June 23, 2010 · 4:17 pm

Cheesecake

This is my recipe I have used in the restaurants I have worked in. It is light and creamy and a favorite of my Chefs.

By Kayla Savoie

Crust
graham cracker crumbs
sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg
butter, melted
I like to be able to taste the spices in the crust so I use more. Add the spices and sugar to graham crackers and mix. Add in melted butter and mix to combine, mold into spring form pan on bottom and sides. Set aside.
Filling
3 lbs.  cream cheese
1 1/2 c.   sugar
1 1/2 c.   sour cream
4    eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cream cream cheese on low until smooth, scraping gradually.
Add in sugar, mix and scrape sides
Add in sour cream, mix
Add in eggs and vanilla, slowly incorporating in mixer on low. (NEVER go above  med. speed)
Makes 1 cake
Bake at 275*F  with a pan of hot water in oven
1 hour 45 min.  (Approximately depending on oven)


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Filed under Cakes, Dessert

June 23, 2010 · 4:09 pm

Coconut Cream Cheese Pinwheels

I made these for Elizabeth’s Baby Shower when she had the twins.  I sprinkled the cookies with  edible glitter.

by Pat Savoie

Cookie dough:
1/2        Cup  Butter — room temp
3            Ounces  Cream Cheese
1             Large  Egg
2            Cups  Flour
2/3        Cup  Sugar
1/2        Teaspoon  Baking Powder
1            Teaspoon  Vanilla

Filling:
3            Ounces  Cream Cheese
3            Tablespoons  Sugar
1            Cup  Unsweetened Coconut
1/3        Cup  White Chocolate Chip

Egg mixture:
1            Large  Egg — lightly beaten
1           Tablespoon  Oil
Granulated Sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add egg, 1 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, and vanilla.  Beat on low speed until combined.  Gradually add remaining cup flour.  Using a wooden spoon, stir until fully combined.  Divide dough in half.  Shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare the filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.  With a wooden spoon, stir in coconut and chips.  Set aside

Remove one disc of dough from refrigerator.  Roll on a lightly floured surface into an 8 by 13 inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick.  With a fluted cookie cutter, cut into 15 2 1/2 squares.  Place on prepared baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each square.  Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut 1 inch slits diagonally from each corner toward the filling.  Fold every other tip over to cover filling and form a pinwheel.  Press lightly to seal.

Whisk together egg and oil.  Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of pinwheels with egg mixture.  Sprinkle with sugar

Transfer to oven, and bake until edges are golden and cookies are slightly puffed.  10 to 12 minutes.  Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.  Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring cookies to wire rack.

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Filed under Cookies, Dessert, Showers or Teas

June 23, 2010 · 4:02 pm

Butter Meltaways with Lemon Frosting

These are great little cookies.  I have made cut out cookies for showers with this recipe. Make the dough ahead so it has time to chill.

by Pat Savoie

Cookies:
1              Cup  Butter — softened
1/3          Cup  Powdered Sugar
1 1/4       Cups  Flour
3/4          Cup  Cornstarch

Lemon Frosting:
1/4          Cup  Butter — softened
1 1/2       Cups  Powdered Sugar
1              Tablespoon  Lemon Zest
1 1/2       Tablespoons  Lemon Juice

Beat butter until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar.

Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to butter mixture; beating well.

Shape dough into 2 logs and wrap in wax paper dusted with powdered sugar.  Chill at least 6 hours.

Unwrap dough; cut each log into 18 slices, and place slices 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake 350 for 12 minutes.  Remove to wire rack.  Cool completely.  Spread with lemon frosting.

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June 23, 2010 · 10:45 am

Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake

When asked by my mother what kind of cake I wanted her to make, this was my first choice.  It’s so simple and so good.   Everyone knew there would be coffee served at 3:00 in the afternoon in my mother’s kitchen and a good dessert would be offered, this being one of them.  My Aunt Carol and Uncle Bobby or friends would drop by and spend time around the kitchen table.  I loved sitting and listening to them talk.  I was often times told to “go play,” but managed to linger longer.  When I eat this cake today, I remember those times.

