Weekend Brunch

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almond, berries, berry, breakfast, brunch, crêpes, food, foodie, nutella, pancake, postaday2011, recipe, strawberry, vegetarian

Strawberry Almond Pancakes with Nutella
Hubster loves loves loves breakfast food… (but only in the morning) so I was pushing it with brunch yesterday. Strawberries are extremely plentiful currently… so of course I had to incorporate them. Paired with strawberries, Nutella is always an obvious choice. With my, almond extract is always my go to ingredient, so whole almonds had to be incorporated.  I usually make this recipe with sweet crêpes, but the batter needs to rest before making them. I thought about making a puff pancake, but it’s been too hot to turn the oven on. So, traditional pancakes it was!

Strawberry Almond Pancakes with Nutella Drizzle

How To:
I made pancakes using my favorite pancake batter, adding a few Tbsp. almond extract and brown sugar. Then I layered with almonds, strawberries and drizzled with Nutella.

Hubster was in Brunch Heaven…

What’s for breakfast/brunch today?

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Spinach Mushroom Gouda Crêpes

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brunch, cheese sauce, chicken, crêpes, food, foodie, gouda, mushrooms, postaday2011, recipe, sauce, spinach, vegetarian

Saturday morning Pumpkin mentioned that he read an article grape in school, he then began telling me how much he likes my thin pancakes… wait a minute, did he mean crêpes? It seems he inherited Hubster’s crêpe/grape confusion. So saturday afternoon I prepped a batch of my savory crêpe batter and a batch of the sweet crêpe batter.

Hubster and I aren’t a fan of mushrooms, it’s a taste and texture thing. Pumpkin loves them, raw, on pizza, marinated, anyway you can get them… I indulged Pumpkin by making him his own special crêpe… and he loved them! Hubster and I had similar crêpes, swapping in chicken for the mushrooms.

Spinach Mushroom Gouda Crêpes

Ingredients:
savory crêpes, gouda, milk, flour, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, button mushrooms, shallot, baby spinach, butter, sparkling wine, paprika

Directions:
Grate gouda and set aside. Slice mushrooms and mince shallot. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and brown shallots. Add mushrooms and sparkling wine, allow to simmer for a few minutes. Mix flour into milk and add to pan. Stir in salt, pepper and paprika and allow sauce to thicken. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Add gouda and stir until melted. Pour filling into warm crêpes, fold over and drizzle with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with paprika and serve hot.

What vegetable do you detest?

Tequila Chicken Crêpes

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beans, cheddar, cheddar cheese, chicken, cilantro, crêpes, dinner, food, foodie, garbanzo, lunch, postaday2011, recipe, tequila

Crêpes… I love crêpes. I always keep a stack of them in the freezer. So tonight, when I pulled them out to thaw for dinner, I looked in the freezer to see what I could throw into them. Chicken breasts, garbanzo beans, summer sun ripened tomatoes I had diced and frozen… mmm. Then I looked in the fridge and pulled out some leftover diced green chilies, fresh cilantro, heavy cream and cheddar cheese…

Tequila Chicken Crêpes

Ingredients:
6 -8 crêpes, 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 Tbsp. minced onions, 1/4 tequila, 1 c. diced green chilies, 2 c. diced tomatoes, 2 c. garbanzo beans, 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro, 2 c. cheddar cheese, 1 c. heavy cream

Directions:
Warm oil in skillet and add onions. Brown chicken and cook until no longer pink on inside. Add tequilla and chilies and simmer. Add tomatoes and garbanzos and simmer. Drain liquid and reserve, keep chicken mixture warm. In a small sauce pot, add 2 c. liquid, heavy cream, cilantro and cheddar cheese. Heat over medium low heat stirring constantly until well combined. Fill crêpes with chicken mixture and top with cheddar sauce. Serve hot.

What meals do you make from freezer ingredients?

