Ok, so on the 28th is my mom's 60th, and my sister and I are planning a big surprise party--in a Mardi Gras theme. I have a bunch of Blues, zydeco, and old-school Country music...but am always open to suggestions about great musicians in one of those genre's. I would also love to hear from you, any ideas on decorating, food, etc.

I did spend alsmost a month in New Orleans 10 or so years back (but during Jazz Fest, not Mardi Gras), so I have some ideas, but would definately love to hear other thoughts.

THANKS GUYS!!

Take a hose.....and flood the floor.....then.......

*comes back in feeling ashamed of self....cleans up water...leaves a stolen TV...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!~:) Hope they have a happy one....and YOU too, future birthday girl...

Yeah...I had considered alot of spilled booze, but my snooty cousin who is letting us use his house (mansion really, bastard!) would kill me...so any other ideas? Music,food...

Hmmmmm, seriously.....consider a buncha carnival masks....maybe they have some in party stores...and cajun food? BB KING and Bluesy stuff? Are all us Caedesians invited?

hmmm a big vat of jambalaya oughta do nicely, as would a blazing hot batch of gumbo

don't forget the beads 8•P

*lifts blouse* yells I WANT MY JERRY BEADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terri, you are such a BAD girl!!!
I have beausoleil, buckwheat zydeco, bb king, stevie ray vaughn, john lee hooker, hank williams, muddy waters...the zydeco pickings are slim,so it is mainly blues...I thought of maybe doing masks, but I'm not sure where to get them (cheap)...and I wanted to cook cajun, but some folks can't handle the spices...so I need "vanilla" cajun recipies...

hmmm
try subbing manhattan clam chowder, add some okra, take out the potatos, and tell 'em its... americanized gumbo

distribute shirts that "come up" easily to all the women upon entering .. test them yourself .. don't want anybody blaming their lack of beads on a rigged shirt

*holds a bunch of beads, in order to 'assist' testing the shirts out with a willing 'subject' *

You Caedes men do realize (I hope) that with this rowdy bunch of ladies...you better have A WHOLE LOTTA beads!!!

Americanized gumbo...not sure if it will work, but you gave me an idea that may work. Any other ideas...how about non-alcoholic drinks...any ideas there (yes my family is a bunch of fuddy duddies!)

ask Jac how to make .. (wait for it) ... strawberry jaquiris

uh..the gumbo bit was something of a tongue-in-cheek comment... but if it inspired you, all the better

uh..the gumbo bit was something of a tongue-in-cheek comment... but if it inspired you, all the better

I knew you were making a funny, however, you did inspire me...I figure if I throw okra into a dish, everyone will think its cajun (my family is old-school italian, they have no clue what is or isn't cajun)

Get some reruns of "The Cajun Chef"(God rest his soul) MMM Dat gooood!!..
I garANNteeee..." Loved that ol guy!

old school italian... and no spicy food? does not compute...

Well ... just goes to prove my point ... my eyes have, indeed and officially, melted. ;o)

Nice to 'see' you. :o)

Two words ... "pot luck" ... put out the message on the theme ... and enjoy.

Btw ... "Buckwheat Zydeco" rockz and rulez. Feet start a tappin' at the mere mention of that group's name.

quote .. they have no clue what is or isn't cajun

One word ... Peanut Butter and Jelly Sammiches

well, depending on where you went to school, you might say that's more than one word .. rest assured that I didn't go to school there

Lol. Ok ... let me amend my words a bit then ...

"Two words ... "pot luck" ... put out the message on the theme ... and be surprised!"

hahahaah .. I didn't even think that you used the "one word" gimmick ... I wasn't paying attention .. LOL

LOL... strawberry jaquiris???? lmao...

Jenn masks are a must for mardi gras.. and they are really easy to make.. get a piece of paper grab someone and put the paper over their face and draw about eyebrow high and just above the cheek bone.. then all you have to do is cut a fancy design on light cardboard, paint it, decorate with feathers and sequence (you can get from art & craft shops pretty cheap) punch holes in either side of the mask add some thin elastic (hat elastic) or you can get a straw and roll a little of one side around the straw and tape or staple it and there you have a super dooper mask ... ohhh don't forget to cut out the holes for the eyes.. lol and it helps if you make a little arch shape for the nose.. or you can cheat and just go to a cheap store and buy cheap party masks.. =D

hmmm, would 'sequence' be a bunch of 'sequins' all neatly in order? :P

Oooops... yep that too... lol... i'm tired... =PP

I knew what she was talking about...and at least she gave me advice better than being the official wardrobe malfunction checker!!

