Looking for some Cajun inspired recipes to add a little spice to your Mardi Gras Celebration? Here are my favorite recipes!
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WELCOME TO MIX IT UP MONDAY WITH MAD DASH MIXES
WEEK 30
WHAT ARE WE MIXIN’ UP THIS WEEK?
What is a Mardi Gras Celebration without some Cajun food? I have gathered together my favorite Mad Dash Mixes Recipes into one great menu! Invite your friends over for a Cajun Inspired Mardi Gras Celebration!
Mardi Gras Celebration!
There is a lot of history behind Mardi Gras. But what does the term actually mean? It is actually a French term that translates to Fat Tuesday. Mardi being the French word for Tuesday and Gras meaning Fat. It is traditionally celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday which is the start of Lent.
Depending upon when Easter is celebrated, Mardi Gras can be either in February or March. This year is will be on March 1.
If you are like me, you probably associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans. Mardi Gras is actually a legal holiday in Louisiana!
Here is the menu:
- Zesty Crab Dip
- Cajun Jambalaya
- Louisiana Gumbo
- Red Beans & Rice
- Mini Pecan Muffins
- Easy Mini King Cakes
Let’s Get to Mixin’
Cajun cuisine is often considered rustic. The French Acadian people who settled in the swamps and prairies of southwest Louisiana had to use what they had available. Cajun Jambalaya is traditionally made without tomatoes since tomatoes weren’t available in that region.
Jambalaya is a hearty one pot meal, a rustic stew of whatever ingredients they may have had available. The rice is added to the jambalaya while it is cooking so that the flavors of the ingredients are absorbed into the rice.
Cajun Jambalaya with Sausage, Chicken and Vegetables
Equipment
- medium sauce pan
- measuring cups
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 packet Cajun Jambalaya Mix by Mad Dash Mixes
- 2 cups water
- 16 oz smoked sausage, sliced bite size pieces
- 1 cup cooked chicken diced into small pieces
- 1/2 bell pepper diced
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1 cup frozen corn
Instructions
- Dice the smoked sausage into bite size pieces and add to sauce pan. Brown over medium heat.
- Add diced onion while sausage is browning
- Add the seasoning mix packet and the rice packet to the sausage & stir until blended
- Add 2 cups water and bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally
- Add the chicken, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- While the jambalaya is simmering, add the diced bell peppers and the corn.
- Simmer over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally.
- Serve the Cajun Jambalaya in a bowl and enjoy!
Notes
Zesty Crab Dip
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- spatula
- measuring cups
- wooden spoon
- serving bowl or dish
Ingredients
- 8 oz mayonnaise
- 8 oz sour cream
- 1/2 lb chopped imitation Crab
- 1 packet Zesty Crab Dip Mix A Mad Dash Mixes Blend
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, blend mayonnaise & sour cream together until well blended
- Once the mayonnaise & sour cream are well blended, add the contents of the Seasoning Mix packet and blend well
- Add the chopped crab to the mayonnaise/sour cream/seasoning packet blend. Stir until well blended. Chill for at least 4 hours.
- After the dip has chilled, put the dip into a serving bowl.
- Serve the Zesty Crab Dip with a selection of crackers, vegetables, chips or slices of bread
Notes
Louisiana Gumbo with Shrimp
Equipment
- dutch oven or large saucepan
- measuring cups
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 packet Louisiana Gumbo Soup Mix Packet by Mad Dash Mixes
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes do not drain
- 10 oz smoked sausage, sliced
- 1 1/2 lbs peeled & deveined Shrimp
- cooked white rice
Instructions
- Add the Soup Mix packet to 4 cups of water in a large saucepan or dutch oven
- then add the tomatoes and sliced smoked sausage to the saucepan
- Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally
- After the gumbo has simmered for 20 minutes, add 1 1/2 lbs of peeled and deveined Shrimp and cook until Shrimp is cooked.
- Serve over white rice
Notes
Red Beans & Rice with Sausage
Equipment
- dutch oven or large stock pot
- measuring cups
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 packet Red Beans & Rice by Mad Dash Mixes
- 2 cups water
- 16 oz smoked sausage, sliced
- 2 cans Dark Kidney beans, drained & rinsed
Instructions
- Drain & Rinse 2 cans of Kidney Beans and add them to the stock pot
- then add the seasoning mix packet and the rice packet to the kidney beans & stir until blended
- Add 2 cups water and bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally
- Add the smoked sausage, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir occassionally
- Once the rice is tender, there still may be extra liquid in the pot. This is normal.
- Serve the Red Beans & Rice with Sausage in a bowl
Notes
Mini Pecan Pie Muffins
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- spatula
- wooden spoon
- mini muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1 packet Mini Pecan Pie Mix by Mad Dash Mixes
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 stick butter melted
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- cooking spray with flour added
- pecan halves
Instructions
- gather ingredients, preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with a fork
- Add the contents of the packet of muffin mix to the beaten eggs and mix well
- Add melted butter to the batter in the bowl, mix well
- Add pecans to batter and blend well
- spray the mini muffin tin with the cooking spray. If you don't have cooking spray with flour , you can use a kitchen spritzer with oil and then dust the pan with cocoa.
- Fill the muffin tins 1/3 of the way full with the muffin batter. Before baking, wipe off excess cocoa dust!
- Bake muffins at 350 for 6 to 9 minutes. Test with a toothpick . The toothpick will come out clean when the muffins are done
- Cool for about 10 minutes and then remove from the muffin tin. Finish cooling on a rack
- After the muffins have finishing cooling, you can add a pecan half to each muffin for a little extra garnish
Notes
Easy Mini King Cakes
The recipe for the Easy Mini King Cakes will be added soon! Thank you for your patience!
Favorite Serving Pieces
Three of the recipes can be kept warm through the celebration by using a crock pot or slow cooker. My favorite slow cooker is my vintage Hamilton Beach slow cooker. It has a removable ceramic insert that make clean up a lot easier.
I love to use my Mom’s ceramic fish dip from the 50s when I am entertaining! She always used it for her open houses and served her shrimp dip in it!
To keep the dip fresh throughout the party, I would set the dish on a tray of ice.
COOKING WITH KIM
Disclosure: this post was written in collaboration with Mad Dash Mixes
All opinions are my own.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
So many great mixes to try! Great menu!
Thank you! Trying the Texas BBQ today!