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"OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 04-02-10 at 12:50 PM
Crepes! I love crepes because they are a blank canvas, and are extremely versatile. They can be sweet or savory, can be breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert, they are ideal for making in advance, and they're pretty.

They're really not hard to make. Don't be scared.

I'm going to give you the basic crepe recipe, and then I have two suggestions for fillings, one savory, one sweet.

BASIC CREPE RECIPE:
makes ~24 7-inch crepes
time: about 15 minutes prep, 30 minutes rest, 30 minutes cooking

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup lukewarm water
4 eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put everything (except the butter) into a blender and blend it all up. At the end of the blending, pour the melted butter in and blend for a few more seconds. Pour it into a measuring cup, cover. Let the blended batter sit and rest for about a half hour to develop the gluten. (Can also be longer, overnight, even.) The consistency will be thin, not at all like pancake batter. It will be a lot like wall paint or eggnog.

When you're ready to cook the crepes, get your pan hot and spray with a little cooking spray (or use butter.) If you have a crepe pan, use it, I do not have one so I use a small round sautee pan. It's a 7-inch pan. Once the pan is hot, turn the heat down to medium.

Pour about 2 tablespoons of the batter into the center of your pan and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan. It takes very little and will be very thin. It might even have holes - that's okay if they're small. Be prepared for your first crepe to be a throwaway; mine usually wind up a weird shape. Let cook until the top is dry, and the edges begin to brown - less than a minute. Flip, cook for about 20 - 30 seconds on the other side (side 2 takes less time than side 1) and remove to a plate to keep warm. Proceed with the rest of the crepes, until the batter is gone. Each crepe only takes about a minute to cook.

The crepes will be paper thin and slightly stretchy-springey. This will make anywhere from 20 - 24 crepes, depending on the size of your pan and how much batter you use for each one.

You can make the crepes ahead of time. If you do, put a piece of wax paper between each one, wrap and keep in the fridge.

SAVORY RECIPE: Creamy spinach-mushroom crepes with cheddar cheese

Time: about 10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking

10-12 crepes

Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, minced
1/2 pound fresh baby spinach
1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
ground black pepper

Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

8 oz grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Spinach/mushroom mix

Heat olive oil in sautee pan. Add onions and sautee until soft, about 8-10 minutes. You don't really want them to brown, just turn soft and translucent.

Add mushrooms and sautee until slightly browned.

Add spinach. It will look like a lot. It will fill the pan, and then some. Just pack it in, cover with a lid, and wait three minutes. Remove lid and stir. The spinach will begin to wilt. Cover for another 2 minutes, then remove cover and stir. Continue to stir until spinach is all wilted down.


Hit it with some freshly ground black pepper and remove pan from heat.

Sauce:

Combine milk, broth, and white wine into a measuring cup and have it next to the stove. You'll want it at the ready for making the roux.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. When melted, add two tablespoons of flour and whisk until it comes together into a paste. Sautee the paste for about a minute. Slowly add half of the milk/broth/wine mixture and whisk until smooth. It will be a little lumpy, but keep whisking. It will thicken up - when it does, add more of the liquid. Keep adding liquid until the sauce is thick and smooth - about the consistency of cream soup.

Add white pepper and ground mustard, and stir. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes, it will thicken slightly. Remove from heat.

Ladle about a cup of cream sauce into the spinach/mushroom mixture and stir.


Assembly

Take each crepe and fill with a scoop of the spinach/mushroom mixture. Sprinkle in some cheddar cheese, and roll the crepe. Repeat for all 12 crepes.

Put a scoop of the cream sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, and line the crepes up on top of the sauce. Ladle a bit more sauce over the top and sprinkle generously with cheddar cheese. Alternately, if you have individual remekins, you can put 2-3 crepes in each ramekin, top with sauce, sprinkle with cheese.

(At this point you can cover the whole dish and refrigerate overnight if desired, and just bake it in the morning.)

Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. (If you refrigerate them, increase baking time to 25 - 30 minutes.)


Table of contents
Messages in this discussion
"Strawberry Crepes"
Posted by frodis on 04-02-10 at 12:51 PM
Strawberry Crepes with Sour Cream Sauce

(This recipe is easier.)

Ingredients:

12 crepes

2 pints of strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar (optional, could also use Splenda)

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (or orange extract, or, fresh orange zest)


Chop strawberries. I like to slice some, and dice some, so there are different shapes in there. Put into a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir, and let sit for about a half hour so berries and sugar macerate.

In a small bowl, blend sour cream, brown sugar, and Grand Marnier (or zest.) Stir. Let sit for a minute to let brown sugar dissolve, then stir again.

