Shrimp Boil/New Orleans themed 40th birthday...

notkateanymore

My sweet husband turns 40 on Easter this year. He didn't want a big formal party, so we've compromised and I'm going to do a shrimp boil/New Orleans themed party the Saturday before. 

Anyway, besides the shrimp, potatoes, sausage and corn in the boil and the cake...what should I serve? I'm going to have a guy shucking raw oysters because they're his favorite food and I thought it would be a fun surprise. I'm going to do all the cooking myself, which some help from family and friends, so all my apps need to be make-ahead as much as possible. In keeping with the theme, I was thinking about doing mini muffalettas. They would also work for people who don't eat seafood. Any other ideas that can be done for a large group? 50+ probably.

 

Thanks! 

TarHeels&Rebels

How about gumbo and cornbread?  Leave seafood out of the gumbo.

Catlawdy_____

I served cornbread salad and baked beans with ours the last time we did it:

Cornbread Salad

1 cup celery

2 cucumbers

4 tomatoes

1 purple onion

1 bell pepper

1 box of Jiffy cornbread, prepared

4 slices of cooked bacon (I usually omit the bacon)

shredded cheddar cheese

dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sweet salad cubes (on the pickle aisle)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Chop veggies (not ultra small, chop to about the size you'd put in fattoush), put in bowl.

Mix dressing, pour over chopped vegetables Crumble cornbread (my dad likes the pieces of cornbread to stay about bite sized, I do a bit smaller) and press into bottom of a casserole dish (if the salad will sit awhile, you can press the cornbread into the bottom of the dish so that the salad dressing doesn't soak into it and get soggy while you're waiting to serve it, if you're going to serve it fairly quickly, you can just do layers - crumbled cornbread, veggies, cheese, repeat, then toss). Top crumbled cornbread with the vegetables add layer of cheddar cheese top with crumbled bacon

Variation, same idea:

 http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/salads/cornbread-salad/

 

vjcjenn1

red beans and rice, dirty rice...fried okra

Annabelle76

Always a hit at any of my parties (and I always throw a Mardi Gras celebration every year!):

Merle's Spinach Balls
Makes: 6 to 8 dozen

 

• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach
• 2 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6 eggs, well-beaten
• 3/4 cup melted margarine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 Tablespoon Cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1-2 teaspoons Tony's Creole Seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Cook spinach according to package directions and drain well, squeezing to remove excess moisture. Combine with stuffing mix, chopped onion, eggs, margarine, cheese, Cayenne and garlic salt. Mix well. Shape into 3/4-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes. (These are successfully frozen by placing on a pan in freezer until hard, then storing in airtight bags. To serve, thaw slightly and bake 20-25 minutes.)

notkateanymore

Annabelle76:

Always a hit at any of my parties (and I always throw a Mardi Gras celebration every year!):

Merle's Spinach Balls
Makes: 6 to 8 dozen

 

• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach
• 2 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6 eggs, well-beaten
• 3/4 cup melted margarine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 Tablespoon Cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1-2 teaspoons Tony's Creole Seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Cook spinach according to package directions and drain well, squeezing to remove excess moisture. Combine with stuffing mix, chopped onion, eggs, margarine, cheese, Cayenne and garlic salt. Mix well. Shape into 3/4-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes. (These are successfully frozen by placing on a pan in freezer until hard, then storing in airtight bags. To serve, thaw slightly and bake 20-25 minutes.)

Thank you! I love a do-ahead recipe! 

notkateanymore

TarHeels&Rebels:

How about gumbo and cornbread?  Leave seafood out of the gumbo.

I thought about doing gumbo, but I am so not a soup person when it's warm outside. We're in AL, so it will probably be warm by then. Though I do love the idea of red beans and rice.

I found a Blue Devil Cheese and Bacon Dip today on Epicurious and DH is a Duke grad, so that's going on the menu.