We always have a dairy course when we entertain at Bellemaison; because...we do. In one of my many other lives, surely I was the proprietor of a large small diary farm, like the old Finucane farm in Hayden Lake. I had a huge vegetable garden, grew every flower that was cut and vased in my house and had vats and vats of sour cream, cream cheese, eggs and butter, in big walk-in coolers, on the back porch of the house and in another one in the barn. I had a nation of those fabulous black and white cows; silent eaters, connoisseurs of fine grasses. That was my life where I'd was up very, very,very early and had plenty of time to watch the morning light unfold over the pasture and watched the stars appear, one by one, in the navy blue summer sky. I remember it so well!


And so that's why you'll find plenty of diary in our menus here. We disdain preservatives and chemicals but embrace fat and sugar. Hey. It's our kitchen.

The Palace Cheesecake

Junior League of Memphis Heart and Soul

People lose all control over this recipe. I say that matter of factly, with respect and with gratitude. Those of you who have been to Bellemaison probably wondered what I was thinking when you were giggling and scratching yourself all over after a bite of The Palace Cheesecake. I was thinking this: who's yer daddy?
6 stone-ground wheat crackers, crushed

1 egg

dash salt

10 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained

1 cup prepared pesto

3/4 cup sour cream

1 t all purpose flour

Preheat over to 325 degrees. Butter 7- inch springform pan. Sprinkle crushed crackers in bottom of pan. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until softened. Add egg and salt, beating on low speed until combined; set aside. In food processor bowl, process sun-dried tomatoes. Add pesto and process to mix.

Spread half of the cream cheese mixture into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Top with tomato mixture, spreading evenly to the edge. Spread remaining cheese mixture over tomato mixture. Bake about 35 minutes.

Stir together sour cream and flour; carefully spread over cheesecake. Bake 4 minutes more. Cool; cover and chill 4 to 24 hours. Remove side of pan. Serve on a bed of baby greens. Makes 24 servings.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

Junior League of Monroe Celebrations on The Bayou

We just wouldn't dream of making banana bread without sour cream here at Bellemaison. Just wouldn't do it. Joe Montana gets delirious over this banana bread. I say, Joe Montana, look: it's just banana bread. And then I say, and this is Bellemaison. But not in my out loud voice.
1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs beaten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 9-inch loaf pan or several smaller pans.

In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs and mix well.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; combine with the butter mixture.

Add the bananas, sour cream and vanilla, stir well.

Fold in the nuts.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted near the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool in the plan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.

Cucumber Dill Salad Dressing

unknown

I have used this recipe in one form or another for many, many years. I have the original recipe card in my handwriting but I do not know where it came from. I throw change ups with the dairy to use it different ways. Sometimes, I use cream cheese and it becomes a dip. In the salad dressing form, I blanch asparagus and serve the asparagus over a finely chopped bed of lettuce with a few strips of sweet pepper on the plates, doused in this dressing. It's a little disruptive because people stand , clutch their napkins, throw back their heads and howl, right there at the table. Irritates me, but what are you going to do? They are my friends, so I allow it.
1/2 c grated unpeeled cucumber

1 T diced pimiento

1 t lemon juice

1/2 t dill weed

1 t grated onion

1/8 t pepper

4 drops tabasco

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 t salt

Drain cucumber thoroughly until dry as possible. Combine with all other ingredients. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

JBelle
Bellemaison
The 'Kan EWA