Assemble crepes by putting a dallop of sour cream mixture into the center of the crepe and smear it around. Put a scoop of strawberries into the center of the crepe. Fold.

Garnish with a bit of the sour cream sauce and some pretty sliced berries on top. I also put a few mint leaves on top.

"RE: Strawberry Crepes"
Posted by jbug on 04-02-10 at 02:40 PM
These look awesome! This is something I'm gonna try!

If the crepes were kept refrigerated, do they need to be warmed up before adding the cream & berries?
Will they be good either warm or cold?


Agman 2009


Tell the truth, tho. You were really looking for a chance to use the word macerate, weren't you

"RE: Strawberry Crepes"
Posted by frodis on 04-02-10 at 05:25 PM
Yay! Can't wait to hear how it goes.

No, you do not have to re-warm the crepes. They're fine cold, or at room temperature.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by arkiegrl on 04-02-10 at 01:08 PM
I have to admit, after seeing the chefs attempting to make crepes on Hell's Kitchen a couple of seasons back, I *am* somewhat scared to try crepes.

But the strawberry crepes sound wonderful, and I may just go for it!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 04-02-10 at 01:17 PM
It's really not hard. The tricks are, keep the batter thin, let it rest before cooking, don't have the heat turned up too high because they do cook very fast.

I have to tell you. I made the majority of the crepes one-handed, since my 1 year old refused to let me put him down.

It can be done!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by arkiegrl on 04-06-10 at 05:04 PM
Question: When you flip the crepes, do you use a spatula, or just the quick wrist action and flip them in the air?

(I will be so impressed with anyone who flips them in the air.)

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 04-06-10 at 05:05 PM
Spatula for the first flip. For the second flip, I just turn the pan over the plate and let the crepe plop onto the pile.



A Mmmmmmmoonie plate special!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Snidget on 04-06-10 at 07:53 PM
That is how I did it. Glad I got it right!
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Tummy on 04-06-10 at 06:53 PM
I'm going to say I flip the in the air to impress Arkie.

I'd be lying but....

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by arkiegrl on 04-06-10 at 08:08 PM
Ooooooh! Impressive!


I've been 'Patched! 2010

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by PepeLePew13 on 04-02-10 at 01:45 PM
LAST EDITED ON 04-02-10 AT 01:46 PM (EST)

Go for it! They just look more complicated than they really are, and the timing is perfect with the unseasonably hot weather - you could even put in a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream with sliced strawberries inside a crepe and enjoy as a dessert.

We make crepes from time to time - mostly as a dessert. Whipped cream and raspberries with raspberry glaze/sauce on top is another favourite of ours in addition to the ice cream/strawberries above. Blueberries is a great antioxidant to go with crepes.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 04-02-10 at 01:57 PM
The single biggest problem I had, after deciding that crepes would be my contribution to OTCC, was what fillings to suggest!

ham, asparagus, and gruyere?

shrimp and spinach?

chicken, bacon, and cheese?

roasted zucchini, balsamic glaze and soft goat cheese?

Or. . .

melted chocolate and sliced bananas?

dark cherries simmered in red wine with a twist of orange?

blueberries with lemon zest and whipped cream?

thinly sliced apples in brown sugar sauce?

classic suzette?

raspberries and vanilla ice cream?


I've been drooling agonizing over this for weeks!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by qwertypie on 04-02-10 at 11:59 PM
How do you make the balsamic glaze?
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by PepeLePew13 on 04-03-10 at 07:56 AM
I'm sure Fro has her own way of doing balsamic glaze, so will want to see what she has.

In the meantime, here's my way of doing balsamic glaze:

Pour two cups of balsamic vinegar (I just buy whatever's in the store like Kraft balsamic vinegar in the salad dressing area) into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Once you've got a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the vinegar to simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until it has become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (you should have about 1/2 cup of glaze when it's done).

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Then just pour it into a container with a lid and pop it in the fridge. It should last you a few weeks (or a few days if you're going to try a few samples of Fro's recipes). I will sometimes microwave a small portion for up to 10 seconds if I want it particularly drizzly to pour over some recipe.

I don't do this, but some people like to add a bit of sugar to sweeten up the glaze while cooking.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by qwertypie on 04-03-10 at 11:05 AM
Thanks!
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Karchita on 04-02-10 at 01:22 PM
omg

These look delicious and your timing is perfect. I tried making crepes with, ahem, subpar results long ago, during the Great Crepe Craze of the 1970s. Go ahead and snicker all you younguns. Yes, I have been disfiguring crepes since before you were born. But I digress.

