Have a Crepe Day

Picture it...Paris, France, July 1996. It is a warm and sunny day. A young language student has just finished her university classes and is between visiting art museums when she decides to stop at a little stand just steps away from the sidewalk of the busy street to purchase a crepe. That same student leisurely and happily winds her way down the streets, almost skipping along the banks of the Seine eating her crepe, enjoying the bright sunshine while not giving much notice to the pedestrians walking in the opposite direction. Some of them look at her with wide eyes. Others toss snobby looks her way. She assumes they are envious of her Crepe Nutella and wonders why they don't spend a few francs and indulge for a few minutes on one of France's best culinary creations. She shrugs off the looks and cheerfully continues her stroll through the City of Lights, attempting to drink in the moment of where she is and savor each bite of crepe. Then it happens, she immediately becomes paralyzed. Her feet freeze, her heart races, and shortness of breath follows. Slowly, she turns her head to one side. A gasp is released as she stares into the shop's window. She sees her reflection in the glass as well as glops of Nutella above her lips, to the side of her mouth, and a smeared patch of it on her chin. She is mortified...until she finds her unused napkin given to her by the crepe vendor. Still using the shop's window like a bathroom mirror, she promptly removes the excess Hazelnut Chocolate sauce from her face. Satisfied with the results, she continues on her happy journey through Paris, eating her crepe AND frequently pausing to wipe her face. She passed her language class, moved to Africa for 1 year, got married, and now lives in Franklin, TN.
She hasn't been to France in almost 4 years, has eaten 5 crepes this week, and if she eats any more, you may have to roll her out of the house. But that is only after the snow melts and only while her kids are napping...at the same time...which is next to never. The end. Have a crepe day. =)

Crepe Batter for sweet-style crepes
1 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c milk
dash of salt
1 egg
Combine all ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps. Let batter rest 10 minutes or place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Heat a large non-stick skillet (8 inches or more) or crepe pan over medium heat. When it is hot, rub your stick of butter over it, lightly coating the pan. The next part requires some fast moves with your hands and an agile wrist: Ladle 1/4 c of the crepe batter into the pan. Quickly tilt the skillet side to side to evenly coat the pan. Cook until the crepe has dark brown spots on the bottom and the outer edges begin to crisp and curl up. Peek under the crepe with a silicone or plastic spatula. Carefully turn the crepe over and cook for 30 or so seconds. Place on a plate and cover with foil or serve immediately. Repeat the process with the remaining batter. Yields 4-5 crepes.
When placed on the serving plate, put 1-2 heaping teaspoons of Nutella on only 1/2 of the crepe's surface. Fold in half, then in half again. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately! Blackberry, strawberry, or raspberry jam makes for a nice filling with Nutella, too. And freshly whipped cream is good on top, and fresh berries, and...



edges are crispy, ready to flip

30 seconds on this side


smear Nutella on half *I've found that by using the backside of a teaspoon, Nutella spreads smoothly. A butter knife may cause it to tear.
fold in 1/2


fold again

Good with a glass of milk

Imagine him with long curly hair and a messier face. That was me in 1996.


Crepe Batter for savory-style crepes
1 c all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 c milk
pinch of salt
3 TBSP melted butter
1/2 c club soda
In a mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients to form a smooth batter (no lumps). The batter will be much thinner than pancake batter. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Heat a large non-stick skillet (8 inches or more) or crepe pan over medium heat. When it is hot, rub your stick of butter over it, lightly coating the pan. The next part requires some fast moves with your hands and an agile wrist: Ladle 1/4 c of the crepe batter into the pan. Quickly tilt the skillet side to side to evenly coat the pan. Cook until the crepe has dark brown spots on the bottom and the outer edges begin to crisp and curl up. Peek under the crepe with a silicone or plastic spatula. Carefully turn the crepe over and cook for 30 or so seconds. Place on a plate and cover with foil or serve immediately. Repeat the process with the remaining batter. Yields 4-5 crepes.

While crepe batter is in the refrigerator, Chop the vegetables/ prepare the interior.
I used fresh spinach, grated swiss cheese, sauteed onions and bell pepper, and sliced ham. I added mushrooms to my husband's filling. Cook 1 crepe according to the instructions above, then on only 1/4th of the crepe's surface, layer the filling. Drizzle a little of the savory sauce or any sauce of your choice. Fold the crepe in half, then in 1/2 again. Cook for 1 minute on each side or to melt the cheese and crisp the exterior. Place on a plate, drizzle with a a little more sauce and serve immediately.

