How about tea that’s as sweet as can be! I thought ladies loved flavored teas, but the men at my dinner party were the ones to sing praises. The mint (picked from a plant Elizabeth shared with me from her garden) gives this tea a refreshing surprise.
By Austin Entertains, Junior League of Austin, Texas, submitted by Pat Savoie
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Makes about 1 gallon
Ingredients
3 family-size tea bags
2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1 (33.8 oz) bottle peach nectar
1/2 (12oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup Simple Sugar Syrup
1 (1-liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled
1 (1-liter) bottle club soda, chilled
Garnish: Fresh peach wedges
Method
1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add tea bags and mint leaves. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Cover and steep 10 minutes.
2. Discard tea bags and mint. (I poured tea through a strainer) Pour into a 1 gallon container; add peach nectar, lemonade concentrate, and simple sugar syrup. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
3. Pour chilled tea mixture into a punch bowl or pitcher. Stir in ginger ale and club soda just before serving. Garnish.
Blueberries from our yard are always ready to begin harvesting the first week of June. Kent and I made this wonderful recipe that I found at freshpreserving.com. “Citrus fruits enhance the rich, earthy flavor of blueberries in this luscious, royal blue conserve. Serve it with bread or as a condiment with ham or smoked meats.” We spread it on bagels right as it came out of the pot. Yum!
By Pat Savoie
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Ingredients
4 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 small lemon (unpeeled), seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup orange (unpeeled), seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup raisins
4 cups blueberries
4 8oz half pint jars with lids and bands
Method
Waiting for 220
1. Simmer jars and lids in boiling water until ready for use. Set bands aside.
2. Combine sugar and water in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add lemon and orange slices and raisins. Reduce heat and boil gently for 5 minutes. Add blueberries, increase heat to high and return to boil. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 5 to 10 minutes, until mixture thickens. (220 degrees on a candy thermometer) Skim off foam.
3. Ladle hot conserve into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim.
Aren't the oranges and lemons beautiful?
Center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
4. Process filled jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after cooled. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. Store up to 1 year.
Be sure to browse our other recipes for preserves by clicking on the Canning category.
My friend Chariste and I may have been born in Louisiana, but we love our Texas-tinis. Chariste, who lives in Austin, introduced me to the Mexican Martini from Trudy’s restaurant several years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Luckily, Chuy’s restaurant in Houston has their own version called the Texas Martini. When I was pregnant with the twins, I craved these more than pickles. Chariste found this recipe that tastes pretty close to what’s served at both restaurants, although they each claim to have their own special recipes.
by Chariste, Elizabeth’s friend. Recipe perfected by Dave Dronet
Ingredients
2 oz tequila
1 oz Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1 oz orange juice
1/2 of a lime, squeezed
1 1/2 oz sweet and sour mix (can substitute margarita mix)
Method
Put a handful of ice in shaker
Add tequila, Cointreau, orange and lime juice and sweet and sour mix.
Cover and shake.
Serve in a glass rimmed with salt if you like. Garnish with an olive or a twist of lime. Chuy’s uses jalapeno stuffed olives.
I served this Mexican-style lasagna to the extended family on one of our Destin vacations. Sometimes I use medium heat chipotle salsa and other times a milder regular salsa. The pepper jack cheese gives it a kick either way. We sometimes top it with a little sour cream.
By Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
Ingredients
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 green onions, coarsely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
9-10 oz bag of fresh baby spinach
Nonstick cooking spray
8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
1 can (15.5 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup prepared salsa (mild or medium)
8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
foil
Method
Preheat oven to 425°. In a food processor, combine cilantro, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with as much spinach as will fit; pulse, adding remaining spinach in batches, until coarsely chopped.
Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Lay 4 tortillas in bottom of dish (they will overlap). I cut them in half sometimes and face the cut sides out. Layer with half of beans, salsa, spinach mixture, and cheese; repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with cheese and pressing in gently.
Cover dish with foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes; remove foil, and continue baking until golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4-5.
You’d be a fool to pass up this dessert. With only three ingredients, it’s simple, quick, and delicious. It’s easily doubled for a crowd, like when Mary Ellen and her crew come over for dinner!
By Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
Ingredients
2 cups raspberries
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
Method
Process 1 1/2 cups raspberries in a food processor until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, press through a sieve set over a bowl; discard solids.
In a mixing bowl or kitchen aid mixer, whip cream with sugar to stiff peaks. (To cool the bowl down before adding the cream, swirl some ice cubes around in it then toss them out.) Gently fold in raspberry puree by hand with a spatula. Spoon into bowls or glasses, topping or layering with remaining 1/2 cups raspberries.
Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
For my Desserts and Cocktails Christmas party, I served this Raspberry Fool in shot glasses with small spoons. Pipe the mixture into the glasses for a clean look.
Yum! These little custards are light, delicious and perfect for summer nights. Mom loves them just as much as I do. Because you can make them ahead, they are a great choice for when you have company. Plus, they are sure to impress.
