Mardi Gras Cajun-Creole Food Feast Sun Feb 15 -PIX are up!

Here's the count and the possible dishes so far for the Mardi Gras Party so it may get your taste buds goin...

It’s time for the 5th Mardi Gras cajun-creole musicale and food exchange-feast/fest
with a Roadfood crossover (I'm also inviting some Roadfood friends)
Here are some great pix from last year, courtesy of Ms Ingie:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/msingie/sets/72157644685534196/

You should make or bring something Cajun, Creole or something to drink or snack on
Just post what you want to bring so we can keep it balanced.
My house is not gigantic, so we should probably not let it get much beyond 30ish people.

Once again my husband will likely round up some musician types for some music, so if you play,
bring your instrument along. (we already have a baby grand), and many guitars.
Recap: it will be Sun Feb 15, from 3-7 ish
We are in Deerfield, off Deerfield Rd between Edens and 294, and 0.5mi from the Deerfield Metra station.
I will PM address to attendees ahead of time.

Attendees: let's call it 30ish

Irisarbor crew (4ish) -Shrimp etoufee, and crawfish pie, and crawfish braid and maybe even cheese braid. -
Carol (on piano & accordian) Les, and another guitar player.
Rick on fiddle
BuddyRoadhouse & Susie- Jambalaya!
Cathy2- King Cake & Chicken and andouille gumbo
justjoan- pimiento cheese sammies
Cookie Monster
Pairs4life -2- Red beans & rice (veg)
Ms Ingie - Smothered Okra, and Sweet Potato Pie
Katie + MJ- crab and corn bisque
toria-2
Dave & Ginnie - ??
Lougord & Jennie - (homemade)andouille app & Chick/w(homemade)andouille gumbo
Beth & Scott -another version of corn and crab bisque?
Kaitlyn, Shaylyn, Chelle- drinks of the alcoholic persuasion.
mhl - something alcoholic
Jeanne and Alan -?

Was just thinking about this yesterday. Count me in as +2 for now. Will check and see if mom wants to attend again, if not I'll drop down my number. I will ponder what to bring. Any suggestions as I've made a number of things over the years?

Hi,

I plan to attend. There is a small chance I cannot, but I will advise with plenty of warning.

Thanks, I am looking forward to it.

Regards,

thanks for the invite, i'd love to attend. i had a terrific time last year. will give some thought to food, unless you want me to repeat my pimiento cheese sandwiches.....

count me in for two but I may be one.

I am in for 2. Probably the same thing I brought last year.

Look forward to it!

Here is a list of what I can bring. I'll bring the two with the top votes:

Chicken Sausage Gumbo
Smothered Okra
Sweet Potato Pie
Pralines
Cheesy Cornbread

Woo-hoo! I was just thinking about this today, and it prompted me to stop by the store for ingredients for red beans and rice tonight and gumbo tomorrow. Please count me in +1. I am thinking of picking something a little unconventional to make from Emeril's *New* New Orleans cookbook. I'll start browsing through it and post what I'm going to make later.

I think I am a + 2 so total would be 3.

Oh and my guest will bring something. I am leaning towards vegetarian red beans and rice.

Sorry I missed seeing this earlier, but thanks for alerting me!

Unfortunately the date doesn't work for me, but I hope you have a great shindig! I enjoyed myself last time so it's a shame I can't make it. See you at the next exchange, hopefully...

We will be two for sure.

I'm on the fence as to what to make. Last year we brought some well received Collard Greens, but I'd like to do something different this year. In the running: Jambalaya, Maque Choux (Cajun Corn), and Cheese Grits--possibly with BBQ Shrimp. Any thoughts? Do we have a list of what everyone is bringing so as to avoid duplicates?

Buddy

I am thinking I will do some kind of etoufee this year-
so if someone else wants to do a Jambalaya or Gumbo - go for it!
I think the only one who sounds very set on a dish is Pairs4life w red beans & rice,
but I will update everything up top!

