Last Minute Mardi Gras Party Ideas and Recipes
Throw a fun and festive Mardi Gras party with these easy recipes.
How to Throw a Last Minute Mardi Gras Party
Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler – Let the Good Times Roll!
There’s still time to throw a last minute Mardi Gras party.
As we say in New Orleans, Laissez le bon temps rouler, Cajun for Let the good times roll!
Where did the first 7 weeks of this year go. Mardi Gras comes early this year and kind of snuck up on us. But that’s no reason not to rally the gang and throw a Mardi Gras party.
Heat up the late winter and throw an impromptu last minute Mardi Gras party.
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is on Fat Tuesday the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and is the final day of the season between Christmas and Lent. Ash Wednesday – the first day of Lent – a period that many cultures traditionally give up favorite foods and alcohol in preparation for Easter. So for many Fat Tuesday is the last chance party excuse before a six-week period of abstinence.
Easy Last Minute Mardi Gras Party Food Ideas
Easy Recipes:
Creole and Cajun Recipes
Feed A Crowd – 1 Pot Dishes for a Last Minute Mardi Gras Party
New Orleans Style Remoulade Sauce
Serve with loaves of French bread to sop up eavery last drop of these delicious sauces.
Mardi Gras Party Cocktails
Pat O’Brien’s Copycat Hurricane Cocktail
Zombie Cocktail | Tiki Bar Classic
French 75 | Classic Champagne Cocktail
Abita or Dixie Beer served frosty cold in a tub of ice
Festive Mardi Gras Party Ideas
Plan the Party
Keep it simple
- Play zydeco music or make a Spotify or Pandora channel with old school New Orleans favs, like Louis Armstrong, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Neville Brothers or try this playlist from GoNola.com
Laissez le bon temps rouler, – “Let the good times roll”!
Celebrate Fat Tuesday
Throw a Mardi Gras Party
Make it Extra Special with These Additions
Festive Decorations
Easy Mardi Gras Decorations
Time to hit my favorite party store —The Dollar Store— and grab some decorations in Mardi Gras colors of gold, green and purple representing the virtues of power, faith, and justice.
- Hang string lights wrapped with gold green and, purple streamers.
- Buy bags of gold doubloons and plastic beaded necklaces
- Fill large bowls or large Martini Glasses with the beads and doubloons – the typical booty thrown from floats at Mardi Gras parades.
Party Favors
Throw Me Something, Mister
Head to the Dollar Store or craft store and buy Mardi Gras beads and doubloons in bulk and display them in giant martini glasses or if you picked up a giant Hurricane Glass At Pat O’s that works.
Buy plain masks and supplies, like paint, feathers and sequins for guest to make their own Mardi Gras Mask creation.
Mardi Gras Food
Make it Easy
Choose one or 2 Cajun or Creole classics that cook in one pot, like a spicy gumbo and boiled shrimp or crawfish. Or Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya and Shrimp Étouffée.
Serve King Cake or New Orleans Bread Pudding.
Make it Easy
Fat Tuesday Food
Pick-up a bucket of Popeye’s Fried Chicken (spicy of course) and a side of red beans & rice.
Make it a potluck and have everyone bring a New Orleans inspired dish.
Make a Giant Muffuletta, and serve with Zapp’s Voodoo Chips
Make a Batch of a Classic
Cocktails
Hurricanes, Zombies and Bloody Mary’s oh my.
There are so many classic New Orleans Cocktails. Choose a favorite and make a giant batch.
Ice Cold Beverages
Louisiana Beer, Craft Sodas & Sparkling Water
I have a bunch of metal tubs that I’ll fill with lots of ice and serve frosty cold Louisiana beer, like Abita or Dixie. If you can find Abita Brewing’s King Cake Soda give it a try.
Place lime and orange wedges + maybe a few thinly sliced fresh chilis (make sure you remove the seeds- and wear gloves when handling the chilies unless you want removing your contacts to be a really painful experience) next to the beer & soda to make it easy for everyone to add their favorite flavor. I’m digging orange at the moment.
Party Ideas for Every Occassion
Live More. Stress Less. Spend Better.
Caprese Salad an Italian Classic
Caprese Salad an Italian Classic. Layers of tomato and mozzarella topped with basil and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Fresh and tasty.
Eggplant Milanese | Pan Fried Eggplant Cutlets
Eggplant Milanese. Better than take-out and done in 30 minutes. Special enough for a party, simple enough for tonight!
Skinny Pork Al Pastor with Pineapple Salsa
Pork Al Pastor perfectly pairs sweet pineapple with smokey chipotles. Using a slow cooker may not be authentic but it makes it easy to serve pork Al Pastor tacos for taco Tuesday or any day.
Food Philosophy
I love serving homemade meals and entertaining, but I don’t love spending all my time in the kitchen… Sound familiar? I’ll share my shortcuts for getting delicious, healthy food on the table – easy, fast & stress-free. All of my recipes have been tested on family and friends. We love them and I hope you will too.
Kelly
Chief Mermaid & Mojito Maker
Life’s amazing. Want to learn more?
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