Just two days ago, a friend had me over for lunch and made crepes. (We're both profs; it's spring break .)I watched with great interest and I could feel the effect that OTCC has had on me because I was much more open and interested in re-learning and re-trying to make crepes. And now this. I can't say exactly when, but I will certainly give these a whirl.


Bouquet by c2p

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 04-02-10 at 05:29 PM
Yes, the Great Crepe Craze. I think crepes and asparagus cookers were all the rage when my parents got married in the early 70s. I think my mom said she got 4 asparagus cookers.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Karchita on 04-03-10 at 12:49 PM
One of my cousins participated in the Great Craze by working in a crepe shop, making crepes in the front window so crowds could gather to gawk at her. It was madness, I tell you, a nation gone mad.

Woks were another overdone wedding gift, but to tell you the truth, I don't remember aspargus cookers. Maybe it's just as well.


Bouquet by c2p

"Ya gotta have a gimmick..."
Posted by Sagebrush Dan on 05-10-10 at 00:40 AM
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Tummy on 04-02-10 at 02:46 PM
Rob's the Crepe King in our family. I think I will be his sous chef this time. I don't think he's ever made savory so this will be a treat.

And your list of others sounds wonderful too.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Seana on 04-02-10 at 03:34 PM
Awesome! DD and I love crepes and she has been bugging me to make some for a while now. She likes them with brown sugar and cinnamon. I have been looking for a nice savoury recipe, because I've never made them that way. So yay! Tonight's dinner is planned, but I may make these for Sunday after the egg hunt.

Thanks frodis!


"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Snidget on 04-02-10 at 03:43 PM
Never made crepes in a pan, for some reason they scare me even though I know they aren't that bad.

Mom did have one of those dip the crepe maker into the batter electric thingies and I did that a few times, but for some reason the special electric gadget makes me think I can't do it without.

Guess I'll just have to be brave.


If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity. - Bill Vaughan

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Karchita on 04-02-10 at 04:22 PM
dip the crepe maker into the batter electric thingies

That sounds like a relic from the Great Crepe Craze of the 1970s.


Bouquet by c2p

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Snidget on 04-02-10 at 05:23 PM
That sounds about right.


If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity. - Bill Vaughan

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Starshine on 04-02-10 at 04:54 PM
Thanks Frodis some of my favourite things!

The traditional English thing is lemon juice and sugar, very simple but very nice.

I'm going to try the Spinach and Mushroom ones they sound lovely, I do something similar with chicken in a tomato sauce inside the pancakes.


Sunning with the Cap'n

Just another Sleeperbloke

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Seana on 04-02-10 at 04:58 PM
Quick question:

Do you still use the same amount of sugar for the savoury crepes? 3T just seems like a lot.


Wheel of tribe

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 04-02-10 at 05:27 PM
I use the same recipe for sweet or savory. I find that it's pretty neutral flavor-wise, but you can certainly cut back to just 1 or 2 tablespoons if you like.
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Seana on 04-02-10 at 05:44 PM
Thanks!
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by qwertypie on 04-02-10 at 11:56 PM
Skeery recipe, but Mr. Qwerty promised to try it no matter what the results

And it looks like I now have a slam dunk reason to get my blender (Mole sauce, now the crepes. Not to mention the margaritas!)

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by VisionQuest on 04-03-10 at 00:47 AM
I love crepes.

I use Williams and Sonoma Crepe Mix. It tastes good and works pretty well. I also use their crepe pan to make them.

My DH loves Hawaiian crepes. Take a little ham and pineapple and saute it in a pan with some soy sauce. Put that in the cooked crepes with a little cheddar cheese. They are really good. I like spinach and feta crepes. I steam a little fresh spinach, put that in the crepes and add the feta. Yummy. The prep to make the filling is the hardest part. The crepes are easy once you get the hang of it. The first couple of times, I messed up a bunch of times, but stuck with it and it was worth it.

I can't wait to to try your mushroom and spinach filling recipe.



Thank you Capn2patch


"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by thndrkttn on 04-04-10 at 09:51 AM
Oooh! Very exciting! These are on tap for next Sunday morning. We will be making the savory ones but using spinach, tomatoes, garlic and mozz instead. Not a mushroom fan here.

DH is disappointed that we're not making the mushroom version. If I am going to do all the work and take the pics, I want to at least be able to eat the finished product!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 04-06-10 at 04:00 PM
*confessional*

I almost decided to do the ham/asparagus/Gruyere crepes for the sole reason that I know that you are not a mushroom fan, and I selfishly really want to see your photos of my recipe.

