Mardi Gras Cuisine with The 99 Cent Chef

You are in for a movable feast during this Cajun holiday called Mardi Gras. The real partying starts on February 16 on Fat Tuesday and continues thru the weekend. Usually, everyone lines the streets for the parades and floats with masked bead throwers. This is the time of year when New Orleans lets its freak flag fly -- all week long! 

But 2021, in the time of the Coronavirus Pandemic, it's no dice -- sorry, but the parades and floats are virtual so Mardi Gras does not become a Super-Spreader event like last year. But read on anywa,y and I'll show you how locals have a tasty time when the plague years end.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Mardi Gras is more than plastic beads and King's Cake. So read on and watch my videos to see some delish Cajun recipes, plus I'll even give you a personal Po'Boy Sandwich Tour of New Orleans. So scroll on down.

Alright, let's get this party started! Walking the French Quarter in New Orleans, revelers carry drinks spiked with knee-buckling Everclear spirits. I always make a stop at the local drive-thru New Orleans Original Daiquiris for a boozy slushy beverage. 

Yep, you heard right, that's the way we roll in Cajun country. Watch the video below to see how we get away without getting a ticket for an open container violation!

                                             Daiquiri Drive-Thru

Here's another of my patented GIF stories about a Cajun Happy Hour that has a chilling finale featuring my girlfriend Linda.

A Cajun Happy Hour

If buzzy spirits are too much for you, then settle down within view of the Mississippi River in New Orleans for a chickory-flavored cup of Joe and sugar-powdered beignets at world-famous Cafe du Monde. After the caffeine and sugar rush, you will be ready to take in New Orleans and the outrageous French Quarter, just a few steps away.

                                                    Cafe du Monde

I lived in Gonzales, Louisiana, during my high school daze. I didn't know what to expect when our family moved there from Texas. I did some wild stuff over the next four years and ate a lot of down-home Cajun cooking. The video below takes place in a local flea market, so check it out to get the flavor of the place.

                                         Cajun Flea Market Eats - Video

I hitchhiked with my high school buddy Marvin (featured in the Po'boy Sandwich Tour below) to New Orleans for Mardi Gras during the school break. Back then, it was all about grabbing a Muffaletta, listening to street Brass Bands and Rock and Roll, catching some beads thrown down by inebriated revelers perched behind French Quarter iron-wrought balconies and Mardi Gras parade floats, and getting a good buzz (we were underage, so no booze, but we found other natural ways).

Chef, Marvin & Dennis - high school buddies

We knew no fear, and locals were friendly enough - even picking up a couple of hitchhiking long-haired teenagers like us. One memorable ride was in a hand-painted hippie Volkswagen van where the college-aged, tie-dye-wearing driver, and cool chicks in tight bell-bottom jeans, on the backbench seat, passed around a doobie, before dropping us off in the city.

Looks like Red State Louisiana has agreed with Blue State California in legalizing marijuana for medical use. I guess we can all get along if there's a peace pipe to share.

I've kept in touch with my high school buddy Marvin and like to look him up when I land in New Orleans. Check out the video below to see how I (dinner) roll these days, when I tour the Crescent City in search of a delicious Po'Boy Sandwich with my high school bud - all the tasty details are in my original blog post here.

You will get a street-level experience of the Big Easy and the eccentric locals from my documentary short below.

New Orleans Po'Boy Tour - Video

Recently I met up with my long-lost brother from another.....daddy, aka the Swamp Chef! He showed up on Mom's doorstep one day, and she welcomed him back into the family. I must say he's a chip off the cypress tree block. He'd fit into a rockin' Cajun ZZ Top lineup, slinging a wooden stirring spoon instead of a guitar.

99 Cent Chef, Mom, and Swamp Chef

When the Swamp Chef shows up, there is always a delicious celebration -- and this time it's a BBQ Sausage Po-Boy Party!! Here in Gonzales, Louisiana, it's all about the bread when making a Po-Boy, or as it's also known, a Poor Boy (I can't figure out how to spell Po' boy as I've seen it all kinda ways!) Just watch the video below to see how the Swamp Chef grills locally made sausages by Ivderstine Farms Butchers and stuffs them into a loaf of Reisling's French bread.

The Swamp Chef & Zak get gooey and spicy with Cajun Nachos.