By Pat Savoie, originally by Dolores Borel

1            box  yellow cake mix
4            eggs
3/4        cup  oil
3/4        cup  water
1              tsp  lemon extract
1              small box  lemon jello

Glaze:
2              lemons, juiced
1 1/2      cups  powdered sugar — sifted

Mix all ingredients and pour into greased and floured bundt pan.  Bake 325 for 35-45 minutes.
Whisk together lemon juice and powdered sugar.  Drizzle over warm cake.

Dave thinks it's a great birthday cake too!

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June 23, 2010 · 10:16 am

Frozen Lemon Cheesecake

Frozen Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

This is the perfect summer dessert.  It’s like eating ice cream.  I like to serve it with fresh blueberries picked from my yard.  I make a blueberry sauce to spoon over the top, then sprinkle fresh blueberries over all.

By Pat Savoie, originally by Dolores Borel

1          sleeve  graham crackers (Put in ziplock bag and crushed with rolling pin)
1/4     cup  butter — melted

1          can  evaporated milk — chilled
8          ounces  cream cheese — softened
1          cup  sugar
1          teaspoon  vanilla
1          package  lemon jello
1          cup  hot water

Blueberry sauce:
1         pint  fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2    cup  water
1/4    cup granulated sugar
1         tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
1         tablespoon  cornstarch
2        tablespoons  cold water

Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish.  Pat down with a fork. Bake @300 8-10 min. Cool .

Dissolve jello in boiling water.  Cool.  Whip chilled evaporated milk until stiff in a chilled bowl (I have a metal bowl that I put ice cubes in and stir them around, then pour them out)  Cream cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a separate bowl.  Gradually fold cooled jello and cream cheese mixture into whipped milk being careful not to deflate too much.  Pour over crust.  Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top.  Freeze overnight. Serve plain or with fruit.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat bring blueberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil. If using fresh blueberries reduce heat and simmer 1-2 minutes or until berries soften. If using frozen berries, there is no need to simmer.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Add to blueberry mixture and cook over low heat 1-2 minutes more, stirring until thick and smooth.  Cool.

Fresh blueberry sauce can be used with any cheesecake recipe.

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Filed under Dessert, Freezes Well

June 23, 2010 · 9:53 am

Divinity

The first time I made this recipe, it was smooth and creamy to drop, then cooled to form the perfect candy.  My mother, Dolores, was surprised.  She said she always had trouble with Louisiana’s humidity interfering with the outcome.  I’ve had trouble ever since.  Sometimes it’s sticky and sometimes it’s crumbly, but it always gets gobbled up.  Kent loves it.

By Pat Savoie

3           cups  sugar
1/2      cup  light corn syrup
1/2      cup  cold water
2           egg white
1           teaspoon  vanilla
1           cup  pecans

In a sauce pan combine sugar, syrup and water.  Cook to hard boil stage. Test by dropping a little in a glass of cold water.  If it is hard, it’s done.  (280 degrees) If too hot, candy will be dry and crumbly.  Meanwhile, beat egg whites until stiff.  Add hot sugar mixture gradually, being careful not to get it on you.  Add vanilla stirring to cool until it is stiff enough to drop.  Add pecans.  Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper or parchment paper.  Cool.

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Filed under Candy

June 22, 2010 · 7:09 pm

Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

This is the ultimate comfort food!  My mother would make this during the winter as an evening snack while we watched television as a family.  The house would smell of  sugar, butter, and cinnamon.  I made it for my children, and now they make it for theirs.  It’s a wonderful use for bread that is going stale.  When serving children, omit the rum.