However, when I went to the grocery store, the only Gruyere they had was $18.99 for 8oz. YIKES. I figured I couldn't make the good folks of OT buy $19 cheese for just one tiny part of a recipe.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Tummy on 04-06-10 at 04:41 PM
Yowza! I bought Gruyere a few months ago for 8.00 for 12 oz and thought that was high. Thanks for thinking of our pocketbooks Frofro!
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by thndrkttn on 04-07-10 at 08:46 AM
Well, I suppose I could make the spinach/mushroom crepes AND the spinach/tomatoes crepes. That would please DH. We have 'boats' (dishes shaped like ovals with handles on either end) and they would be perfect for individual servings. I see a lot of dirty dishes in my future!

I am glad you look forward to my photos. I'm hoping it's sunny out that day so I have natural light to work with.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by samboohoo on 04-05-10 at 10:08 AM
Looks really good. I am behind as usual, but I'm hoping to make both this weekend.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"Crepes are baking"
Posted by Snidget on 04-06-10 at 05:00 PM
LAST EDITED ON 04-06-10 AT 05:22 PM (EST)

Easier to make than I thought, but I think I get impatient and may not have gotten them as brown as they could have been. I just don't want to burn the. I nearly burned the buckwheat pancakes this morning.

Since I already had soy milk on hand I used it, so I'll let you know how that goes.


ETA: Turned out really yummy. I'm going to do the strawberry ones for breakfast in the morning.

The taste is a little different with the white sauce with the light soy milk, but it was still good. I think it just had a little different taste than it would have otherwise.


If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity. - Bill Vaughan

"RE: Crepes are baking"
Posted by frodis on 04-08-10 at 12:28 PM
YAY! I'm glad you liked them.

I didn't specify the kind of milk to use in the sauce, because, really, the thickness of the sauce depends less on the kind of milk and more on how much of it you use. So really, for the milk, anything goes.


A Mmmmmmmoonie plate special!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by weltek on 04-07-10 at 01:28 PM
I'm making tonight, but am going to season the crepe batter (not sure with what...garlic and thyme?), add bacon and use gorgonzola instead of cheddar.


-A Tribetastic Creation

"Well, you said "blank canvas""
Posted by weltek on 04-07-10 at 08:10 PM
LAST EDITED ON 04-07-10 AT 08:11 PM (EST)

My previous experience with crepes has not been overwhelmingly positive. They always seemed "spongy" to me and bland. I wasn't overly excited to make these, but I decided I'd go in with low expectations and do my best to make them to my taste. Having said that, Frodis is my new favorite person. The batter was easier to work with than my one previous attempt. Perhaps it was the advice to let it sit and the gluten to develop? Anyway, on with the cooking:

Crepe batter
I cut the recipe in half so I could futz with the flavor. I made a thyme and garlic batter with a little less sugar than it called for. Perfecto! Sure, they weren't perfect circles, but that's ok. It's so important to get them thin, and this recipe did it perfectly.

Filling
I can't just leave well enough alone. I did everything per recipe, plus added about 4 strips of bacon and some salt. I added gorgonzola upon filling the crepes.

Cream sauce
I only had skim milk, so I knew it would be a little wimpy. So, I added garlic, smoked paprika, a little chipotle and more pepper.

This was soooooo rich and savory. The flavors are still dancing in my mouth.

Notes
-The prep time was about an hour.
-Kudos also go to Frodis for concocting a recipe with really simple ingredients. I didn't have to shop for a thing! This also tempted me to play more.
-I would think kids could have fun helping fill these
-Next time, I'd make a little more filling. I had three leftover crepes. We just ate them plain, as the flavorings really made them a snack in themselves.

I'm actually looking forward to the dessert ones! It will be a good excuse to use my special balsamic that I'm rationing out....almost to the point of not using it. I think I'll "season" the batter with orange peel, nutmeg and cinnamon.

My completely uninspired picture...no fancy garnish. Note the pinky colored chipotle sauce and gorgonzola.


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: Well, you said "blank canvas""
Posted by frodis on 04-08-10 at 12:40 PM
Blank canvas is right! I knew that people would play around with the filling, and I was hoping to steal some good ideas from everyone.

I did consider adding chicken or bacon to my recipe, but decided to keep it meat-free (because I had no chicken or bacon on hand.) I drooled when you mentioned gorgonzola.

I LOVE your idea of seasoning the crepe batter. I've never done that because I usually make up a big batch and use the crepes for both sweet and savory, so I keep the batter neutral. But if I were just making one or the other, I'd probably put in garlic and herbs or cinnamon just like you did. Yummy.

I wonder if putting a little booze in the batter for flavoring would throw off the consistency. Hm. Would probably have to replace a tablespoon of the lukewarm water.

Kids:

When I made these for dinner for OTCC, I kept some crepes aside and filled them with strawberry preserves for the kids. My son opted instead for the spinach/mushroom version, but my daughter loved the jelly-filled. Jelly-filled crepes was a popular Sunday breakfast growing up.