=D

Thanks Jaq...that will help me out, it could be something fun for the kids (grandkids) to do, and I know my mom will love it (even if it looks messed up) because her grandkids did it.

As for non-spicy food...most of my family here in Fresno is 70+, and their tummies can't handle spices (at least that's what they tell me) they even have pretty much stopped using onions and garlic and all the good stuff when they cook. For those of us who can handle spicy foods, I thought I'd make some blackened chicken and dirty rice...but most of the food needs to be "creative cajun" as I have taken to calling it...so ideas would be appreciated.

Oh!!! ... and birthday cake candles that DON'T go out ... hahahaha .. a fun time will be had by all ... nuthin' a person of elderly persuasion likes better than to be lied to by a piece of wax

and ... don't blame us guys for being wardrobe malfunction checkers .. we help out where we can

well, other than okra, i seem to remember kidney beans and peas being in any self-respecting cajun food i've ever had... just a thought, hope it helps..

Hope this helps you....two suggestions from: http://www.gumbopages.com/recipe-page.html

Stuffed Artichokes

* 6 large artichokes
* 1-1/2 pounds smoked bacon or pancetta, sliced
* 10 cups Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
* 1-1/2 cups Parmagiano Reggiano or good domestic Parmesan cheese, grated (don't buy it pre-grated, and don't use that stuff from the green can)
* 1-1/2 cups Peccorino Romano cheese, grated
* 1 cup green onion, chopped
* 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
* 10 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2-1/2 to 3 cups olive oil
* 6 slices lemon

Slice off the pointed ends of each artichoke. Rub a lemon on the cut ends to prevent browning. Slice off the stem end of each artichoke so that they sit up straight.

Fry the bacon until crisp; drain. Crumble into a bowl, and mix in the next 9 ingredients.

Spread the leaves of each artichoke as much as possible, and pack in a generous amount of stuffing around them. Tap each artichoke gently to let any loose stuffing fall off. Stand them in a casserole or roasting pan just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add water to a depth of 1-1/2 inches.

Pour a generous amount of olive oil over each artichoke, letting it seep in. Top each artichoke with a slice of lemon. Bring the water to a boil, cover, lower the heat and steam the artichokes until the leaves pull off easily, at least 1 hour or more. Check the water level after about 25 minutes, and add more if necessary.

Serve hot or warm. The stuffed artichokes can be prepared in advance and reheated before serving. Leftover stuffing keeps for 2 weeks in the refrigerator and longer in the freezer. Option: sprinkle grated Parmagiano Reggiano cheese over the top and place briefly under a broiler until cheese melts and begins to brown. Yield: 6 2-person
servings.

Sweet Potatoe and Apple Salad

* 4 cups peeled and grated sweet potatoes (yams)
* 2 tart green apples (Granny Smith or Pippin), peeled, cored and chopped
* 1/2 cup dried red currants
* 1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted
* Juice of 1 orange
* Juice of 1 lime
* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 1/3 cup olive oil

Mix the sweet potatoes, apples, currants and pecans in a large bowl. Combine the juices, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk together, then add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Pour over the salad, toss well to combine well, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

YIELD: 6-8 servings.

Mmmmm...those sound yummy, and thanks for the website...I'll have to check it out.

Anyone know of any online novelty site that sells Hurricane glasses or Mardi Gras beads and so on??

Google is your friend

(*ducks*)

and that's why you're the awesome brainiac you are...I went through googling novelty shops and just searching through online catalogues...
And hey, it's about time you made yourself useful...I mean, I dorealize that wardrobe malfunction checker is an awesome responsibility and all...

Well, you better not flash your breasts for necklaces like at the real Mardi Gras...what a sweet idea..your mom will love whatever you do...try Oriental Trading Company catalog...

I'd be a volunteer, but... I don't have much to show. Plus, I can't be bothered.

That's laziness for you.