Mardi Gras Recipes: Cajun Style Meals, Snacks, Drinks and More

Everyone loves Mardi Gras and New Orleans, Louisiana style cooking. To set the mood for cooking up this delicious recipe, may I suggest you pop Randy Newman (Louisiana 1927) or Wynton Marsalis into the CD for some Southern background music.

The best Southern-style product on the market today for that wonderful creole flavor is Zatarains. The best of the bunch is the Creole Rice mix in a box, but the Dirty Rice Mix is also wonderful. You can add hot sausage, chicken or large shrimp to the pot as well as corn and black beans. Make sure your kitchen is well-ventilated with a fan since the smell emanating from your stove top within a half-hour will make your eyes water. The mix is hot enough to feel down home, but not so hot that children cannot enjoy it as well. The box can feed about three people, so you may want to double or triple up for company. Everyone likes it best with Kalbasa or some other greasy and spicey sausage and for this I recommend ordering online from IGourmet.com which has some great imported meats and cheeses. They deliver quickly right to your door in ice-packed cartons.

While the gang is waiting for the main dish, why not serve them slices of Pepper Jack Cheese, large pitted Black Olives and Hot and Spicey Doritos Canjun Style.

The best desserts after a spicey meal like this are tapioca pudding, pecan ice cream or Key Lime Pie. You can find Key Lime Pie in the frozen food isle. While there look for spicey cheese poppers for an after appetizer.

Do not forget the rum, brandy, cigars and wide-brimmed hats. Decorate with lots of colorful plastic beads that the guests can take home with them.