Super simple: I like the crepes warm and filled with marmalade.


A Mmmmmmmoonie plate special!

"RE: Well, you said "blank canvas""
Posted by CTgirl on 04-14-10 at 03:07 PM
I'm not sure if adding a little flavoring would throw off the consistency. I totally forgot to add the butter and didn't realize it until I was making the roux. At that point it was too late to make more and I figured since I was making savory crepes the roux would make up for the lack of butter. I was right. My crepes looked about right and didn't taste too badly.
"Yum, yum, yum!"
Posted by Karchita on 04-08-10 at 01:37 AM
LAST EDITED ON 04-08-10 AT 11:01 AM (EST)

I made these for dinner tonight and although they were a lot of work for a weeknight dinner, they certainly were delicious. They were pretty, too!

Like Wellie, I didn’t have to go to the store. I had spinach in the freezer and happened to have some fresh mushrooms on hand. I replaced 1/2 cup of the flour with whole wheat, omitted all of the sugar and cheese, and put in a bit of low fat sour cream in the sauce because the milk I had on hand was low fat. I also added a small amount of diced ham to the filling. I didn’t bake them; I just kept everything warm, rolled them up, put them on plates, topped with sauce, and ate.

I think I kept it pretty low fat, but I ate such a large portion it was probably a calorie bomb. Oh well. It was worth it.

I made up all the leftover batter into crepes to store and will be able to have the leftovers for dinner tomorrow with very little labor, so that helps make up for the time I spent tonight. Next time, I'll make them for guests.

Thanks, Fro! These were a winner!


Edited to clarify and say 1/2 cup of flour.

"RE: Yum, yum, yum!"
Posted by frodis on 04-08-10 at 12:47 PM
So glad you liked them and the Great Crepe Craze has not scarred you for life! We welcome you back into Crepeville!

You're right that it's a lot of work for a weeknight meal. I don't think I've ever done them for a weeknight unless I already had the crepes made in advance. I knew that there were a lot of places in the recipe to trim fat and calories so I'm glad you detailed. Ham sounds like a great addition!


For guests - once upon a time I was asked to bring dessert to a dinner party. I was not told how many guests there would be or the disposition of said guests, except that one was pregnant so no booze-soaked dessert.

I ended up making a huge stack of crepes, and brought along melted chocolate and fresh fruit, and whipped cream and just let everyone build their own dessert. Huge it. I was relieved because as it turned out, I was the *only* person that the host had asked to bring dessert!


A Mmmmmmmoonie plate special!

"RE: Yum, yum, yum!"
Posted by Karchita on 04-08-10 at 09:53 PM
I may have taken the Crazy Train to get here, but I like Crepeville. I think I'll stick around for a while.

The ham was a great addition, and so was the sour cream, if I may say so!

I love the idea of build-your-own crepes. I'm going to have to borrow that idea.


~ thinks FroFro is just the cutest lil thing when she's being all hostess-y.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Maroonclown on 04-08-10 at 12:51 PM
I'm skeered but I shall try the savoury ones on Saturday.

If I mess up do they still taste good ugly?

Thanks Cap'n

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by weltek on 04-08-10 at 12:53 PM
I promise they were easier than I thought. Just use a lot of cooking spray (I resprayed after every-other one, just to make sure).


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 04-08-10 at 01:04 PM
I probably should have mentioned this. (I'd make a horrible cookbook writer. I forget stuff.)

I use a non-stick pan, and I spray the pan at the beginning and that's it. There's a lot of butter in the batter so I've not had a problem with sticking, but you'll be able to see as you go along whether you need to keep spraying the pan, or not.

If you're not using non-stick, you should probably spray often.

Also, they taste fine ugly. You fold/roll them up anyway, so it doesn't matter if they're circles or look more like Rorschach inkblot tests.

(Hmm, psychoogy for dinner? Yum!)

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Starshine on 04-08-10 at 03:46 PM
And just to reiterate the first one always seems to go wrong! Don't worry about it the rest will be OK

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Karchita on 04-08-10 at 07:13 PM
And if you're a slow learner, the first three might go wrong. Just sayin'.


They made good snacks while the rest were cooking, though.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by CTgirl on 04-14-10 at 03:10 PM
I used a non-stick pan and ended up spraying after every one but then again, as I mentioned ^, there was no butter in my batter!
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Karchita on 04-15-10 at 10:37 AM
I used a well-seasoned cast iron skillet and sprayed between each crepe. I tried a few without spraying, but they stuck a bit. When I move into my new, bigger kitchen, I may invest in a crepe pan.