Mediterranean Crêpes

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artichoke hearts, capers, chicken, crêpes, dinner, feta, hearts of palm, kalamata olives, postaday2011, recipe, scallops, shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes

Last week started with me having a small medical procedure (don’t worry, nothing is wrong), Hubster hosting a stomach bug and Pumpkin with a fever. I only cooked two actual meals last week! Half-way through the week, Hubster and I both have both been extra busy with the extra-curricular activities we advisor. So last week my posts were sparse, hopefully this week I’ll be back on track…

The only meat we both eat is chicken and I’m sick of it. I’ve really been enjoying keeping fresh shrimp in my freezer. I made Mediterranean Seafood Crêpes for myself and Mediterranean Chicken Crêpes for Hubster. I made my basic savory crêpes recipe and substituted garlic powder for the nutmeg.

Mediterranean Crêpes

Ingredients:
6 crêpes, olive oil, shrimp, scallops, 1 Tbsp. minced onions, 1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 quartered artichoke hearts, 1/4 c. sliced hearts of palm, 1/2 c. kalamata olives, 1/8 c. capers, 1 tsp. oregano, Feta cheese, 1 c. heavy cream, fresh cracked pepper (I used a four peppercorn blend)

Directions:
Warm olive oil and add onions. Saute shrimp and scallops until almost cooked. Add cream and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add artichokes, hearts of palm, olives and capers and simmer. Remove food from sauce and keep warm. Add Feta and pepper to cream, stirring constantly until well combined. Allow sauce to thicken. Add filling to crêpes and pour sauce over top. Serve immediately.

*For Mediterranean Chicken Crêpes, substitute chicken breast for shrimp and scallops. You could marinate chicken breast in Italian or Greek dressing before hand.

What’s for dinner tonight?

Chicken Crêpes with Tarragon Champagne Sauce

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brunch, chicken, crêpes, cuisine, dinner, easy recipe, food, foodie, French, gourmet, lunch, postaday2011, quick & easy, quick recipe, recipe, sauce, tarragon

Crêpes are a versatile food. They can be hearty enough for dinner, light enough for lunch, sweet enough for dessert and delicious enough for brunch. Crêpes are also a great way to use up leftover chicken or veggies in your fridge. I make a large stack of crêpes one day and freeze them for the month…  Last night I made these tasty Chicken & Tarragon Crêpes.

Chicken Crêpes with Tarragon Champagne Sauce

Ingredients:
4 crêpes, 2 cooked chicken breasts (Mine are leftover from another meal where I marinated and grilled them), 1 c. heavy cream, 1 c. champagne, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1 shallot (minced), 1 Tbsp. tarragon, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard (optional), fresh cracked black pepper, fresh ground sea salt

Directions:
Cut chicken into pieces and set aside. Brown shallots in butter, add chicken to pan and warm. Remove chicken. Pour champagne, Dijon and tarragon to pan, allow to simmer. Add cream, salt and pepper and simmer. Slowly add flour, whisking constantly. Allow sauce to thicken. Add chicken back to sauce. Warm crêpes in oven for a few minutes. Divide chicken mixture between crêpes and top with remaining sauce. Serve hot!

I loved how this sauce turned out, I was picturing it drizzled over pasta or salmon, Hubster was envisioning it over a burger…

What is your favorite herb to use when cooking?

Basic Savory & Sweet Crêpes

Tags

breakfast, brunch, crêpes, dessert, dinner, food, French, french cuisine, french food, gourmet, light fare, light lunch, lunch, luncheon, postaday2011, recipe, sweet crepes

I’ve never had a real French crêpe, even the ones at the overpriced French restaurant Hubster took me to, were definitely Americanized.  I’ve tried several recipes for crêpes and was disappointed with each. Some maybe due to the recipe, some maybe due to technique. I investigated crêpes, looked for trends in each recipe (Yes, I research food and enjoy it) and I tried to create my own. Good thing Hubster got me that new “grapes” pan…

Crêpes

Ingredients for Basic Savory Crêpes:
1 c. flour, 1 1/4 c. milk, 2 eggs, 2 Tbs. melted butter, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. fresh ground sea salt, vegetable oil

Directions for Basic Savory Crêpes:
Combine flour, salt and nutmeg. Add milk, beating at medium speed. Add eggs and continue beating. Stir in butter. Chill batter for an hour. Lightly coat a crêpe pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Pour 1/4 c. batter into middle of hot pan, quickly tilt pan until batter coats it in every direction (just a quick twirl of the wrist should do). Cook for about 1 minute and turn over, cook for an addition minute. Place crêpes on wire rack to cool. Stack crêpes between sheets of wax paper.

