Q&E Crepes Not Just For Dessert

Crepes are not just for desserts. They make very good quick and easy entrees for lunch, brunch and dinner. They make guests dropping by, easy peasy. Just grab a handful of crepes from the freezer and pair them with chicken, shrimp, ham, or mushroom. Your imagination is the limit. Whip up a batch of crepes when you have time. Freeze them with a piece of wax paper between each crepe. Store in a freezer plastic bag. They will be ready at a moments notice and provide a quick and elegant entrée or have a crepe brunch buffet with both savory and sweet crepes and let guest make their own.

Basic Crepe recipe:

Ingredients:
4 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 ¼ milk
¼ cup (½ stick) melted butter or margarine

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and eggs while gradually adding in the milk, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.  The first crepe never comes out, just toss it and move on.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Cool and wrap for freezer. When removing from freezer, wrap them in foil and warm in a 325-degree oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.

Fillings
There’s nothing better than crepes filled with meats or vegetables and covered with  cheese sauce.

Chicken (frozen cooked from freezer, cream of mushroom soup, frozen peas.l Make cream of mushroom soup using half the milk, heat then add chicken and peas. Lay each crepe on the serving plate, put 1/4 cup chicken mixture, fold in half and sprinkle with cheese (optional). Serve. These can also be filled with shrimp, substituted for chicken.

Hard cooked eggs in cream sauce or cream soup.

Grilled veggies in a cheese sauce.

Spinach, Bacon and Mushroom Filling

Q&E Freezer Desserts Part 2

One of my best strategies for easy hassle-free entertaining is to make a few desserts and freeze them. To serve a great frozen dessert try not to keep them more then a  month give or take. Give them a thaw and you are on your way to a perfect ending to your meal.

Remember cakes are better frozen unfrosted. Frost them when you remove them from the freezer.

How about making crepes? These can be made ahead and frozen with wax paper between them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for sweet crepes)
  

Directions

Whisk together the flour and the eggs in a large bowl. Slowly add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.  Add vanilla if using. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Chocolate Crepes
Variation: 1/4 cup cocoa powder added to the basic recipe for chocolate crepes.

Fillings:

2  pkg 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup mashed fresh strawberries

Whole strawberries for garnish

In bowl of mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream, sugar, strawberries and vanilla. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Put about 1/3 cup filling in each crepe and fold. Garnish with whipped topping and whole strawberries.

Filling: Soften Ice Cream

Hazelnut Filling:

• 1 jar of Nutella
• 5 bananas, sliced
• 1 tub of whipped topping

Spread Nutella on crepe top add banana slices and a dollop of toping.

This is a crepe cake from Martha Stewart’s website. Try it, it isn’t as hard as it looks.