Bouquet by c2p

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by MKitty on 04-09-10 at 06:38 PM
wow..those look incredible! I'll try to make a batch this weekend.

and, now..some help...I cannot remember my date to post my recipe! I know it is the spring..so does somebody have the list??? Please PM me incase I miss it in this thread...

thanks so much..


Tribe manga'd my mug

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by kingfish on 04-09-10 at 06:52 PM
I love crepes too, cause you can play Superman with them. The burnt one can be used for Batman.

(OK, this looks great. I'm bookmarking this thread. For when I decide to become a cook. Yum.)

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Tummy on 04-11-10 at 07:04 PM
I had to think about this for a minute, maybe two. Hush, I'm tired. I planted 39 plants today, it would have been 40 but
Gunner ate a basil.
"YUMMMM!"
Posted by qwertypie on 04-11-10 at 03:16 PM
I made the savory crepes and have a few left over to try the strawberry.

The flat crepes turned out better than expected. It made a huge difference to let the batter rest.

The sauce didn't thicken, but that is probably due to the fact I forgot to replace the whisk my son destroyed. So I added a handfull of shredded cheese to the sauce and melted it before I added it to the crepes (I didn't add the cheese directly to the crepes -- I like my crepes saucy )

For the kids, I put old fashioned ham and cheese in. The DDs found the crepe too sweet for the filling, but I am sure they will come around for the strawberry crepes.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by CTgirl on 04-14-10 at 03:22 PM
The crepes were a lot of work but also a lot of fun. I still remember fondly the days of the Magic Pan restaurants and eating at a creperie in France but I've never tried to make them before.

I should have waited and done it on the weekend so DH could help but I wanted to make something fun and different for him - his first night home after 8 days of dealing with his dad in the hospital and an ailing mom. But now that I've done it, I've also realized that you can do it in stages and not all at once like I did.

I had poached some extra chicken when I made qwerty's recipe on Sunday so I could add chicken to them. I also used baby portobello mushrooms along with the spinach. Yum! I used skim milk in both the crepes and the roux and it was fine and I used a 4 cheese Mexican blend of cheese because I ran out of time to grate the cheddar. The flavors were great - especially the white pepper and mustard in the roux. (I've never made a roux before - score another skill learned from OTCC! DH has always done it when we make gravy.)

Even though dinner was a half-hour late, it was a big hit. DH LOVED it. Thanks Frody for sharing this recipe. I'm not sure I would have ever attempted to make them on my own and I look forward to trying other combinations (especially the chocolate and banana one!)


Cooked up by Foonermints

"Brunch for Sup"
Posted by Tummy on 04-14-10 at 07:36 PM
I was going to make this Sunday for a true brunch but we started working in the yard early and didn't finish until late. We ordered pizza.

So I'm making this today, it's in the oven, and will post pics and thoughts tomorrow.

Things I changed, well added to - I added nutmeg to the spinach filling. My grandmother always used nutmeg when making anything with spinach and it stuck. I love the flavor combo.

Also, I didn't have strawberries or Grand Marnier but I did have a bag of frozen raspberries and a bottle of Chambord. I just switched out those two ingredients and fantastique! When my strawberry plants start producing I will make the strawberry ones.

And ---- I HAND FLIPPED! Swear. I even laughed like a crone and ran into the livingroom to show Rob. But he was snoring on the couch. So I woke him up and showed him anyway. He would take a pic of me, so I tried to take one as I was flipping and it was the only one that wound up on the floor. Arkie - do I make you swoon?

"RE: Brunch for Sup - Pics"
Posted by Tummy on 04-15-10 at 12:01 PM
This meal was a huge hit in the Tummy household. That. was sooo good. 4 thumbs up.

Ingredients for crepes - oh and that Ninja is the small one. Don't use it if you have a Ninja. I had to fish the blades out and then pour it into the large Ninja. That was after I tried to force the lid on and the flour poofed out of the hole and got everywhere.

Ingredients for filling

Prepped filling ingredients

Spinach, mushrooms and onions after being hit with pepper and nutmeg - they're all happy

First crepe

Second crepe - first tossed crepe

Trying to take a pic of flipping a crepe while flipping the crepe - neither the pic nor the crepe did very well, but the dogs enjoyed it

Ready for the oven

Yummm

Ingredients for raspberry crepes - I also added mint to the raspberries

Double Yummm

I loved the sour cream sauce for the dessert crepes. I also threw some Chambord into the raspberries as they were sitting. The whole meal was delish.
Thanks Fro.

"RE: Brunch for Sup - Pics"
Posted by frodis on 04-15-10 at 12:19 PM
This thread makes me happy.

