What could I serve for a fancy, semi-romantic, New Orleans style dinner?

Question

A three course meal would be wonderful! Also, a non-alcoholic drink to go along would be great.

No alcohol in the food, please.

And nothing to bizarre, I have to be able to find ingredients at a local grocery store!

Thanks for any help! I'm very excited for this meal!

Answer 1

Start with Grilled Oysters with a lemon butter sauce

Then your main course could be Jambalaya

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Ingredients
2 lb chicken on bone, or
1 lb boneless chicken
1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
1/4-1/2 stick butter or margarine, or oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4-1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4-1/2 cup green onion tops, chopped
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. roux
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup broth made with bones/skin, or
1 14-oz can chicken broth, or
1 cup water with 2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp. cajun seasoning mix (homemade, Chachere's or Zatarain's)
Brown the chicken and sausage
Brown the chicken and sliced sausage in oil in a heavy walled aluminum or cast iron pot.
Remove chicken/sausage from the pot, and set aside.
Remove the chicken from the bone and skin, if you are using chicken with bones.
Dice or tear the deboned chicken into small pieces.
Make chicken broth
Either, lightly boil the chicken bones and skin in water for a half hour or so. You need about 1 cup of broth.
Or, use a can of chicken broth.
Or, dissolve 2 cubes of chicken bouillon in a cup of warm water.
Sauté vegetables
Add a bit more butter, margarine or oil to the pot, and sauté all the vegetables together until the onions are clear.
Scrape the browning from the bottom of the pot as the water comes out of the vegetables and the brownings become loose.
Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, roux and seasoning. The small amount of roux adds a bit of body to the flavor.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes or so.
Mix and cook the jambalaya
Mix the chicken, sausage and uncooked white rice into the vegetable mixture.
Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the mixture. If necessary add water.
Add the mixture to the rice cooker and cook until the rice is done.
If you do not have a rice cooker, then cook the dish on the stove until the rice is soft, but not mushy. If you decide to cook the jambalaya on the stove make sure you do it in a heavy walled aluminum or cast iron pot, or else you are sure to burn the rice at the bottom. Keep the lid on the pot, especially once the mixture comes to a boil, and do not stir the pot. If you burn the rice on the bottom of the pot, then you're not any better than I am at cooking rice.
Serving
Jambalaya is moist and best served and eaten right after it is finished cooking. Upon sitting, the rice absorbs the moisture and jambalaya becomes more dry.

Followed by Lemon Cake:
Ingredients
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Buy the Book Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans.
2. Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
4. Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves and makes a syrup. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a rack set over a tray, and spoon the lemon syrup over the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
5. For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Have fun!.

Answer 2

http://culinaryfool.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!A7D1373D92F448FA!593.entry

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20604341/

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo:
http://recipes.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R087571

Creole Shrimp Cocktail
Stir a few drops of hot red pepper sauce and a dollop of spicy brown mustard into prepared tartar sauce. Use as a dip for cooked, peeled shrimp.



Red Beans and Rice
Zatarain's, a Louisiana based company, makes a variety of New Orleans-style side dishes in easy-to-prepare packages. The Red Beans and Rice combo is perfect with this dinner. Look for it at your supermarket.



Bananas Foster
Try this classic New Orleans dessert made simple: Scoop vanilla ice cream into bowls, top with sliced bananas. For each portion, melt 1 Tbs. butter with 2 Tbs. brown sugar in a small saucepan. Add a pinch of cinnamon; bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove pan from stove and spoon over the kids' portions. Add 1 Tbs. of rum per person for the adults if desired.

Answer 3

Crab Cheesecake Appetizer
Goat Cheese Salad with Homemade Croutons
Shrimp Scampi
Strawberry Lemonade to Drink

Recipes:
Crab Cheesecake
1/2 cup Ritz or buttery crackers, crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1 package cream cheese, room temperature (8 ounce each)
2 eggs
1/8 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated onion
1/8 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 drops tabasco sauce, or to taste
1/16 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup lump crabmeat, canned
1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350°. Mix together the cracker crumbs and butter and use the mixture to line a a small round casserole dish. Bake for about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven to 325°.

With an electric mixer, beat together until fluffy the cream cheese, eggs, and 1/8 cup sour cream. Add the lemon juice, onion, Old Bay seasoning, Tabasco, and black pepper. Stir in the crabmeat and mix well. Pour into the cooled crust and bake 50 minutes until the cake sets. Remove from the oven. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, loosening it from the pan. Cool on a wire rack. Remove the sides of the pan. Spread the cake with the sour cream.
Serves 6

Goat Cheese Salad
Tear or Chop Romaine Lettuce and top with slices of goat cheese, tomatoes, vidalia onion slices, and cucumber. Slice day old french bread into cubes and toss with olive oil, parsley, a dash of basil, bake in the oven until crunchy and slightly browned. Cool then top prepared salad with croutons.


Shrimp Scampi
1 lb. shrimp
4 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
Melt butter and olive oil together, season shrimp with salt. Add shrimp to pan over medium heat. Cook until opaque flip; cook until other side is done, then remove shrimp from pan and add fresh parsley. To the pan add 1 tbsp of butter and melt, add the juice of one lemon. Meanwhile cook linguine in salted boiling water with a dash of olive oil to prevent sticking. Drain the pasta then toss shrimp with pasta and lemon butter.

Strawberry Lemonade
Mix lemonade with strawberries and sugar that have been pureed in the blender or food processor.

For dessert just buy some nice chocolate truffles.

Answer 4

Ask Yo Momma! Really it's Mother's Day treat her to a nice dinner at a restaurant with an outdoor eating area!

Answer 5

Jambalaya: use sausage, chicken, left over meats in a spicy rice mixture with tomatoes and chopped celery, onion, and carrots. (I use the box rice mix and just add my own meats.) Great with seafood, too!
Po' boys or muffalettos: layers of deli meats and cheeses, olive salad, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper on long, crusty French style bread cut long-wise. Wrap and press until the flavors meld.

Answer 6

Jambalyacrawfishpie.