It would be good if folks could start semi-committing to their dish so we don't have 6 dishes the same.
Not that 6 Gumbos would be bad, mind you....
but maybe 6 maque choux might be a few maque choux too many..

i'll bring pimiento cheese sandwiches for the vegetarians, and me. i never get tired of them.

Hi,

Do you mind if I bring a King Cake of some sort? I have learned my lesson not to do it the day-of. This cake is turning into something I feel I need to repeat until I get it right.

If it turns out I cannot come, I will bring the King Cake early.

Regards,

Jennie and I would like to attend. I will use my homemade andouille. I will bring some that can be sliced into chunks for an appetizer and I will also make chicken and andouille gumbo.

Sounding very yummy all round! I will update above!

Hmmm, some of my seafood-related ideas don't seem well suited to advance prep and transport, so I'm rethinking.

My fall-back idea that you can put on the list is a meat (andouille sausage and ham) version of red beans and rice, if another red bean dish is not too much in addition to pairs4life's vegetarian one.

I might change that to a creole corn and crab bisque, if I can pull the ingredients together. One ingredient is liquid crab boil; I think I've seen a small container of a Zatarain's liquid crab boil, but haven't paid attention to where I might be able to buy it around here (north suburbs) versus mail order. Does anyone know?

Hi Katie- I think I've seen the liquid one at Burhops, or at Treasure Island.
You might also try Mariano's or Sunset.
wherever, I would call ahead.
The corn and crab bisque sounds delicious! but whatever you decide will be as welcome as the company.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look in those stores. I think it was at my sister's house that I saw that liquid crab boil. Her husband is from New Orleans. (Oh! Don't know why I didn't think to ask before where she got it... but she might have brought it back from a trip.)

I see it's also available on Amazon, in quantities from 4 oz to (yikes!) 128 oz.

I might be +1, is that okay? Unless you feel you're at your limit already. I haven't talked to my (other) sister yet about it, so it's fine with me either way.

Katie +1 is fine, I'll speak up when my limit is reached.
usually it's about 30ish when the house gets kind of "full"

Have called around and Sunset foods is ordering me 2 lbs of crawfish tail meat...
There may be crawfish pie, and crawfish braid...
Whole Foods and Burhops also had the tail meat available if anyone is looking....

irisarbor - If you feel so inclined, would you mind sharing your crawfish pie and/or crawfish braid recipes? I'd like to give these a try myself. Thanks for the consideration!!

Have thought it over and I have okra in the freezer, so one of my dishes will be smoothered okra. I think the second shall be Sweet Potato Pie.

Thanks Ingrid!

Should I do my Jello Hurricane shots again?

Could be fun. Still trying to talk mom into coming. I'll know tomorrow and downgrade my number if I need to.

Ms. Ingie wrote:Have thought it over and I have okra in the freezer, so one of my dishes will be smoothered okra. I think the second shall be Sweet Potato Pie.

I adore sweet potato pie.

pairs4life wrote:

Ms. Ingie wrote:Have thought it over and I have okra in the freezer, so one of my dishes will be smoothered okra. I think the second shall be Sweet Potato Pie.

I adore sweet potato pie.

I know. I have saved you a slice in the past.

It's looking like Jambalaya is moving to the forefront as our contribution to this shindig. See you on the 15th!

Buddy

YUM! Glad someone's bringing the Jambalaya!

Just a gentle nudge to those who had not decided to let me know their dishes so everyone can plan!
Looking forward to this!

I will be bringing the crab and corn bisque. just got an email from Sunset confirming they have the liquid crab boil concentrate I need for the recipe.

Please disregard my previously posted mixed signals re a +1 and let me send a new mixed signal: my sister Mj, who I think you went to high school with, Elaine (?) hopes to join me again this year, unless something comes up on Sunday morning that prevents her from coming up. So I remain +1 at most. Sorry for any inconvenience the uncertainty may cause you.