Ingredients for Basic Sweet Crêpes:
1 c. flour, 1 1/4 c. milk, 2 eggs, 2 Tbs. melted butter, 1 Tbs. amaretto (Disaronno, of course) or almond extract, 1/8 c. vanilla sugar, pinch of fresh ground sea salt, vegetable oil

Directions for Basic Sweet Crêpes:
Combine flour, sugar and salt. Add milk, beating at medium speed. Add eggs, amaretto and continue beating. Stir in butter. Chill batter for an hour. Lightly coat a crêpe pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Pour 1/4 c. batter into middle of hot pan, quickly tilt pan until batter coats it in every direction (just a quick twirl of the wrist should do). Cook for about 1 minute and turn over, cook for an addition minute. Place crêpes on wire rack to cool. Stack crêpes between sheets of wax paper.

I used a 10″ crêpe pan, if you are using a smaller plan, try pouring 1/8 c. batter into hot pan. Crêpes can be frozen. Stack between sheets of wax paper and stick in airtight container or freezer bag.  When ready to use, thaw and fill as normal. These recipes are basic and allow room to add your favorite herbs or spices depending on the filling and sauce you’re pairing with your crêpes.

Hubster is already planning more ingredient he wants me to try in crêpes.

Do you prefer sweet dessert crêpes or savory dinner crêpes? What is your favorite crêpe filling/topping?

Chicken & Asparagus Crêpes with Crème Fraîche, Lemon & Dill Sauce

Tags

asparagus, chicken, crème fraîche, crêpes, dill, food, foodie, gourmet, lemon, postaday2011, recipe, sauce

For Christmas I asked Hubster to get me a new crêpe pan, he went to the store and asked for a “grapes pan”. Luckily, the sales woman knew what I wanted… Now, with my new crêpe pan on the stove, I can begin to play. I’m not sure of the accuracy of my technique, but the taste and texture was great. When I originally planned this recipe, I wanted to use tarragon. However, I can’t buy any fresh or dried locally. A friend suggested a company that she orders her herbs & spices  through, and I’m checking them out. Maybe next time I make these, I’ll have tarragon on my rack.

The idea of crêpes are still a little foreign to Hubster. By using cheddar in the dish, I’ve “Hubsterized” it. I also didn’t measure my ingredients for the Crème Fraîche, Lemon & Dill Sauce, so these are approximations.

Chicken & Asparagus Crêpes with Crème Fraîche, Lemon & Dill Sauce

Chicken & Asparagus Crêpe Ingredients:
4-6 crêpes, 3 chicken breasts, bunch of asparagus, cheddar cheese, extra virgin olive oil

Chicken & Asparagus Crêpe Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat pan over medium heat. Snap off hard ends of asparagus, lightly steam spears. Add EVOO to pan and sauté chicken until no longer pink. Cut chicken into smaller strips. Place crêpes in a glass casserole dish, layer with chicken, asparagus and cheddar. Close crêpe and use toothpick to hold closed, continue with remaining crêpes. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and plate. Drizzle with Crème Fraîche, Lemon & Dill Sauce.

Crème Fraîche, Lemon & Dill Sauce Ingredients:
2 c. crème fraîche, 1/2 c. white wine, 1 Tbs. lemon peel, fresh ground sea salt, 1 Tbs. dill weed

Crème Fraîche, Lemon & Dill Sauce Directions:
Mix together crème fraîche and lemon peel and set aside. Pour wine into chicken pan to deglaze. Add crème fraîche, stirring constantly and continue to heat on low. Remove from heat and stir in dill weed. Drizzle over crêpes immediately after removing them from oven.

Enjoy!

What’s on your dinner plate tonight?