I’ve thrown a New Orleans themed dinner party before. It was when I lived in Atlanta and it was a good time. However, It was a mess of a good time. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans, you know that one drink too many can lead down a dangerous path. That was the result of my first attempt of throwing a New Orleans dinner party.

In fact, I never even posted all of the photos from that dinner party because they were so bad. I decided to try it again but this time it was only John and me. Oh and I decided against having Everclear daiquiris. Barf. What was I thinking? Round two of this dinner turned out way better.

So if you’re planning a dinner party anytime soon, try a New Orleans themed dinner party. This post will share a few ideas, recipes and super-easy ways to plan one.

Planning a New Orleans themed dinner party

I often associate New Orleans with boils. Crawfish boils, shrimp bowls – you name it. I wish I could partake in all types of boils more often because I love them. Boils don’t have to be difficult – you too can recreate them at home. The way I prepped my first boil may not be authentic to New Orleans but it was delicious.

I used shrimp, red potatoes, chicken chorizo, fresh corn and a plethora of herbs and spices.

Full ingredient list
shrimp (shell on)
chicken chorizo (or any type of sausage)
red potatoes
bay leaves
2 smashed garlic cloves
Zatarain’s crab boil seasoning
fresh corn
onion, quartered
1 jalapeño, halved & seeded
fresh thyme
lemon juice
salt & pepper and any other seasonings you want

The wonderful thing about doing boils of any kind is that you can just throw it in a pot and let the seasonings to all the work.  I browned the sausage just a bit so you can cut it into slices without it falling apart.

I threw in the shrimp at the end of the process so it doesn’t overcook.  The corn was my favorite part of this dish for some reason.  If you can, please buy fresh corn, it makes all the difference. Try Martha Stewart’s version of a shrimp boil if you’re looking for an actual recipe and not my inner ramblings.

The beignets. Nothing can beat actual beignets from Cafe Du Monde. But if you’re looking for a really easy (read: lazy) way to create your own at home try them using canned biscuit dough.

*gasp*

Yes, I’m being serious.

Fry them in vegetable oil (or if you’re feeling frisky, try bacon fat). Then, while they’re still hot, douse them with an abundance of powdered sugar and a little cinnamon. Enjoy them while they’re hot.

New Orleans is known for their cocktail scene and a true New Orleans themed dinner party has cocktails. A Sazerac is a classic New Orleans cocktail to try.

If you’re planning a trip to New Orleans sometime soon, here’s a weekend guide to the city.

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