Mardi Gras 2013 Raleigh, NC

Let the good times roll!

Mardi Gras fell right in the middle of Valentine's this year. It is early which means a colder Mardi Gras and parade time.

We celebrated here in Raleigh with our own little RaleighRex Parade! Yes, we did.

So many New Orleans memories - mainly, the ones with my beautiful family and good food. Not so much the crazy side of Carnival. So we introduced the boys to or Carolina Carnival "Books not Booze." ;). That's the way we roll.

The Tigers were thrilled. They caught my precious Mother's genes and Boulder Mountain Man's - they loved the books and thought think Mardi Gras itself is weird! Thank heavens. They did oblige me and enjoy or festivities. ;)

All the best to you. Onward to Easter. Well, we have some very exciting Birthdays after Valentine's and then St. Patrick's Day, them Easter. Love this time of year.

Warmly,
Carolina Mama

Mardi Gras Up In North Carolina

Mardi Gras 2011!!!

Happy Mardi Gras all Y'all!  

and now Ash Wednesday! 

We had an awesome "Mardi Gras Up In North Carolina!"  It was so great!  This was an ode to Professor Longhair's "Mardi Gras Down In New Orleans!"  So we took it up in North Carolina and I have to tell ya, we represented! 

Men, Women and Children Lassiez Les Bon Temps Roulez indeed!  We ate all manner of Cajun Goodness by our friends at Zatarain's!  Zat's!  

And Boulder Mountain Man got to be Mardi Gras King and the 40th Birthday King as well!  

The favorite dish of the night by far was the new.... drum roll.... thanks to Chef John Besh!  

Red Beans and Rice Party Dip!! 

It looked like this!  

Red Bean and Rice Party Dip

     

View Review

Liven up the party with this Southwestern-style dip. Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 60 (2-tablespoon) servings.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

3 cup water

1 package ZATARAIN'S® Red Beans and Rice

1 cup salsa

2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno peppers

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Prepare Rice Mix as directed on package, using 3 cups water instead of 3 1/4 cups.

2. Reserve 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese to garnish dip, if desired. Stir remaining ingredients into rice mixture. Place mixture into food processor or blender; cover. Process or blend until smooth.

3. Keep dip warm in a chaffing dish or slow cooker, if desired.

Nutritional Info per 1 serving

Calories: 56	Sodium: 159

Fat: 4	Carbohydrates: 3

Cholesterol: 12	Fiber: 0

Protein: 2

** My rendition was simple, cook the Red Beans and Rice according to package, mix in 1 1/2 cups of lite Sour Cream, and 1 1/2 cups of low fat cheese.  This was incredible!  

And um, let's just say "They ate it a.l.l!"  :)  This means I'm Hostess with the mostess! :)

Now, it is late on Ash Wednesday, what's this Baptist Girl giving up?  I mean get give up a lot! lol 

I do like to refresh my commitments at this time of year.  What about you - are you sacrificing something for Lent?  Share please!  I still thinking, I mean I just can't do coffee this year! :)  

Join Zatarain's Facebook! 

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Zatarain's Mardi Gras Giveaway!

Happy Mardi Gras all y'all!  

Zatarain's is kicking it up just for you!  It's a Mardi Gras Giveaway!  That's right - real Cajun fare with recipes that Chef John Besh makes! 

We are celebrating Mardi Gras and my New Orleans heritage tonight with a littel fais dois dois Mardi Gras Up In North Carolina!  

You can host your own N'awlins Party ANY time.  Check out this recipe we are having tonight: 

Red Beans and Rice Mardi Gras Party DIp!  

Here are some great Tips for your Zatarain's Party and in N'awlins, we celeberate Mardi Gras any time: 

Get Festive with Facebook —Visit Zatarain’s^® on Facebook for Mardi Gras-Style music, a fun profile photo app and to watch live footage of the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans.

Carnival Games — Break the ice by playing a couple of classic party games such as the “grouping game” or “spoon the balloon.” They are guaranteed to have you and your guests up and laughing. Check out theparty favors for instructions on how to play.

 

Win the Zatarain's Giveaway!  Zatarain's is giving you a Party Box with Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, Mardi Gras Beads and Masks so you get a flavor for NOLA.  Entering is easy, just like the Big Easy, here's what you do: 

1) Leave a Comment: have you been to Mardi Gras? Want to go? Going? Like it? 