Savory Sauce (thrown together while batter was chilling)
1/3 c whipping cream
1TBSP Italian dressing
1/2 tsp grey poupon mustard
8-10 dashes of Texas Pete
3 TBSP BBQ sauce
dash of garlic powder
Mix all ingredients in a small non-stick skillet or small non-stick pan. Bring up to medium heat, when a boil forms, reduce to low, stirring frequently with a wood spoon. Allow it to reduce a little.



my savory filling sauteed peppers, onions, swiss cheese, ham, and fresh spinach

My husband's filling with the addition of fungi


melting the cheese and crisping the outside

ready to eat

This post is dedicated to my sweet friend and follow crepe-eater Emily P.

Tortellini Salad

Sometimes you need a meal that doesn't require an oven or a microwave. When I travel, especially if it is by car, I like to pack Tortellini Salad. Pop open your plastic container, stick a fork in it and you are ready to eat! I'm not planning to go anywhere tomorrow, but it is lunch for me and my husband.


my trusty little steamer that is I-don't-know-how-old

carrots in the sauna

bite size broccoli
tortellini ready to go in the pot
finished salad topped off with a little Parmesan cheese
ready to chill overnight

A similar version of what my husband will receive in his lunch tomorrow


Tortellini Salad
4-5 medium carrots sliced 1/8-1/4 inch thick
1 large head of broccoli cut into bite-size pieces
1 can of black olives (optional)
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
1 20 oz package of three-cheese tortellini from the refrigerated section of the grocery
Italian dressing
Ranch or Caesar Salad Dressing

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Salt the water when it comes to a boil. Cook tortellini according to the package. Err on the shorter side, than cooking it too long and making it mushy. Test the pasta to make certain it is cooked, but not crunchy. Drain and set aside to cool.
In a separate pan, steam the carrots and broccoli for 8-10 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and place in a large mixing bowl/popcorn bowl.
Combine the pasta, steamed carrots, broccoli, diced peppers, tomatoes, and sliced olives. Gently toss with 4-5 TBSP of Italian Dressing and 4-5 TBSP of your preferred creamy style dressing. Chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight. Taste before serving to see if additional dressing is needed. Top with fresh Parmesan cheese.
If you are serving this to a large group, it looks nice in a trifle dish.
*If you will be arranging a funny face, leave out a slice of pepper, carrots, broccoli pieces and 2 olives. They contrast better against the salad when they don't have salad dressing on them.



Completely off the subject from salad, but the other day, I was presented with the only known existing copy of Olives. It is the first addition of a cookbook made by Phillip Morris. Phillip Morris as in my four year-old. I love it! It is my favorite kind of cookbook...lots of pictures and no words. I really like olives, any kind of olive, but I must admit black olives are my favorite. He doesn't like them at all. Maybe little sister will like them.

Santa Claus Came to Town

Everyone has their own favorite Christmas food. One of mine is the Panettone. It is a spongy Italian sweet bread with raisins and other dried fruit in it. IT IS NOT your typical dense "fruitcake" that people joke about using as a door stop. This kind of fruited bread is light and airy. It also makes a great french toast!

Even though there is some distance between family members and where we live, we managed to get together with both sides. Christmas dinner with my side of the family consisted of: salad, Mom's Cioppino, my stuffed shells and my "dragon bread." I renamed my garlic bread recipe as I put generous amounts of minced garlic and butter on it, leaving its predators with "dragon breath." It must have been good, as all 5 feet of the loaf were consumed and there were leftovers of the plain baguette. This was my first attempt at stuffed shells and while they were pretty good, they need a little tweaking before posting a recipe.

After Christmas and Santa Claus came to town, my in-laws came to town. Great folks. I couldn't be blessed with any better in-laws. With them we ate takeout the first night. The next night, I made Julia Child's recipe of Boeuf Bourguignon with potatoes and carrots. The 3rd night I planned to prepare a lighter meal. So much for good intentions. We had a salad with avocado and cherry tomatoes, Italian wedding soup with warm cheddar pennies, and ended with Banana pudding. Upon their final night, my husband took part in meal preparation and grilled a beef brisket. It was pretty darn tasty. My contributions were haricots verts avec amandes and baked sweet potatoes. Panettone was for dessert.

My husband and handy father-in-law installed my new closet system. It includes a few shelves for shoes. I may spend a few nights gazing at my oh-so-organized closet with my heels lined up like a shop window instead of cooking the kitchen. Naww, I've got 2 hungry children and a husband to feed.
stuffed shells in a shallow pool of bechamel sauce before being covered in red sauce

avocado and tomato salad topped with oil and balsamic vineagar

White Cheddar Pennies hot out of the oven and a perfect accent to the Italian Wedding Soup

Banana Pudding made with Whipping Cream

My little guy enjoying his banana pudding and wearing his favorite Christmas gift. Thanks Santa!