Crepes, Crepes, and More Crepes!

by Jamie Hinckley on Oct 27, 2011 2

I love crepes!  Growing up crepes were always a unique passion my Dad and I shared…  I say unique because when you are one of seven children in your family having something that is just yours is REALLY hard to come by.  Crepes have always been a traditional food for me… My Dad is the crepe expert and always makes them on Christmas morning and other special occasions.  He makes them so much that he never uses a recipe anymore, but he did tell me he got his original recipe from the Lion House Cook Book.  The Lion House is a famous restaurant in down town Salt Lake City, Utah.  The building itself as been around since 1856 and the restaurant’s reputation is for serving good home cooked meals with fresh baked breads, rolls, and pies being their featured items.

If I didn't prefer them filled with the sweet goodness of sugar, homemade whip cream, and pie filling I might be able to eat them more often!

Crepes are awesome because they can be served so many different ways.   They are no longer just a dessert or a breakfast food.  This past weekend I went to a little cafe owned by a couple from Paris while I was visiting the West Palm Beach area.  I am telling you these crepes were the most amazing things I have ever eaten!  I think the secret to great French crepes is the sauce.  The feature sauce at this little cafe was bechamel sauce.  It doesn’t really matter what you put in your crepe as long as you have bechamel sauce in it!  Not kidding!  You can have spinach, bacon, chicken, mushrooms… it doesn’t really matter, just mix it up with bechamel sauce and you are set!

Basic Crepes
From the Lion House Cook Book
3 eggs
1/2 Cup milk
1/2 Cup water
3 Tablespoon butter melted
3/4 Cup flour
1/2 teaspon salt

***Combine all ingredients and mix in a blender or with a high powered mixer for a minute or two. Refrigerate for 1 hour (we have never refrigerated ours and they always turn out perfect).  Poor 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of batter into a round skillet pan.  The batter should be very thin.  Cook for just a couple minutes on each side.

Here the crepe has been flipped once and is cooking in an 8-inch skillet pan

Bechamel Sauce
From www.frenchcookingfordummies.com
4 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons flour
2 Cups milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
Salt and pepper

***Melt butter in a small sauce pan over low heat, but do not let it brown.  Add the flour and mix until completely combined.  Stir continuously for the next 4 to 5 minutes so that it does not brown at all.  Pour a little milk at a time while mixing, allowing the sauce to thicken as you go.  Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

About Jamie Hinckley

I am a mom of three crazy boys! We love life, play hard, and ALWAYS get messy! Life is busy and full of fun, jumping, crashing, skinned knees, rough housing, torn jeans, scratches, but most of all LOVE. Yes, life is crazy. Actually its completely nuts, but I wouldn't change a thing! We love life and can't wait for our next adventure... and one day, possibly a little girl! Haha!