Mardi Gras! - Tuesday, March 8

Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French and is known in countries other than France and the United States as Carnival.  What began as a pagan fertility celebration and to ward off evil for the new year became a time of fun and merrymaking before abstaining from meat and making other sacrifices during Lent to honor Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness.  

Cities worldwide host festivals with elaborate parades, colorful face masks, parties, balls and feasts. You can have a little fun with your family by creating your own face masks and enjoying this New Orleans inspired Mardi Gras menu...

*Jambalaya

Fluffy rice

Crusty bread

Green Salad

*Pecan tarts

Jambalaya is a Cajun dish originating around the bayou, combining the French word for ham and the African word for rice and you can mix and match a variety of seafood and meats depending on what you have available. In other parts of the world, Fat Tuesday might be called Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday and crepes’ will be served with superfine sugar and fresh lemon juice, delicious!  Another idea is to hide a coin (for wealth), ring (for marriage) or thimble (for becoming a tailor or seamstress) in the dessert and could be easily baked into the delicious southern Pecan Tarts recipe I’ve included here.  

Jambalaya w/ Rice

2 Tbsp flour 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 chicken legs cut in half

Combine flour & spices in plastic bag and coat chicken

2 Tbsp oil

1/2 lb. pork sausage cut in half

Brown coated chicken in oil for 20 min. Remove. 

Brown sausage for 10 min, remove.

2 medium onions chopped

1 green pepper chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

Save 2 Tbsp fat

Add onion, pepper, garlic, celery, cover, cook and stir for 30 min.

1 can (16 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce

Stir in tomatoes, 1/4 cup water, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, spices.  Return chicken and sausage to pan, cover, simmer, stir 20 minutes.

1/2 lb. frozen shrimp

1/2 lb cubed ham

Add shrimp and ham to jambalaya.  

Cover, simmer 15 minutes.  

Serve w/ rice.

3 cups water

1 1/2 cup rice

Cook rice in water 20 minutes

Pecan Tarts

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

For Crust - 

2 1/4 cup flour

2 sticks butter (1 cup)

8 oz cream cheese

Blend and divide into 12 equal parts and press dough into bottom and sides of muffin pan cups

For Filling - 

2 eggs beaten 

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla 

Whisk until blended

2 cups chopped pecans

Stir in to filling mix and divide among the 12 mini tarts.

Bake for 25 minuets at 350 degrees.  Let cool and enjoy!