Our annual Mardi Gras dinner at home is one of our favorite meals of the year. The boys said I need to it more often and they are right!
New Orleans School of Cooking Jambalaya
Once again, I made jambalaya for our main course using the recipe we learned at the New Orleans School of Cooking. That was such an incredible experience!!
- Oil
- 4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 package smoked sausage (not andouille but kielbasa)
- 2 c chopped onions
- 1 c chopped celery
- 1 c chopped bell pepper
- 2T chopped garlic
- 1T Kitchen Bouquet
- 2 c long grain rice
- 5 c chicken stock
- 2T Joe’s Stuff seasoning blend
- chopped green onions, garlic and parsley to garnish
Season and heat the chicken and sausage in oil. Remove from pot, leaving drippings.
Saute onions, celery, pepper and garlic in drippings until tender. Return chicken and sausage to pot. Add Kitchen Bouquet, stock and Joe’s Stuff and bring to a boil.
Add rice, stir together and return to a rapid boil. Stir again and remove from heat and cover. LEt rest for 25 minutes. Remove cover and quickly turn rice from top to bottom completely. Add garnish and serve.
We learned that this is a brown jambalaya recipe AND that the one I’ve been making in prior years is a red jambalaya. That recipe is also delicious and you can find it here:
Manny Randazzo King Cake
For the third year and counting, I had a Manny Randazzo King Cake delivered. After our visit to New Orleans for Mardi Gras 2020, I was reminded just how phenomenal an authentic King Cake tastes, and my boys were crazy for them too. I knew from there on out I’d splurge on the real deal! I still remember my dear friend Brooke’s mom shipping one to the ZTA house each Fat Tuesday. I ordered the cream cheese – something you really can’t even find in Atlanta – and it was ahhhhhh-mazing!
Since I always buy the cake, the boys decided whoever got the baby this year had to take care of the “babies” (ie. Anna and Elsa) for a week. LOL. Guess who got the baby for the first time ever? ME.
Also, Happy Everything finally added a Mardi Gras attachment last year!! So excited. I snagged it from my favorite site – A Dodson’s.
Purple Green and Gold Cocktail
Honey and I enjoyed a festive happy hour before our family dinner. We’ve created a number of Mardi Gras inspired cocktails over the years, but this is our favorite.
- 2 oz king cake vodka
- .5 oz lime juice
- .25 oz simple syrup
- 1 oz grapefruit juice
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- mint leaves to garnish, optional
Add everything to a shaker with ice. Strain into a coupe glass.
Alabama to Louisiana Road Trip
You can find all of the details of our 2020 trip here:
Part 1: Birmingham {Grand Bohemian Hotel & Habitat Feed and Social}
Part 2: Demopolis {Gaineswood Plantation}
Part 3: Point Clear & Fairhope {The Grand Hotel & Mardi Gras}
Part 4: New Orleans {Mother’s Restaurant, Airboat Tour, Mr. B’s Bistro, Voodoo Bonelady Tour}
Part 5: New Orleans {St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, Central Grocery, Cafe du Monde, Preservation Hall & The Grill Room}
Part 6: New Orleans {New Orleans School of Cooking, National WWII Museum, Commander’s Palace}
Part 7: New Orleans {Mardi Gras World, Superior Seafood, Uptown Acorn}
Part 8: New Orleans {Windsor Court Hotel}
If you want some real Mardi Gras eye candy, head over to my bestie Ron’s blog. He’s been sharing all of the details of Mardi Gras 2023!
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Dixie Delights
join me as I travel, decorate, create & celebrate
Instagram | Pinterest
Dixie Travels
perfectly planned trips & our travel adventures
Book Now | Learn More
Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED