By Melanie Savoie, Pat’s sister-in-law
33 ounces Mexican style corn, drained
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces mayonnaise
10 ounces cheddar cheese
4 ounces green chiles
3 tops green onion — chopped
Mix and chill
Serve with crackers or chips
Filed under Appetizer
One of the greatest things about living in Houston is Chuy’s restaurant. We’ve eaten countless meals there, which are always accompanied by creamy jalapeno dip, a big basket of chips and if we’re lucky, Bluebell push-ups for the girls and a Mexican Martini for mom.
My neighbor, Ms. Terry, shared her recipe for this addicting dip and we approve. Ms. Terry says she fills empty mayonaise jars with the dip and gives it and a bag of chips to her teenage grandkids for Christmas. She says it’s also good served over chicken, fish, and vegetables.
We keep mason jars filled in our fridge to whip out for a quick appetizer when we have guests. It is ideal for superbowl parties since you can make it ahead of time.
By Ms. Terry, Elizabeth’s neighbor
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk (I suggest one not near expiration since you will not eat the dip all at once.)
1/3 cup canned green chilies
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaf (stems mostly removed)
1 packet dry buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix (NOT the dip packet)
1/3 cup or less chopped jalapeno, stems and seeds removed
Method:
Enjoying a Push-Up at Chuy's
Process all ingredients in a blender until well combined and smooth. We suggest adding the jalapeño last to control the heat to your taste. The flavor of the dip will deepen over time. I store it in the refrigerator in canning jars. It keeps for a decent amount of time.
You may also like our Mexican Martini recipe.
Filed under Appetizer
The classic caprese salad becomes a delightfully fresh appetizer when it is miniaturized and utensils are eliminated. These bites are great in the summer when you have a nice crop of tomato and basil plants, but we also like the red and green for Christmas parties. Because they are threaded through the toothpick, they make cute lunch box salads too. Elizabeth likes to pack them on camping trips.
By Pat Savoie and Elizabeth Savoie Dronet, based on a Southern Living recipe
Ingredients:
Cherry or Grape tomatoes cut in half
Fresh small fresh mozzarella cheese balls, sliced (Buy the cheese packed in water.)
Fresh basil, torn
Toothpicks or Bamboo Skewers
Salt and Pepper
In the grocery store, look for tomatoes and cheese balls that are near the same size. Lay out tomato and cheese slices on a cutting board and sprinkle salt and pepper over them. Arrange the tomatoes and cheese to make a sandwich on either a toothpick or skewer. You can either put the basil inside the sandwich or on the top of the sandwich. See pictures for ideas.
Dressing if desired:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Whisk together the ingredients and drizzle over Caprese Bites.
Place on bamboo skewers and serve in glass bowls or footed hurricanes.
Filed under Appetizer, Lunch Box, Showers or Teas, Vegetarian
Need something to munch on while watching the football game on tv? Whip up this simple recipe with two ingredients I always have on hand. My sister-in-law, Dana, came up with this dip as an alternative to Velveeta and Rotel, and I like it so much better!
by Dana, Elizabeth’s sister-in-law
1 can Rotel as hot or mild as you like
1 block of cream cheese
Drain the Rotel using the lid of the can. Put it in a microwave safe bowl with the cream cheese. Heat for 2 minutes. Stir and continue to heat in 1 minute intervals until creamy and warm. Do not overheat or dip will scorch around the rim of the bowl. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Filed under Appetizer, Vegetarian
by Mary Ellen Burton
1 package Pillsbury sugar cookies (The flat one, not the tube.)
1 7oz jar marshmallow cream
1 8oz cream cheese block softened
small pieces of fruit
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a mini-muffin pan. Let cream cheese sit on the counter to soften while making the cookie cups.
Cookie Cups:
Use a pizza cutter to cut each cookie in half while it’s still on the cardboard. Roll each half in the palm of your hand and press into a 1″ circle. Place each disk in the mini-muffin pan.
Press a tool into a cup of flour and then press a circle into the dough until a cup is formed and the sides reach top of pan. Mom actually owns a wooden kitchen tool made for tasks such as this, but if you don’t, get creative! We’ve been known to use the end of an ice cream scoop and even the handle of a screwdriver! Your fingers do not work well for this job because they do not put even pressure on the sides of the pan. The cookies will likely be thin around the top and be difficult to remove later.
Bake for around 8 minutes. Cool in pan for 3-5 minutes and carefully pry the cups out with a butter knife. If you wait too long, the cookies may crumble when removed. If you try to remove them too early, they are too soft to remove. You want them just right where the cookie is still soft enough to press back into shape if they are damaged during removal.
Repeat process for second half of dough.
Let cookie cups cool completely.
