Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras also called Fat Tuesday refers to events of the Carnival celebrations. beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three King's Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" reflecting the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.

Popular practices on Mardi Gras include wearing masks and costumes, dancing, sports competitions, parades, debauchery, etc. In many areas, the term "Mardi Gras" has come to mean the whole period of activity related to the celebratory events, beyond just the single day. 

Some traditional foods 

A king cake is a type of cake associated in several countries with pre-lenten celebrations of the Mardi Gras Carnival. What started out, roughly 300 years ago, as a dry French bread-type dough with sugar on top and a bean inside is now a sweet, sugary, and iced Danish-type dough braided with cinnamon inside and a plastic doll underneath. King Cakes are made of a cinnamon-filled dough in the shape of a hollow circle. They have a glazed topping and are sprinkled with colored sugars. Hundreds of thousands of King Cakes are eaten in New Orleans during the Carnival season. The cake often has a small plastic baby (said to represent Baby Jesus) inside, or underneath, and the person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket has to host the party next year. 

My backup if King's Cake does not turn out are cupcakes with Mardi Gras Sprinkles.  

Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French influence. It originated in the Caribbean Islands.
Cook’s notes: You will need to add more chicken broth on the second day to serve the dish since the rice absorbs the broth.  The recipe is an Ever Ready Special and serves 6. 

 Ingredients:

• 1 box Zatarains's New Orleans-style Jambalaya Mix
• 2 large chicken breasts
• 2-3 cups diced Andouille sausage
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1 can low sodium chicken broth (14.5 oz.)
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (basil, oregano, garlic)
• 3 oz. tomato paste
• 2 cups of water
• ¾ cup diced onion
• 3/4 cup mini red and yellow peppers, diced
• 3/4 cup celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon each of dried parsley flakes and basil 
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional: substitute 2 cups of cooked shrimp for chicken and add in the last 15 minutes of cooking time. 

Directions:

• Cook chicken breasts at 350 degrees for 35 minutes and sausage for 20 minutes
• Cool and dice both meats-set aside
• In a large skillet sauté onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic
• Add in water, broth, spices, jambalaya rice mixture, sugar, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, bay leaf and diced meats
• Simmer for 45 minutes on low heat covered
• Remove bay leaf before serving

We are going to a party bringing a King's Cake and another traditional dish of red beans and rice. Photos forthcoming.