Laissez les bons temps rouler

[Drac]

Mardi Gras is Tuesday!!!

Having a party at work and planning to do up some gumbo and some crawfish Étouffée. Since this is my first venture into classic Creole I did some searches and came across this site -

http://www.gumbopages.com/recipe-page.html (also has some sausage recipes)

They had a chicken and sausage gumbo that doesn't have stewed tomatoes (not a big fan) that I plan to use. Was going to do the Étouffée but a friend gave me a crawfish pie recipe the I am going with. Also plan to do up some dirty rice with the extra chicken pieces from the gumbo.

Plan to tweak the gumbo to use the andouille and tasso that I smoked up last month.

Anyone else have plans?

Jim

[artificer]

Well, I DIDN'T have any specific plans, but after perusing that website a bit I've got a bit of thinking to do.

It's a cruel thing to do to a chap- surprising him with delicious looking recipes at the end of a long day when his resistance is low...

ith:

[macwilkin]

We're attending a Mardi Gras party at my mother-in-law's parish on Tuesday -- and she is making the Red Beans & Rice! Add the King Cake, and we're gonna pass a good time der, Cher!

Might have to pick up some Abita Amber...

Lassiez Les Bon Temps!

T.

[Ryan Ross]

If this doesn't give you nightmares, nothing will... and yes, it's in my nose.

[Drac]

If this doesn't give you nightmares, nothing will... and yes, it's in my nose.

Last year Amy and I went to the 2nd weekend of parades for a Mardi Gras weekend (3 weekends of parades before the big day) and I was kilted quite a bit of the time. You know, didn't get to many comments but it was Mardi Gras and a kilt is fairly tame...

Ok Cajun experts, was doing up the Trinity (why is it called Trinity when there is always garlic?) by the bucket yesterday to get ready when I get home tonight and reviewing the instructions for the umteenth time. I was reading the part where you brown the chicken and sausage (and in my case tasso), than you drain the pot and make the roux with oil and flour.

Why not use the fats from the cooking the meats for the roux? My mom does this with chicken for a blond roux to make gravy and I do the same thing with bacon dripping.

Thanks,
Jim

[California Highlander]

We're doing Jamie Shannon's Gumbo, a king cake, and something else as yet undetermined, possibly some fresh collard greens and cornbread. My wife and I were fortunate enough to take a cooking class from Jamie (Commander's Palace) before his far-too-young passing and love making his gumbo and crab cakes. A little New Orleans Nighcrawlers, Clifton Chenier, and Treme Brass Band on the stereo should make it seem as close as you can get to NOLA while still in NorCal.

<--pretend this guy is purple

[McMathTX]

We're going to a Cajun restaurant in Roanoke that'll have a band (I hope zydeco) and Abita on tap!
Dean

[Drac]

Got the pie and gumbo done. Doing the rice at work while reheating the gumbo. Got a couple of co-workers who brought King Cake cupcakes and white rice for the gumbo.

Dug out the beads from the trip last year to NOLA and passed them out.

Everything should be done in a couple hours.

Jim