Filling:
In a mixer, combine marshmallow cream and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Do not attempt to combine by hand. (This is the same recipe as our favorite fruit dip.)
Fill a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner cut off with mixture and carefully fill each cookie cup. You can also scoop and drop the mixture into the cups with a spoon.
Top with fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yield 24 cookie cups. We often double the recipe for a crowd.
If you are in a hurry, make fruit pizza instead (see picture below) following the same recipe. Cut into bite-sized squares to serve.
Use pizza cutter to slice cookies in half.
Filed under Appetizer, Dessert, Holidays, Lunch Box, Showers or Teas, Vegetarian
Our basic fruit dip is ready for fall! Serve along side apples, vanilla wafers or graham cracker sticks. It makes a nice addition to a Halloween or Thanksgiving buffet. A good snack for kids, pumpkin dip just sounds like autumn.
by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
1 8oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 7oz jar marshmallow cream
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
In a mixer, beat cream cheese and marshmallow cream until well blended. Add pumpkin and spices and mix well. Chill. Serve with apples, vanilla wafers or graham cracker sticks.
*Also see our similar Pumpkin Apple Dip recipe.
Brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin make this dip ideal for fall celebrations like Halloween and Thanksgiving. I packed it in the kid’s lunch box this morning with apple slices and graham crackers.
by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
sliced apples
In a mixer, beat all ingredients until smooth. Chill. Serve with apples.
*You may also like our similar Fluffy Pumpkin Dip.
When we lived in Connecticut, Dave and I loved the eating at Match, a restaurant in nearby SoNo. We loved their three bruschetta appetizer. When we moved, I searched for a recipe that reminded me of those date nights before children.
So fresh tasting, Dave says this bruschetta is just as good if not better than most restaurant’s. It’s smooth and not too tangy.
by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
7 Roma tomatoes, skins removed, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
8 basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil
sliced French bread
Remove skins of the tomatoes by first preparing a bowl of ice water and a pot of boiling water. Wash the tomatoes and with a knife gently carve an X from the bottom of the tomato to the top. Boil the tomatoes for one minute or so until the skin begins to peel away where the X has been carved. Do not overcook. With tongs, remove the tomatoes and plunge them into the ice water bath to stop the cooking process. The skins should easily peel off at this point. Remove the core and seeds then finely dice.
Place tomatoes into a bowl and add garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt and pepper.
Brush the bread slices with olive oil on one side and toast. You may toast them on a griddle or on a cookie sheet in the oven at 450. Place on the top rack for 5 minutes, oil side down.
Spoon tomatoes over the toast and enjoy!
Filed under Appetizer, Bread, Lunch Box, Vegetarian
Just right for picnics, hummus not only packs well, but is also packed with protein. The secret to the flavor of our favorite hummus is lots of tahini. We also like processing it long enough for it to become lighter in texture. It’s one of Dave’s favorite midnight snacks and also makes a great meal on camping trips.
by David Dronet
2 cans chickpeas, liquid reserved
2/3 cup tahini paste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
In a food processor, puree the chickpeas, tahini, 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and garlic, adding a little of the reserved liquid until smooth and fluffy; it will still be slightly grainy. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate. Serve with pita bread, carrots, or pita chips.
For a sandwich, spread hummus inside of a pita pocket. Add shredded carrots and sliced cucumbers. Another option is to make a sandwich out of the new “sandwich rounds” adding sprouts and cucumber strips.
*Recipe may be halved.
Filed under Appetizer, Lunch Box, Sandwiches, Side Dish, Vegetarian
My girls love these adorable little egg people in their lunch boxes. They pretend they first say, “Hi!” and then realize it’s lunch…”Don’t eat me! Ahhh!” Because they are so small, the girls can gobble them up in one bite, which is better than the mess that can
come from a regular egg. Quail eggs are also cute on salads. Find them in Asian grocery stores usually in the produce department. (Our favorite Houston Asian grocery store is Super H Mart.)
by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
Boil eggs in water for 3 minutes. Rinse in cool water. Gently peel each egg by cracking the entire outside first by rolling it on the counter. Dipping the egg in water as you peel helps too.
To make the little egg man, use a knife to make two cuts that show the yolk inside. Two black sesame seeds can be used for eyes. To make egg girls, shredded carrots or sprouts can become hair.
*Tip: Boil the whole package at once and peel. Store the uneaten boiled eggs submersed in water in the fridge for up to one week.
Santa's Elves. The tops of the eggs were dipped in food coloring to create hats.
Winter Snowman: carrot peel scarf, cheddar nose, ketchup cheeks, sesame eyes & mouth
Filed under Appetizer, Lunch Box, Salads, Vegetarian
Savoie Secrets: It's a Family Recipe 
