Make Mardi Gras Fun At Home!

February 16th is Fat Tuesday, the culmination and last day of the Mardi Gras celebration. Just because you can’t make it down to New Orleans, doesn’t mean you can’t party Mardi Gras style. You can easily turn a regular weeknight into a special one! Here are a few ways to celebrate what is often referred to as America’s Greatest Party at home.

1. Make a Muffuletta for Dinner this Fat Tuesday. Muffuletta sandwiches are a wonderful New Orleans tradition! These famous sandwiches are served throughout the city, and particularly in the restaurants along Decatur Street in New Orleans’ Old French Quarter. Traditionally, this sandwich is served on an 8 inch round, 2 inch thick, crusty Italian bread made in New Orleans, especially for the Muffuletta Sandwich (A Muff). Muffaletta bread is hard to find outside of New Orleans, so just look for a loaf that is round, about 10 inches in diameter, with a fairly thick crust. The crust is important because it has to be able to soak up the olive salad marinade without turning mushy.

Directions:

• On Italian or French Bread, layer thin slices of Genoa Salami , Ham, Mortadella, and Provolone Cheese. Top with Boscoli Italian Olive Salad. Heat & Serve. Slice into skinny wedges and serve to guests when they arrive. This will take the edge off for hungry guests and allow everyone to mingle and get in the mood before supper.

• If you prefer to serve a “deconstructed” Muffaletta, offer the meat and cheese rolled up on a platter with the olive salad in a bowl. Set out hunks of bread and let everyone concoct their own mini-muff. This is a great way to pay tribute to a classic in a way that might be more suitable to your taste.

2. Pick up beads and masks at the party store. Both young and old love these and it’s a must-have for any Mardi Gras celebration.

3. Keep the fun flowing with music. Zydeco or New Orleans Jazz are great choices to set the right mood. If you don’t have these genres of music in your collection, try out free radio stations like http://www.pandora.com/ and listen from your computer. Enter zydeco or jazz in the search field.