Pancake dinner, updated version (recipe: Crepes)

Last week, we needed to shake up our normal dinner routine, so I whipped up a batch of crepes and filled them with the first thing I found in the fridge: spinach and feta. The kids had theirs with jam and honey. The crepes were easy to make and satisfied that part of us that wanted pancakes. I did use a crepe pan, but they can also be cooked just as well in a sauté pan.

Crepes
from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything

• 1 cup flour
• pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 eggs

Blend together. Let rest 30 minutes to overnight.

To cook, heat a crepe pan or sauté pan over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter into the center of the pan, and quickly swirl to coat the entire surface. Cook until the batter is slightly opaque, then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool.

Crepes can be cooked in advance, and stacked on a plate as you go. Wrap well and freeze for future use, or fill and use immediately.

If you are looking for a buckwheat recipe, check here and here. Buckwheat Crepes, more properly called Galletes in French, are usually served with savory ingredients, and are very popular on Mardi Gras, the day before Lent. Frankly, I think they are excellent any time of the year!

With the hot summer upon us, crepes make a great dinner, with cold or room temperature fillings. Here are a couple of my suggestions, but find your own inner creativity!

• Nutella
• Peanut Butter
• Butter and Jam
• Sautéed greens and cheese
• Apple butter
• Fresh fruit
• Ice Cream
• Ham and cheese
• Mushrooms
• Scrambled Eggs and Bacon or Sausage
• Chicken in a cream sauce

Special thanks to Amy and Raffi for the inspiration for this post. These two neighbors reminded me all about the ease of crepe making and their appeal to the younger diner!