Celebrate Mardi Gras in Beverly Hills

Next week is Mardi Gras! And although that used to mean too much liquor, too much nudity and too much excess when I was in college, now that I have kids, it means jazz music and Cajun food.

You see, food is a great way to expose kids to different cultures, different religions and different tastes. Mardi Gras is the perfect opportunity to introduce my kids to a MILD version of jambalaya and beignets for dessert. (I'm skipping the whole Carnival and Lent discussion for now.)

I know my kids are going to love the beignets. How could anyone not enjoy deep-fried dough smothered in powdered sugar?

The jambalaya is a crapshoot. One kid eats chicken—sometimes. The other will eat shrimp—on occasion. But both of them love seasoned pork.

And even though I'm tempted to omit the sausage after learning how it's made, I'm planning on making it the old fashion way.

So when Mardi Gras officially takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 21, I'll be blasting some jazz and channeling New Orleans into my Beverly Hills kitchen. Oh, and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that my pack of finicky eaters will taste the main dish.

How will you be celebrating Mardi Gras?

{stay at home FOODIE}

p.s. Check out the recipes and how it all went down here.