Weeknight Mardi Gras Round Up

By February, we’re all desperate for color, joy, and a reason to celebrate, which is why Mardi Gras is the perfect excuse to bring Louisiana magic into your kitchen, even if you’ve never set foot in the French Quarter.

Our number one random holiday tip? Keep a variety of festive sprinkles on hand. Purple, green, and yellow sprinkles can transform simple things like pancakes, cupcakes, even buttered toast into a Mardi Gras celebration.. But if you want to go beyond sprinkles and actually cook something Louisiana-inspired, here are a few of our favorites.

This Jambalaya recipe has been passed down from a dear friend’s mom and just keeps getting shared. It’s a one pan version of the classic rice dish, so put everything in a casserole or baking pan and throw it in the oven. It reheats like a dream, so feel free to make it ahead then just cover and warm at 350°F for about 20 minutes.

Our family has been making this shrimp etouffee recipe forever and it’s pure cozy nostalgia to me. It’s a simple spin on a classic Louisiana dish that’s perfect for a cold night in.

We make King Cakes every year and it’s the highlight of the season for so many of us. If you haven’t had it, think cinnamon roll vibes, but it can be filled with all different types of fillings. However, it’s a bit of a labor of love and definitely not something we throw together on a random Tuesday night. We’ve come up with this light and easy King Cake inspired pastry that doesn’t take all night, but will still feel like you’re letting the good times roll.

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 1 package puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• 4 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• ½ cup chopped pecans

For the icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• Purple, green, and gold sprinkles

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unroll both sheets of puff pastry on your work surface. In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well combined. Spread this mixture evenly over both pastry sheets, then sprinkle the pecans on top.

Starting from one long edge, roll each pastry sheet into a log. Place both rolls seam-side down on your prepared baking sheet, leaving a few inches between them. Bake for 13-15 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

While the pastries bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt. Add more milk a teaspoon at a time if needed to reach a drizzling consistency.

Let the pastries cool for 5 minutes after removing from the oven, then drizzle with icing and immediately top with festive sprinkles.

Notes: Make sure your puff pastry is thawed but still cold—this usually takes 2-3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. If it gets too warm, it becomes difficult to work with and won’t puff as nicely in the oven. Feel free to experiment with your filling!

Filling variations: The cinnamon-pecan filling is delicious, but you can easily switch things up based on what you’re craving or what you have on hand.

• strawberry jam swirled with cream cheese for a fruity twist

• lemon curd with cream cheese for something bright and tangy

• melted chocolate with cream cheese for the chocolate lovers.

• softened butter with the cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans instead of cream cheese for a more traditional cinnamon roll feel.

Know someone who needs a February pick me up? Share this post to bring a little joy amidst the winter blues!