I like a little silliness in the Mardi Gras season. Lots of sprinkles and glitter and fun. I have taken a classic recipe for what I have always called French puffs (I hear they are now sometimes called duffins for donut/muffin) and added a Mardi Gras twist with colored sanding sugar. The muffin is simple, vanilla scented and not too sweet, but a dip in cinnamon sugar gives a … [Read more...] about French Quarter Breakfast Puffs
Mardi Gras
Cajun Smothered Shrimp with Green Onion Rice
I can’t get near Mardi Gras season without whipping up several Louisiana-inspired meals. Sure, I make gumbowith a roux, slow cooked red beans and rice, fabulous party food like savory crawfish king cake or crab remoulade cheesecake and desserts like tarte a la bouille and king cake bars. But it’s nice to have a simple, weeknight … [Read more...] about Cajun Smothered Shrimp with Green Onion Rice
Tarte à la Bouille (Cajun Custard Pie)
Years ago at some restaurant in New Orleans, I honestly cannot remember where, I had a dessert of Tarte à la Bouillie . I ordered because I was intrigued by the name and that it was billed as a creole custard tart. I like to order anything that smacks of a local specialty. That one was fanicied up with fruit sauce and whipped cream and what not. It was lovely, … [Read more...] about Tarte à la Bouille (Cajun Custard Pie)
Sardou Dip (Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Hollandiase)
The inspiration for this dip is a menu. I don’t remember where or when, but some menu I saw online – either Instagram or researching restaurants or something a friend sent me - had a Sardou dip. I didn’t eat at the restaurant, but the dip idea really appealed to me, so I started from scratch. Eggs Sardou is a New Orleans brunch classic in the benedict vein, an artichoke bottom … [Read more...] about Sardou Dip (Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Hollandiase)
Savory Crawfish King Cake
One of my favorite Mardi Gras traditions is king cake. Big rings of pillowy pastry with a sweet filling and a vividly decorated sugary frosting. My brother went to college and New Orleans, and during my first year at college in Connecticut, he shipped me a king cake and continued to do so while I was in school (and some years after). It was the classic cinnamon filling, which … [Read more...] about Savory Crawfish King Cake