Love the raspberries/Chambord idea. I have Chambord. (That same little bottle, even.) Now I just need raspberries.

That looks awesome on the green plate.

Oh, and I'm swooning at your flip. Ooooooooooh.

"RE: Brunch for Sup - Pics"
Posted by Tummy on 04-15-10 at 03:59 PM
(That same little bottle, even.)

That's amazing, it must be a magic bottle. I think we should rub it!

"RE: Brunch for Sup"
Posted by arkiegrl on 04-15-10 at 02:24 PM
Ooooooh! *swoon*
"REPEAT CUSTOMER"
Posted by qwertypie on 04-15-10 at 07:28 PM
Making them tonight for my dear sweet mum (it's payment for letting me 'rent' her blender )

For dessert we are doing the 'build your own' crepe with raspberries, the strawberry-grand marnier mixture, bananas, good quality ice cream, whipped cream, and ricotta cheese. DD insists she wants sprinkles on hers.

"RE: REPEAT CUSTOMER"
Posted by qwertypie on 04-16-10 at 00:35 AM
LAST EDITED ON 04-16-10 AT 00:36 AM (EST)

12 very enthusiastic thumbs up!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Starshine on 04-19-10 at 03:14 PM
Late again!

I did a few things a little differently as these seemed to be a lot like British pancakes. I left out the sugar and butter in the batter (sorry) I used a ramekin instead of a cup and my batter ended up a little thicker than yours

I used Crimini, Chestnut, and Shitake mushrooms three big handfuls of spinach and a bought bechamel, couldn't find my corkscrew so I used half a lemon instead, absolutely gorgeous very mushroomy with the smoothness of the bechamel and the punch of the cheddar. I will definitely do this again.

The two other pancakes went for a dessert. I fried two bananananananas, threw in a little dark rum, and served them wrapped in the pancakes with a little squirty cream (first time I have tried it, probably won't buy it again). Again lovely!


Thanks for a wonderful supper, and for the leftovers for tomorrow!

Sunning with the Cap'n

Just another Sleeperbloke

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by I maroonclown on 05-02-10 at 02:56 PM
Trying hard to catch up on the recipes. Made the strawbeery crepes this morning - well, actually mid-morning but I'm not one to quibble.

I was really scared but everyone was right! The first one was kinda weird but I think the first one needs to be weird so the pan is nicely prepped to cook the others good.

I devised a nice wrist-action swirl that gave me good circles. I used an aluminum saute pan with the occasional blast of Pam.

Halfed the recipe but have enough crepes leftover to knock off the savouries for supper this week.

This recipe was surprisingly easy, and I have no idea why I was so nervous.

I dusted lightly with cinnimon just to make it extra brunchy. I also went back and forth about using yogurt over sour cream, but went with the sour cream in the end.

Thank you frodis, for another technique in my arsenal.

Oh, I thought I should bring out the good chinette for this one. *cough* It was Sunday morning, please forgive me.

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Maroonclown on 05-06-10 at 11:09 AM
Had the savoury ones on Tuesday night. Mmmmmmmmmm.

It was a bit of a three day affair. I made the crepes on Sunday morning, found out on Monday that I would have to work late on Tuesday so I made the filling, the sauce and grated the cheese on Monday night. On Tuesday night DH assembled and baked so it would be ready when I got home.

The aroma in the house when I got home was devine. DH did a great job on the finishing.

And high compliments from him too. He said "I would ask for this again" Doesn't sound like a high compliment but it is the antithesis to how he tells me he doesn't like something - "I wouldn't ask for this again" He's such a diplomat.

Thanks Cap'n

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by qwertypie on 05-06-10 at 11:28 AM
*SNORT*
Maybe your DH was related to my Dad. A glowing compliment from him was "It's not bad."
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by PepeLePew13 on 05-09-10 at 09:50 PM
LAST EDITED ON 05-09-10 AT 10:30 PM (EST)

We had a two-fer-one deal for dinner. First, I made about two dozen crepes to stick into the fridge before I went ahead and made dinner.

Dinner was a taco crepe with ground beef, taco mix, baked beans, salsa, blackened corn and bits of red and green peppers, topped with cheese and baked in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Kids loved this and thought it was better than the usual tacos stuffed into tortilla shells that we tend to have. It was the baking for fifteen minutes that probably had more to do with the difference than the crepes itself.

Dessert was a medley of blueberries and strawberries and a splash of chocolate Quik piled on top of whipped cream wrapped up inside a crepe with an extra line of whipped cream on top. I was planning to have vanilla ice cream inside, but realized at the last minute we were out. Typical kids to eat the ice cream and leave an empty container in the freezer!