By Pat Savoie, originally from her mother, Dolores Borel

Bread Pudding:
3                eggs
1 1/2       quarts  milk
8               cups  bread –cubed and toasted in oven (French bread is best)
1/4          cup  butter
2/3         cup  sugar
1/2         teaspoon  salt
1              teaspoon  vanilla
dash  nutmeg (freshly ground)
sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar

Rum Sauce:
1/2       cup  butter
1            cup  sugar
1/2       cup  cream
1           teaspoon  vanilla
dash  nutmeg (freshly ground)
1/4       cup  rum (whiskey can be substituted)

Scald milk.  Cool

Beat eggs, add sugar, vanilla, and salt.  Add to milk.

Toast bread and place in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.  Pour milk mixture on top and sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon and sugar.

Dot butter on top.

Place dish in a pan filled with water and bake 350 for about an hour or until a knife inserted come out clean.

Make your rum sauce by heating butter, sugar and cream in a saucepan.  Cook 10 to 15 minutes until thickened.  Cool

15 minutes before serving, add rum, nutmeg and vanilla and reheat.  Serve warm over bread pudding.

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June 22, 2010 · 7:03 pm

Butter Cookies


It wouldn’t be Christmas at the Savoies without these little cookies.  We always decorate them with at least one red hot candy per cookie.  Christmas wreaths are great because we put two candies to make a bow!  We also like to make green Christmas trees and red bells and poinsettias.

Elizabeth makes heart shaped cookies with the cookie press for Valentines day too.  This is a great recipe for kids.  They love to sprinkle on the sugars and place the red hots just so.

by Granny–Dolores Borel

3           sticks  butter
2           cups  sugar
2           eggs
5            cups  flour
1/2        tsp  baking soda

colored sugars
cinnamon imperials

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and baking soda.  Stir in flour.  Batter will be stiff.  I usually have to mix with my hands.  Use a cookie press to make holiday cookies.  Decorate with sugars and candies. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes or until they just start to brown around the edges.  Cookies should not turn golden.

*Squeeze dough several times in your hand to warm it up just before placing it in the cookie press.
* Use small cookie cutters if you do not have a cookie press.  Brush with an egg white wash and then sprinkle sugars.

Look at all that sugar!

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Filed under Cookies, Dessert, Holidays

June 22, 2010 · 6:44 pm

Bananas Foster

Pat and I love to order this dessert at Brennan’s restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The waiter comes to your table with his cart and cooks, then flambes, this wonderful dish right before you.  Brennan’s gave us a copy of their recipe, so now I am able to create it at home.

By Kent Savoie

4                 Bananas
1/4           Cup  Butter
1                Cup  Brown Sugar
1/4           Cup  Creme De Banane (banana Liqueur)
1/2           Teaspoon  Cinnamon
1/4           Cup  Dark Rum
4                Cups  Vanilla Ice Cream

Melt butter.  Stir in brown sugar, liqueur, and cinnamon.

Bring to a simmer and cook 2 minutes.

Add bananas (cut in half and slice lengthwise).  Cook 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Add rum and ignite.

Serve over ice cream.

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June 22, 2010 · 11:25 am

Spicy Roasted Tomato Sauce/Soup

My friend Monica is a fantastic cook.  She hosted a Soup Night for the families at church and served up this yummy soup.  Monica says she likes to freeze the extras and use it later for a quick pasta sauce.  Make this sauce when tomatoes are on sale or when you need to use up tomatoes from the garden.

We used this recipe to feed the parishioners of St. John Vianney to celebrate the feast day of our patron saint. To make it go a little further, we added canned crushed tomatoes. 

by Monica, Elizabeth’s friend

4 lbs ripe Roma or vine ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 onion, chopped in large chunks
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp – 1 tsp crushed red pepper (1tsp if you like it hot!)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 450. Put tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, sugar, red pepper and olive oil into 9×13 Pyrex and toss to coat. Cook for 50 minutes and stir occasionally.

Remove from oven.

For a chunky sauce: mash garlic with fork and sprinkle with basil.

For a smooth sauce: add basil and blend in with immersion blender.

For soup: add milk, half and half or cream to taste.

Monica likes to serve the soup with a spoon of basil pesto (basil, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil in food processor) and some fresh Parmesan cheese.

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Filed under Freezes Well, Soup, Vegetarian