Host your own Mardi Gras Celebration!

Mardi Gras, French for "Fat Tuesday", refers to the celebration of eating rich, fatty foods before Lent begins on "Ash Wednesday". This holiday is celebrated throughout the world with carnivals, sporting events, parades and wearing different masks/costumes. In 2013, Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday is Tuesday, February 12th. 

First on the list for creating your own Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday Celebration, making the drinks! The best cocktail to make for Mardi Gras is a Traditional New Orleans Hurricane and the best place to have one is at Pat O'Brien's on Bourbon Street where it was created, but we'll have to settle for this recipe instead. 

www.neworleansonline.com

Traditional Hurricane Recipe: (www.newsorleansonline.com)

• 2 oz light rum
• 2 oz dark rum
• 2 oz passion fruit juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon simple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon grenadine
• Garnish: orange slice and cherry

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a Hurricane glass filled with ice. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

New Orleans food is normally very spicy & rich in flavor. If you don't want to try a whole new recipe, try cooking fish, chicken or shrimp with blackening, Cajun or creole spices (can be found in the spices/baking aisle at the grocery store). If you are in the mood to try something new, here are two New Orlean's inspired recipes to try for this holiday:

Paula Deen's Jambalaya

Spicy New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

For dessert, it wouldn't be Mardi Gras without King Cake! This cinnamon roll cake with frosting and sugars is associated with Christmas in some regions of the world and then associated with the Mardi Gras celebration for the United States. There are now several different styles of the traditional Louisiana cake, but here is a very easy recipe to try for your Mardi Gras celebration.

Easy King Cake (Various Sources) 

• 1 can Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls with icing
• yellow, purple & green sugars

Image taken from Eatathomecooks.com

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a bundt pan or round cake pan. Unroll each cinnamon roll, fold each in half and slightly twist. Then place in the pan. Repeat with each roll to make a circle. Bake 15-20 minutes. Allow the cake to cool then put on icing and sugars and serve.

If you want to get in the true Mardi Gras spirit, pick up some masks, feather boas and beads for your celebration. A fun kids craft would be to pick up pastic masks at Michael's or A.C. Moore and have them decorate their own mask. Once they are all decorated, host your own parade! 

Party City is another great source for Mardi Gras celebration items.

"Mardi Gras is the love of life. It is the harmonic convergence of our food, our music, our creativity, our eccentricity, our neighborhoods, and our joy of living. All at once.” 
― Chris Rose, author

Happy Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday everyone!