In Celebration of Fat Tuesday!

I should have posted this yesterday but I was too busy celebrating to put effort into details here. So, maybe next year this will come in handy to those who celebrate Mardi Gras.

H11 loved making this super easy recipe for dessert.

Mardi Gras King Cake
Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee
Prep Time: 15 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy Serves: 8 servings


Ingredients
1 (13.9-ounce) can bread sticks (recommended: Pillsbury)
1 (1-inch) heat proof plastic baby
1 (12-ounce) can whipped cream cheese frosting (recommended: Pillsbury)
1/4 cup heavy cream
Green sanding sugar
Purple sanding sugar
Gold (yellow) sanding sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Open bread sticks. Press together the ends of 2 of the sticks to make 1 long stick. Repeat with the remaining bread sticks giving you 6 long sticks. Taking 3 at a time, loosely braid together. Repeat with remaining dough. Pinch the braids together end to end.
Leaving a 3-inch hole in the middle, loosely coil braids around one another on prepared baking sheet. Press ends together.
Bake in preheated oven for 16 to 20 minutes or until completely golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely. Carefully insert the baby into the cake in between the seams of the braid.
In a medium pot combine the cream cheese frosting and heavy cream. Heat over low heat until warm and smooth, stirring constantly. Pour glaze over cake and sprinkle with sanding sugars.

The main dishes were fun and easy as well. K14 and a friend prepared the dressing for the muffulettas.

Muffulettas
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time: 30 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: --
Level: Easy Serves: 6 to 8 servings


Ingredients
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup olive oil
10 large pitted green olives, chopped
1/3 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) round bread loaf (about 7 inches in diameter and 3 inches high)
4 ounces thinly sliced ham
4 ounces thinly sliced mortadella
4 ounces thinly sliced salami
4 ounces sliced provolone
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces arugula leaves

Directions
Whisk the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Gradually blend in the oil. Stir in the olives and roasted peppers. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Cut the top 1-inch of the bread loaf. Set the top aside. Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the bread. Spread some of the olive and roasted pepper mix over the bread bottom and cut side of the bread top. Layer the meats and cheeses in the bread bottom. Top with the onions, then the arugula. Spread the remaining olive and roasted pepper mix on top of the sandwich and carefully cover with the bread top. You can serve the sandwich immediately or you can wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator a day before serving.
Cut the sandwich into wedges and serve.

Boudreaux's Zydeco Stomp Gumbo
Submitted By: Lupe Boudreaux & Jason Parks
Prep Time: 1 Hour
Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 2 Hours
Servings: 10

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - chopped
1/2 pound pork sausage links, thinly sliced
1 cup olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 quarts chicken broth
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
6 stalks celery, diced
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 sweet onion, sliced
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, with liquid
2 tablespoons chopped fresh red chile peppers
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat, and cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Stir in sausage, and cook until evenly browned. Drain chicken and sausage, and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, blend olive oil and flour to create a roux. Stir constantly until browned and bubbly. Mix in garlic, and cook about 1 minute.
3. Gradually stir chicken broth and beer into the roux mixture. Bring to a boil, and mix in celery, tomatoes, sweet onion, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, red chile peppers, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 40 minutes, stirring often.
4. Mix chicken, sausage, and shrimp into the broth mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.

Maybe next year when Mardi Gras rolls around I'll be able to find the recipes quickly and easily.  Since I'm incapable of following recipes to the letter, I'm sure there will be some changes but that's what keeps life interesting, right?!  Laissez les bons temps rouler!