Since we weren't able to make it down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras this year, I thought it would be fun to have a mini-celebration of Fat Tuesday at dinner tonight. You have to eat dinner anyways, so why not make it fun and a little different by creating a New Orleans inspired menu in the spirit of Mardi Gras. DISCLAIMER: By no means am I claiming that the recipes below are authentic cajun dishes. They are simply integrating cajun-inspired ingredients. 

In case you have a hankering to make a king cake from scratch, I have enjoyed using this Southern Living recipe for the past couple of years. I am a bit intimidated by bread-making that involves yeast, and even I was able to master this recipe. 

I'm planning to make my mom's recipe for Shrimp Creole. I don't know the origins of this recipe, but basically it is a delicious, well-seasoned tomato sauce with the "trinity" of vegetables (onion, celery, and green pepper). 

Serves 4 

2 tbsp margarine or butter 

1/2 cup finely chopped onion 

1/2 cup finely chopped celery 

1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper 

1/ tsp salt 

dash cayenne pepper 

1 bay leaf 

pinch of sugar 

1 can tomato puree, tomato sauce or tomatoes (whichever you like best) 

2 cups water 

1 pound or more cooked, peeled shrimp 

Chef Prudhommes’ Seafood Magic seasoning to taste 

Chopped parsley if desired 

In a heavy sauce pan or electric skillet, melt margarine and add the onions, celery, and green pepper. Sauté until golden. Add the rest of the ingredients except shrimp and simmer about 30 minutes. This can be thickened at the last with 2 tbsp flour and a little cold water if needed. Add the shrimp at the end to just warm them. Serve over hot rice with warm crusty bread. 

2 Tbsp. Butter 

3 medium size bananas, peeled and sliced in half 

4 Tbsp. brown sugar 

3 Tbsp. dark rum (Myer’s) 

¼ tsp. Saigon cinnamon 

In a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, melt butter then add brown sugar, and cinnamon, stirring until sugar is melted. Next add bananas and sauté for 3-4 minutes until tender and beginning to caramelize around the edges. 

Add rum to sugar/banana mixture and stir once or twice gently with spatula. To flambé, carefully hold flame over saucepan (beware that the flame can and likely will jump upwards). Remove from heat and flame will die down once alcohol has cooked off. If you would prefer not to test your flambé

Serve immediately with a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream on top.