To quote Zak: "Uncle Swamp Chef for the win, these Cajun Nachos are lit."

Swamp Chef Cajun Nachos

The Swamp Chef knows the lay of the land around here, and he recommends all you Mardi Gras tourists who need a pitstop, to park here in Gonzales, Lousiana for a big lunch plate of Jambalaya. Just check out the Swamp Chef giving you the lowdown in the video below. And it's dirt(y rice) cheap, of course!



I know you are here for the recipes, too, and boy, do I have a pirogue boatful. Between Mom and my Cajun line-cooking nephews, Matt and Zak, I got that covered.

If you hang out in Louisiana for any amount of time, you will inevitably eat spicy steamed mudbugs, crayfish, or, as the locals call them, Crawfish. 

They are milder in seafood flavor than shrimp and are about the size of a small bay shrimp. If you've never had them, then watch my video below to learn how to eat one.

It quickly becomes a party when I visit Gonzales, Louisiana, to see my Cajun family with nieces, nephews, and their kids galore

And this first recipe is made with a beer-flavored sauce. Warning, in the video, we had to go through a Party Pack of Abita Beer to find just the right flavor!

My nephew Chef Matt has been cooking for years now and has some major culinary skillz. I'll let him give you the lowdown on a Southern classic, Shrimp and Grits video recipe (click here for recipe photos and text).

Chef Matt's Shrimp & Grits - Video

The cheapest Cajun entree is Red Beans and Rice -- made by my Southern friend Miss Patti. She is a vegetarian with a menagerie of critters she keeps on her property just outside the city of New Orleans.

For real New Orleans-style Red Beans, you should use the brand of beans called Camellia. But if you can't find them, it's okay to use any cheap red kidney beans.

We always have a good time together, and you will too, watching us cook together. Recipe details are a click away, here.

Ms. Patti's Vegan Red Beans and Rice - Video

 Mom knows Cajun cuisine best. And she is here to share a few with you right now.

It's best to start at the beginning, and here's the first recipe we did, Mom's Jambalaya.

I make this recipe the most. Nothing to it: just brown chicken pieces and sausage with a whole chopped onion. Finally, add rice and water to make the best comfort food ever. This is my Mom's version of Jambalaya (click here to read all about it.)

                                                 Mom's Jambalaya - Video

Mom also makes a killer Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. The trick is all in the deep chocolate-colored roux - actually just flour that's slowly browned in oil.

I'll let Mom explain in the video below (the recipe text is here.)

                                      Chicken and Sausage Gumbo - Video

Lately, when Mom makes hot and spicy Gumbo, she adds a scoop of cool Cajun Potato Salad. The last time she was here in Los Angeles, I got her to make some, and my cute niece Maranda dropped by to help. This recipe is a family affair; you can check it out below.

                                          Mom's Cajun Potato Salad - Video

Next to Gumbo, a rich and creamy Étouffée made with local crawfish is another decadent stew. Check out local Chef Tony's take on Crawfish Étouffée.

                                        Chef Tony's Crawfish Etouffee

My other line-cooking nephew, Zak, knows how to blacken fish the Cajun way. And boy does he do a skillful job at it, as my video below will attest. He also throws in a mind-blowing side of Sweet Potato Hash, and yes, it's loaded with bacon.

 Zak's recipe gets everyone in on the action, including his Mom and my sister, Brenda, who make noshing appearances. So do check out his delicious Cajun recipes below and click here for all the written details.

                           Zakk's Blackened Fish with Sweet Potato Hash - Video

The South's favorite nut, next to the boiled peanut, is the pecan. And my chef nephew Chef Matt has the best Pecan Crusted Fish recipe this side of the Mississippi River. And he throws in a vegan Spinach Salad with a creamy Strawberry Vinaigrette. Now that's a mouthful.

        Pecan Crusted Fish and Spinach Salad with a Strawberry Vinaigrette

My most outrageous Cajun recipe is an Alligator Po'Boy sandwich made by my nephew Chef Matt. They say alligator tastes like chicken -- to me, it is close to the texture of a pork chop and tastes somewhere between chicken and shrimp. Just check out the recipe video and make sure to watch all the way to the end, where the relatives go hog wild over the Alligator Po'Boy.

