Crepes

For Valentine's day breakfast I got up at 5am and made crepes. Some really good crepes, too. I had no idea just how easy they are to make! I'm a horrible, terrible pancake flipper, so I think it was mostly the size (and thinness) of crepes that had me thinking it would be tricky. Crepes are a lot more forgiving and you can reposition it easily if your flip has a flop. If you can make pancakes, you can make crepes. I've read that usually almost always the first one or two end up being the 'practice' ones that get tossed. I found it a little easier to lift the crepe with the spatula then just use my fingers to flip it. It is really hot though. Fill with whatever you desire, sweet or savory. I chose to spread some warmed Nutella down the center and fill with strawberries and bananas, topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Crepes
Food Lover's Odyssey

Makes about 20 eight-inch round crepes (6-8 servings)

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Whisk the two eggs together in a bowl, just to break the yolks. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk together until combined. Put in the refrigerator for one hour before cooking. This lets the flour rest, so that the crepes are not chewy and tough.

Very lightly butter a non-stick pan and heat. Pull from heat and pour in about 1 1/2 ounces of batter. Before putting back on the heat, swirl the pan around so that the batter spreads and creates a round crepe. Cook on medium-high heat until the edges turn slightly brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. The crepe should be a golden color before you turn it. Flip over using a spatula and cook for about 30 to 45 seconds more. Remove from the pan, and continue cooking the remaining batter the same way as above. Place on a tray covered with a paper towel. As you cook the crepes, you can stack them one on top of the other, separating them with a paper towel.

Tips for making a thin crepe (also from Food Lover's Odyssey, that I found very helpful!):

1) The key to a thin crepe is to find the right amount of batter that will thinly coat the bottom of your pan. You might have to make a few messy crepes testers before you find the right size. For an 8-inch pan, a 1 1/2 ounce ladle should work.

2) You also want to very lightly grease the pan. Dip a pastry brush or paper towel in already melted butter and lightly brush/rub onto the pan once, before cooking any crepes.

3) You want to have a hot pan, but raise the pan off the heat when you ladle the batter into the pan, and once you've poured in the batter, immediately start swirling the pan to move the batter out and into a circle.