) smoked beef sausage
1 medium onion
2 stalks celery, trimmed
1 medium green bell pepper
8 oz (250 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp (30 mL) Creole Rub
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes (3 1/2 cups/875 mL)
3 cups (750 mL) chicken broth, divided
2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
1 small yellow squash
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Hot cooked rice (optional)
Directions:
Cut sausage in half lengthwise, then into 1/2-inch-thick (1-cm) slices with Chef's Knife. Place sausage into (12-in./30-cm) Skillet; cook over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop onion with Food Chopper. Thinly slice celery and cut bell pepper into 1/2-in. (1-cm) pieces. Cut chicken into 1/2-in. (1-cm) pieces. In Stainless (4-qt./4-L) Mixing Bowl, toss chicken and rub together using Chef's Tongs. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and chicken to Skillet; cook and stir 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is no longer pink in center. Add tomatoes and 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) of the broth to Skillet; cook 3-4 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil.
In (2-cup/500-mL) Prep Bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining broth; whisk with Stainless Mini-Whisk until smooth. Slowly add cornstarch mixture to Skillet; stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice squash with Ultimate Mandoline fitted with adjustable blade set on thickest setting; cut slices into quarters. Add squash and salt to Skillet; cover. Remove from heat; let stand 1 minute. Serve gumbo over hot cooked rice, if desired.
Yield: 6 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 220, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 4.5 g, Cholesterol 45 mg, Carbohydrate 14 g, Protein 17 g, Sodium 1330 mg, Fiber 2 g
AND the drink of choice....hurricanes! MMM Good luck with your shows

 

[pchockeymom]

Try making something cajun with the creole rub. I think the new Soups, Stew, and Chili cookbook has some in it. How about Gumbo!

 

[jkerr]

I just had a request for a mardi gras party! Awesome ideas! I am going to look for more suggestions and Ill post what I find! Thanks for the start!