                                                Alligator Po'Boy - Video

How low can one recipe go? Well, check out the Swamp Chef and nephew Chef Matt's Deep-Fried Frog Legs...not for the faint of palate! This recipe goes from a swamp frog hunt to the deep fryer.

                                              Frog Legs Recipe - Video

If you are not in New Orleans attending the glittery and debauched Mardi Gras festivities, you can still have a tasty good time - if you remember to bookmark this page and come back to make any of my Cajun Mardi Gras meals. So laissez les bons temps rouler!

New Orleans Po'Boy Dining:
Short Stop Po-Boys - 119 Transcontinental Drive (near New Orleans Airport)
Metairie, Louisiana 70001
Phone: (504) 885-4572
Website: http://www.shortstoppoboys.com

Mother's Restaurant - 401 Poydras
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130

Phone: (504) 523-9656

Website: http://www.mothersrestaurant.net

Parasol's Bar and Restaurant - 2533 Constance Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Phone:(504) 302-1543
Website: http://www.parasolsbarandrestaurant.com

For a tasty local Los Angeles Po' Boy, try The Gumbo Pot in the Mid-City Farmer's Market. $11.55 for Shrimp or Oyster, and $11.75 for Mixed. For the menu, click here. Warning, the seafood Po' Boys have a sour bite because of the inserted sliced lemon -- I usually take the slices out.

Another local food find for Cajun Cuisine is a restaurant and deli store called Little Jewel, in downtown LA's Chinatown. It's the real deal, too. Listen in as you get all the tasty details in my special Restaurant Nocturne arty video below. (BTW, the chef/owner drops an F-bomb at 1:53 minutes.)

Super Bowl Recipes - Touchdown!

Head to the end zone for a long pass of recipes from The Culinary Quarterback. Are you ready for Superbowl Sunday? The Fried Pig Skin Lovin' Chef has some tasty football food that will leave enough green in your wallet to buy an extra keg for your tailgate party.

Just click on any recipe name below to see what I mean. There are no fumbles in this recipe list!

Philadelphia Eagle fans will eat up my riff on an East Coast favorite Lobster Roll -- a cheaper Scallop Roll. This recipe is so scrumptious it was featured in the Huffington Post website! Click here to see the write-up.

  Scallop Roll

If game day is freezing cold in New England, then throw another log on the fire and gather in front of the big screen with a steaming bowl of my cheap$kate Clam Chowder. Patriot fans will throw off their warming blankets, peel off their gloves, and line up for a big bowl.

Everybody loves Pizza on game day. You can avoid the long lines at Domino's or Shakey's Pizza and make your own cheaply with my recipe that uses pre-made cooked pizza crusts from the Dollar Tree store.

What's great about making your own Individual Pizza, is everyone can add the ingredients they like. I like anchovies and an egg on mine -- I know no one else would order that one!

Just set out a stack of individual pizza crusts and a few bowls of pepperoni, shredded cheese, black olives, fresh basil leaves, Italian sausage, a fave jar of marinara sauce -- you get the picture. And it only takes 10 minutes or so in a hot oven and they are done!



Next to pizza and hot dogs, Fried Chicken is a fan favorite and no one fries chicken better than this cheap$kate game changer.

I've come up with a crunchy coating that will empty the bleachers and have fans storming the kitchen! Get Superbowl Sunday going with my Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe, or use my special flour and spice mix for regular bone-in chicken pieces. Fry up a batch of chicken to hand off when the coin is tossed to start the game.



Bring more Southern flavor to your kitchen, no matter what State you are in. Fans will take a half-time break and huddle around your cast iron pot of my fragrant and spicy Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya and Cajun Gumbo.

 Mom's Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

In Louisiana, we put a dollop of Cajun Potato Salad on our Gumbo. If you don't believe me just check out the video below.


You gotta serve BBQ if you are tailgating on game day in the parking lot of  U.S. Bank Stadium, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Fans, I have the perfect recipe for you, a succulent and smoky BBQ Pulled Pork recipe. My recipe is easy and cheap to make, of course. Just check out the video below or click here to see all the tasty recipe details.

If a meaty bowl of Homemade Chili and a mug of icy cold beer are what you crave on game day then you've come to the right place.