"BOINK!"
Posted by foonermints on 05-10-10 at 00:52 AM
LAST EDITED ON 05-10-10 AT 00:56 AM (EST)


life really doesn't get any better
eta: well, maybe a foonerswoop™

"Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by thndrkttn on 05-11-10 at 09:58 AM
The crepes were great. It was a while back that I made them. We made the mushroom version and I just removed mushrooms from mine. We had my neighbor over again and she was in HEAVEN and actually took the leftovers for lunch the next day. Her co-workers were jealous! I really, really liked the white sauce and of course DH loves anything with mushrooms and spinach. Making the crepes themselves was exactly how everyone described them. The first one is going to be wonky and then you’ll get the hang out of it. DH even got the flip and I have the pic to prove it!!!

Onto the photos: (Frody, I hope I made you proud with the pics.)

Blending-


Crepe started-


Crepe finished-


The Famous Crepe Flip by Mr. Tkit!!!


Pile of finished crepes-


Chopped mushrooms-


Mushrooms and onions-


Add the spinach-


Add the filling-


Nestled in the white sauce-


Finished! Mmmmmmmmmmm!

Thank you! Not only was it delicious, but it was a fun afternoon cooking for DH and myself.

"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by weltek on 05-11-10 at 06:45 PM
I really do think you could have a career as a food stylist or photographer. The lighting even on the pic of the crepe shell pile is gorgeous.


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by Maroonclown on 05-11-10 at 08:56 PM
And . . .I'm pretty sure she doesn't use the tricks - like shortening for sour cream, or whatever those tricksters do.

Thanks Cap'n

"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by CTgirl on 05-11-10 at 09:03 PM
Bravo Tkit! The pics are gorgeous. Makes me want to make them again!!
"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by frodis on 05-11-10 at 11:31 PM
Gorgeous photos - I knew they would be worth the wait! I love the photo of the pile of crepes. The sliced mushroom photo is art. SO pretty. I want to make that my desktop photo but I'd be hungry all the time.

Mr. T-kit looks very serious, but hey, flipping is serious work!

I'm so glad you enjoyed these, and that Mr. T-kit and your neighbor did, too!

I just had a flash of inspiration. My kitchen is painted gray, and I've been wanting to find some pictures to hang. I think I need to frame some b&w food pictures and hang them. I might need to ask your permission to hang some of your photos in my kitchen. Seriously, look how pretty this is:

"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by thndrkttn on 05-12-10 at 11:32 AM
Thank you to everyone for the picture props. Natural light makes such a difference when photographing food.

Frody, we could do a project for your kitchen together if you like! You get some free art and I get to work on my skills.

"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by frodis on 05-14-10 at 11:33 AM
Yes - the more I've been thinking about this idea the more I like it. I thought about taking my own photos but I just don't have the eye for it (or the patience, I guess.)



A Mmmmmmmoonie plate special!

"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by thndrkttn on 05-16-10 at 12:20 PM
I was thinking if you wanted to do black and whites that we should go for veggies that have distinct striations when cut such as red onions, mushrooms, leeks, etc. Let me know what you want to do.
"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by Tummy on 05-12-10 at 12:22 PM
Lovely! But not fair on the flipping pic.
"RE: Done with lots of pics!"
Posted by Karchita on 05-14-10 at 01:16 PM
Love the mid-air action shot!

But where's the chef's hat? I mean, c'mon.
"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Tummy on 05-14-10 at 11:23 AM
Fro - Bre and my youngest niece, Nikki, are here for the oldest twin's wedding tomorrow. They had to leave for Ft Smith this morning to help with the wedding, so I got up early to make them breakfast.

They were immensely impressed with your crepes. I made strawberry/banana crepes with the sour cream sauce and bacon. They were happy bridesmaids when they left here.

I have as much fun making these OTCC recipes for family and friends as I do the first time I try them out!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by frodis on 05-14-10 at 11:36 AM
Yay! I'm happy they liked them!

I have fun re-making OTCC recipes, too. I'm going to make Weltek's jerk recipe and Seana's cole slaw for the kids birthday party in a few weeks.

I've made your jagerschnitzel recipe several times, now. It's my go-to pork chop recipe because I always have the ingredients.



A Mmmmmmmoonie plate special!

"RE: OTCC: How About Brunch?"
Posted by Karchita on 05-14-10 at 01:22 PM
I really want to serve Starsy's chicken with three spices to guests because I know it will blow them away.

I've also been waiting for a suitable occasion to make Moley's calorie bomb cake. I am not going to do a practice run with it; I need a large group around to devour that even the first time.

Most of all, I need to get caught up with OTCC. I was out of town a bit and am still scrambling to get back on track. I can't wait to try the jerk.


Bouquet by c2p