2) Follow Zat's on Facebook: 

3) Follow Carolina Mama on Facebook; 

4)  Tweet this link/Giveaway;

5) Share this link on your FB;

All the best to you all!  Winner chosen on Ash Wednesday at 11pm EST!  Enjoy! Lassiez Les Bon Temps Roulez!  

Warmly,  Carolina Mama

My Mardi Gras

Happy Mardi Gras Ya'll!

A native of New Orleans, growing up I have many memories of Mardi Gras. I grew up in New Orleans and its Northshore. Do you know one of my earliest Mardi Gras memories? Actually this memory became a tradition.

Leaving town! :) My parents would load up one of our station wagons, all of us would be out of school for Mardi Gras - bonus, all seven of us and off we would go. This partiular Mardi Gras we drove 'north' to Hattiesburg, Mississippi and it snowed! You know snow was more exciting to us than another round of beads. Eventually, we did other things, the beach included.

Mardi Gras became synonomous with family time and a little vacation getaway.

There were the years I was in marching band and I'll never forget the year that I was marching on the end of the front row of our band with my flute. It was quite a position to be in. With the crowds of people my Band Director marched beside me to make sure my instrument would not get jolted.

As a young adult, working in New Orleans and living Uptown. The parades were our lives - you couldn't even get around it literally. After work, you just joined the parade the routes home were closed. I have many good memories of parade fun and I also have to admit I have many memories as a young girl thinking what's the point. The mayhem that ensues is not of this world and I really didn't want to be a part of that.

Though I will always love home and tradition, I do not miss the madness. Yet, I am thankful I have a 'joie de vive!" due to my heritage. Here's a glimpse of the fun. Know this, Rex is where its at all things Mardi Gras and this guy gets best costume in my book, The Aretha Franklan Hat! costume! Winner '09.

Lassez le bon temps roulez.

Warmly,

Lundi Gras: What Are You Giving Up and Maybe It Was The New Duke Jersey

On this eve of Mardi Gras, what are you giving up for Lent? I suppose it is ingrained in me from growing up on the Bayou, but Lundi Gras signals Mardi Gras which means, time to give up something until Easter. I'm actually not Catholic but it always was a good time to fine tune things for me. So I am contemplating giving up Sweet Tea again.

Remember "Back to Me" last year, it was a god thing. So I'll say it out loud, Hi Internets, I am giving up Sweet Tea for Lent. Pray for me. :) Especially when I am at Chick-Fil-A and they give me a look when I say UNsweet tea. And they give me a chance to second guess my good decision. Pray on sisters. And let me know what you're giving up. :)

Duke Men's Basketball

Duke is unstoppable!

May it was the alternate Nike jersey. You just have to know basketball in North Carolina is like no other. I remember growing up my mother made sure we revered North Carolina Basketball and rightfully so. With North Carolina basketball dominating the Top 10 it's understandable.

Duke did it again against Wake Forest last night.

Home town boys make good! :)

Warmly,

Mardi Gras and the Jolie-Pitts

Oscar's Brad and Angelina Jolie-Pitt
Oscar's Angelina Jolie-Pitt
Though I did not watch the Oscar's 2009, the rest of the world did so I thought I would go ahead and admit that I like Angelina Jolie-Pitt. And I will also admit it is most likely because she is a multiples Mama - Twins Mamas are extraordinaire.

Of course, Angelina looks great most of the time, I have to admit look at these two pictures. I think Jack Johnson says it best in one of our family favorites, "it's better when we're together." I just think the Jolie-Pitts 'look' better together. Granted, most of my opinion hinges on that black and miscolored 'pinstripe' as the Tigers would say, that she is sporting.

Need I say more.

Well, as a couple they seem to do well 'together' at this whole large family dynamic too.

Endymion Ball in the Superdome

In other info from Carolina Mama, today is Lundi Gras making tomorrow Mardi Gras down in New Orleans. I am happy to follow from afar after all those years of marching in the band playing my little flute with all the rowdy crowds. There were some really fun times too. My style is away from it all. If you want to follow up close here's the NOLA Twitter.

Lassiez le bon temp roulez!

Warmly,