Or go straight up the middle with a tray of Teriyaki Spam Musubi. Weave through the living room backfield with a pile of Mexican Carnitas Tacos (slow-cooked pork) and you'll be lucky to make it through without being sacked!

If fish is on your mind then hook your bleacher bums with some of my homemade Sushi Recipes. Try tackling a Spicy Tuna or California Roll. How about setting up a sideline station of chopped veggies and fresh fish and roll your own delicious Hand Rolls? It's easier than you think, and I have simple photo-illustrated instructions a click away, here.

While everyone's watching the pre-game show send in any of my delicious sideline sides and appetizers, including: Bacon Wrapped Dates and Brussels Sprouts, Tomato & Basil Bruschetta, Deviled Eggs, Portabella Mushroom Fries, Sweet Fried Plantains, Ceviche with Avocado and Black Beans, and Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce.

Football zealots are not just meat, but potato fanatics too. I like mine grilled, how about you? Well, I got Grilled Yellow and Orange Sweet Potato recipes for you to try.



Start Superbowl Sunday with a couple of omelet recipes, including my French-style Cheese Omelette



And just click here to see my Veggie Frittata recipe that will feed all your hungry team players (go ahead and add some ham pieces to fill out the frittata.)

Hot dogs and Game Day are meant for each other. Los Angeles locals know an LA Street Dog will not get flagged. This hot dog is grilled with a slab of bacon and topped with Pico de Gallo, a sauteed jalapeno, and slathered with mayo, mustard and ketchup. Whew, after one of these suckers you'll be ready to be carried out on a stretcher.



And, everyone will huddle around sandwich plates of gooey, cheesy Patty Melts, hearty Meatball Subs, Homemade Deli Pastrami, Falafel Pitas, and steaming Sloppy Joe's.

If you're looking for one pot meals, so you don't miss any action on the field, just check out my Pork Bourguignon, French Cassoulet, Chicken Tinga Stew,  Mr. Patti's Red Beans & Rice, Baked Pasta with Cheese and Cauliflower, Baked Lasagna with Ground Chicken, Shepherd's Pie, or Sausage & Sauerkraut with Beer recipes.

Baked Lasagna with Ground Chicken

 Looking for a sneak-play recipe? How about a different twist on Buffalo Wings with my African Spiced Water Buffalo Wings? This original recipe features chicken legs, but you can substitute wings.

Tired of stale, soggy stadium hot dogs? I have a great and easy Corn Dog Recipe made with Vienna sausages -- but you can use regular wieners. Your hungry guest will not be offsides dipping these crunchy coated pigskins into my tasty Honey-mustard Sauce.

Since you have the fryer going you might as well make a batch of my Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. They're as light and airy as the Goodyear blimp.

So get your backfield in motion and click on any of my tasty treat names above to watch an instant reply of recipes from my blog. Your guest will be cheering you on -- from their cheap seats!

Pancake & Sausage on a Stick - Cheap$kate Review

My latest Deal of the Day should not be so good. I think you can understand my suspicion of any meat that's on a stick from a frozen deli case.

But I am a fan of McDonald's McGriddle, a hybrid breakfast sandwich with a pancake bun that's injected with maple sryup. I like my McGriddle with egg and a sausage patty.

So when I saw Pancake & Sausage on a Stick by Snapps  in my local Dollar Tree deli case, I just had to get it. The concept of a breakfast corn dog rang my bell.

And you can check out my Deal of the Day cheap$kate video review at the end of this blog post.

And you get 2 pancake/sausage corn dogs for a buck, Wow!

This is an easy breakfast, just zap it in the microwave for a minute. You want it to be hot to the touch, so you know the inside sausage link is defrosted. Mine was ready in a minute, I might have added a couple of  10 second microwave bursts to finish.

I was quite impressed with the pancake envelope. It was spongy and light like a typical pancake you would make from the box, or even get at a local breakfast joint. I mean nothing out of the ordinary, and that's a good thing.

The pancake was a little over-sweet, but that's because no packet of maple syrup was included. Now, who ever has pancakes without syrup?

I guess I could take off a couple of points for a lack of syrup, but I think everyone has leftover  maple syrup in the refrigerator anyway. I had mine with it and boy did it take it over the top.

Maple syrup not included in box.

