Step-by-Step Crêpes

One of my favorite things in the world is when the husband makes crêpes for brunch. What's not my favorite, however, is when he pronounces it creeps to bug me ... but that's beside the point. I'm not sure what it is that I love so much about crêpes. Maybe it's that the first time I had them was in Paris and they bring back fond memories of my 21-year-old self walking down the Champs-Elysées. Or maybe it's that there is just so much you can do with them that it's completely possible to eat them two days in a row without getting bored (which we usually do since this recipe feeds 4-6 people). I prefer to make mine sweet, adding chocolate, jam, caramelized bananas or some lemon and powdered sugar, but you can just as easily make them savory by adding meat, cheese or veggies. Basically, you can do just about anything with them and they turn out delicious. It also turns out that they're not so difficult to make! So, if you're looking for a good brunch recipe, look no further ... you've found it right here.

250 g (2 cups) flour

½ liter (a little more than 2 cups) milk

3 eggs

pinch of salt

sunflower or vegetable oil (enough to coat pan)

Put flour into a big mixing bowl, making a little bowl in the flour (see picture below).

Add the eggs and salt to the flour.

Whisk together gradually, taking the flour from the edges.

Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and without lumps.

Optional step: If you want to make sweet crepes, you can add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, or 1 of tablespoon of vanilla, rum or Grand Marnier and stir until mixed thoroughly. Personally, I think adding a sweet topping to the normal recipe after cooking is enough.

Pour some oil on a paper towel and use it to lightly coat large frying pan.
Heat the pan over medium heat.
Add a full soup ladle of batter to the pan, moving the pan to distribute the batter evenly.

Cook until the batter becomes firm and golden, then flip the crepe.
Cook the second side (this goes quite fast).
Remove from the pan and serve with your desired toppings.

Some notes:

This recipe will feed 4-6 people.

You only need to oil the pan once, before making the first crêpe.

The first crêpe is usually the worst. I’m not exactly sure why, (maybe it has to do with the direct exposure to the oil?) but it almost always turns out a little off. Don’t be discouraged! The next will surely be better.

Batter can be prepared a day in advance, just cover with plastic wrap and and keep in the refrigerator until use, stirring just before cooking.

To make a savory crêpe, like the one my man made this morning, you can fry a bit of meat and/or a veggie of choice, and then pour the batter on top. The rest of the cooking is the same. You could also cook the savory sides in a skillet on their own, and add them to the finished crêpe, rolling them inside.

My absolute favorite thing to put on crêpes is a caramelized banana topping. It's pretty much the easiest thing to make; you just need to follow the rule of two. Melt butter 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of butter in a small saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 sliced bananas. Cook until golden and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Bon appétit!

One Pot Chicken & Chorizo

I've finally found it! That go-to recipe that takes nearly no time or skill to prepare, yet provides all the comfort and deliciousness of your mother's or grandmother's homemade fill-in-the-blank.

Seriously, all you need to make this dish are the knife skills necessary to slice chorizo and tomatoes. And the prep? Well, I've turned it into a bit of a race, but I can usually finish prepping this meal in the time it takes the oven to heat up. It's magical, I'm telling you.

So, without further ado, here it is. (You can thank me later ... and then I'll pass the thanks on to my good friend Jess who introduced me to this heaven on a plate).

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary
4 cloves of garlic (the original recipe says unpeeled, but I like to peel mine)
4 large chicken legs with skin on
150g (5oz) chorizo, cut into 5mm (1/4in) slices
Juice of 1/2 lemon
250g (8oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (I now realize I've somehow never seen or used this ingredient)
Baguette or bread with a crispy crust

Please bear with me, this is my first attempt at food photography.

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 200º C or 390º F.
• Drizzle the base of a casserole (that will hold all the chicken pieces in a single layer) with a little olive oil and scatter with the rosemary leaves and garlic cloves.
• Add the chicken and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Tuck the chorizo around the chicken.
• Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.
• Roast in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and mix well to coat the chicken and tomatoes with the oil.
• Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and the tomatoes have softened.
• Scatter the basil leaves before serving (or don't, I don't feel this is necessary).
• Serve the chicken with tomatoes and use the bread to sop up the pan juice.

The last part of the directions is incredibly important! Dipping the bread in the pan juices just might be the best part of this dish (that or the chorizo. Or the chicken. Oh I give up, I just love it all). And because we can't get enough, we usually eat this dish with steamed broccoli and dip that in the sauce too.

Another thing I love about this recipe is how easily it can be modified to serve the number of people you're cooking for. As written, this recipe serves four people, but it can easily be cut in half for two. Though I must admit I've never ever ever done that because using four chicken legs means that both the husband and I get a delicious lunch the next day.

Let me know if you try this and what you think!

The recipe was originally found here, on www.easyliving.co.uk/recipes.