Contributed by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet, orginally from Everyday Food Magazine
Ingredients
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin
1 cup half-and-half (*can substitute milk and heavy cream)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing once or twice, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook milk and sugar, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to bubble around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in coconut. Cover tightly; let stand 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water. Let soften, about 5 minutes. Strain warm coconut mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into gelatin mixture. Whisk until gelatin dissolves, then whisk in the half-and-half, vanilla, and salt.
Divide among four to five 8-ounce ramekins or custard cups; refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. When ready to serve, unmold by dipping the ramekins in hot water for a few seconds and turning them upside down on a plate. You can also just serve them in the ramekins. Sprinkle with reserved coconut.
* If you have heavy cream instead of half & half, substitute 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cream. I add the milk in with the rest of the milk and stir in the cream later after I add the gelatin.
**For a party buffet, try serving these in shot glasses instead of ramekins. You can easily double the recipe.
“In the good, old summertime, In the good, old summertime. Strolling down the shady lane…” This dish speaks of summer to me with its use of tomatoes and basil. Angel hair pasta has always been my favorite.
By Pat Savoie
1 pound Angel Hair or Capellini pasta — uncooked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 cups tomatoes — diced or cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh basil (Since I grow my own, I use a fist full)
3/4 cup chicken broth or vegetarian broth
5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper — to taste
Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add garlic cooking for one minute.
Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes.
Add hot pasta to skillet and toss well.
Stir in chicken broth
Toss with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Serve immediately.
I recently checked out the popular book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day from the library after a month long wait in the request line. I tried the basic recipe and found it to be easy and the bread pretty good, especially toasted with butter and homemade blackberry jelly. It definitely looks great too. I decided to go ahead and buy the book. I’m anxious to try some of the sesame seed versions. I’ve included a how-to video below that was created by the authors. It’s a good prep before the bread making attempt.
From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, submitted by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
Preparation time: 15 minutes to prepare enough dough for four loaves, to be baked over four days during a two week time period. Each daily loaf will average 5 minutes of active preparation time.
*For planning purposes, I’d like to note that the dough will have to rest for 40 minutes once you take it out of the refrigerator and then bake for 30 minutes. The recipe also suggests letting the loaf cool before serving.
Makes four 1-pound loaves
Ingredients
3 cups lukewarm water (about 100º F)
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packs)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour (no need to sift)
Cornmeal for the pizza peel
Method
1. In a 5-quart bowl, mix the yeast, water and salt. Add all the flour, then use a wooden spoon to mix until all ingredients are uniformly moist. You can also use a dough hook in the KitchenAid mixer for this. It is not necessary to knead or continue mixing once the ingredients are uniformly moist. This will produce a loose and very wet dough.
2.Cover with a lid (not airtight). Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, about 2 hours, but no more than 5 hours.
3. After rising, the dough can be baked immediately, or covered (non completely airtight) and refrigerated up to 14 days. The dough will be easier to work with after at least 3 hours refrigeration.
4. On baking day, prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal to prevent the bread from sticking when you transfer it to the oven. Uncover the dough and sprinkle the surface with flour. Pull up and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece of dough (serrated knives are best). Store the remaining dough in the bowl and refrigerate for baking at another time.
5. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won’t stick. Create a smooth ball of dough by gently pulling the sides down around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. While shaping, most of the dusting flour will fall off. The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but it will flatten out during resting and baking. Shaping the loaf this way should take no more than 1 minute.
6.Place the dough on the pizza peel. Allow the loaf to rest for about 40 minutes. It does not need to be covered. The bread may not rise much during this time.
7. Twenty minutes before baking, place a pizza stone on the center rack of the oven. If you don’t have a baking stone, use another baking sheet. Remove any upper racks. Place a broiler pan or cake pan on a rack below the pizza stone or on the floor of the oven. Preheat oven to 450 F.
8. When the dough has rested for 40 minutes, dust the top liberally with flour, then use a serrated knife to slash a 1/4-inch-deep cross or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top.
9.Slide the loaf off the peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray/cake pan and close the oven door.
10.Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Allow the bread to cool completely, preferably on a wire cooling rack.
Granny and Paw Paw recently stayed with me in Houston while visiting Paw Paw’s sister Aunt Ella Mae. I baked a batch of these cookies to have with our afternoon coffee. They were so good, Granny wrote down the recipe! That’s a big complement coming from someone who already makes a great oatmeal raisin cookie.
By Elizabeth Savoie Dronet from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food Magazine.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups raisins
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Add oats, raisins, and coconut; beat just until combined.
Drop level 1/4-cup measures of dough, 1 1/2 inches apart, onto baking sheets ideally covered with parchment paper. I sometimes slightly flatten the dome of the cookie to ensure it cooks evenly.
Bake until cookies have spread and are golden brown and soft to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
**Freeze unbaked cookies on baking sheet until firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer to resealable plastic bags (label and date); keep up to 6 months. Bake as many as you need (without thawing); place 1 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
**My friend Jill threw in a few Ghirardelli white chocolate chips and says the cookies were fabulous. You may want to give it a try.
How about tea that’s as sweet as can be! I thought ladies loved flavored teas, but the men at my dinner party were the ones to sing praises. The mint (picked from a plant Elizabeth shared with me from her garden) gives this tea a refreshing surprise.
Savoie Secrets: It's a Family Recipe 