For my typical pancake stack with bacon or sausage, the best part is sloshing the meat into the syrup. Well with this all-in-one meal on a stick you do the same without utensils.

The sausage link is standard Farmer John's or Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage. Course ground and a little fatty, but that's okay by me. Seasonings are light and the flavor mildly pleasing.

All in all I was quite taken with this guilty pleasure of a start to my day. The pancake shell was not soggy, just springy in texture  and slightly moist. Even the sausage reheated well, not dried out or tough.

Well, by now you can tell I'm giving my latest Deal of the Day, Pancake & Sausage on a Stick by Snapps, a high Cheap$kate Dining score, of 1 to 9, 9 being best. Just watch the video below to get all the goods. 

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes 27 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Avocado & Cheese Omelet - Video Recipe

We get some crazy sale prices on avocados out here on the West Coast, everything from a couple of dollars per large avocado, to six tiny ones for a buck.

Click on any photo to see larger.

I usually make a guacamole, or add sliced avocado to my burgers, sandwiches and of course salads. Sometimes I load an omelet with avocado and melty cheese -- what a decadent way to start the day!

You can see how easy and quick it is to make by watching my Avocado & Cheese Omelet recipe video right here:

Play it here. Video runs 1 minute 51 seconds.

My local Latin grocery has the best avocado deals closest to home. They come in all sizes, but the smallest ones are cheapest and just big enough for a single serving. I find large avocados just too much of a good thing, unless I'm throwing a taco party, where no avocado will go to waste.

I get cheese at my local Dollar Tree and 99c only Stores. You can use any favorite cheese you have on hand, or find on sale. The main thing is that the cheese is soft enough to melt. I've used everything from string cheese to cheddar and mozzarella.

Eggs aren't as cheap as they used to be, but are still a good value, at least nutrition-wise. And sometimes I can get a dozen, or half dozen, medium eggs at my local Dollar Tree.

For this recipe I made a damp, French-style omelette. First mix all the eggs, then you gently scramble until they just start to firm up.

Spread out the eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan, and while egg is still damp, add slices of avocado and cheese. Finally fold omelet to close it. At this point you continue cooking until omelet reaches desired doneness. I like mine a little damp in the middle, but you can cook it all the way through, too.

It's okay to use any favorite omelet cooking style you like. If you are worried about damp egg omelet, then just cook it firm, like an old school truck stop diner. This omelet is more about the yummy avocado and cheese embellishments.

When avocados come on sale, do try my delish Avocado & Cheese Omelet.

Ingredients (one large omelet)

• 3 eggs - okay to make it a 2 egg omelet. I used medium size eggs.
• 1/2 avocado sliced - I used half an small avocado per omelet.
• Cheese - about a slice, but add as much or little as you like. Okay to use any favorite cheese, like: mozzarella, Swiss, Jack, string, cheddar, or plain American.
• Butter - about 1 teaspoon. Okay to use a favorite cooking oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste. I find that cheese is salty enough for me, so I just sprinkle on some pepper.

Directions
Open and remove avocado seed. Slice into avocado halves and scoop out flesh. It is up to you how thick to slice avocado.

Prepare cheese if necessary. Slice or crumble cheese.

Add 2 to 3 eggs to a bowl, I made mine with 3 medium sized eggs. Whisk eggs to blend well.

Over medium heat, add a teaspoon of butter or fave oil to omelet pan. Spread oil or butter over bottom of pan.

Pour in beaten eggs into medium/hot pan. Lightly scramble eggs. Let the omelet cook until eggs are starting to firm up, but still wet. It takes a minute or two, depending on heat of pan and how many eggs you used.

Spread out eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan as eggs firm up.

I sprinkle on the cheese first so it will melt, then add slices of avocado.

Gently fold the omelet in half. Cook omelet to desired doneness, about another 30 seconds to a minute. It's up to you how well done the omelet turns out.

Just slice into the thickest part of omelet to check for preferred doneness. Of course, you can cook the omelet any way you like. A hot omelet will continue to cook until eaten.

I finish the Avocado & Cheese Omelet with a little black pepper and fresh sliced green chives (optional.)

It's okay to use your fave omelet cooking technique, like just letting egg firm in pan without scrambling, adding cheese and egg, then folding it in half. Click here to see my truck stop diner-style omelet.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.