Crepes—Easy, Tasty, and Perfect for Any Family Meal

Crepes, those thin and delicate French pancakes, are one of those dishes that's easy and fun to make, and can be served up for any meal—breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and dessert. They're easy to make and the only limit to them is your imagination. My kids love choosing their own fillings to make their own crepe creations at mealtime or for dessert.

Crepes were orginally created out of buckwheat flour by Breton peasants as a substitute for expensive bread, but now they have a more elegant status on most menus.

Here's the basic crepe batter recipe we use:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

Place all ingredients in the jar of a blender and blend until combined. Let batter rest in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. You can vary this recipe by adding 1/2 cup of sugar for sweet dessert crepes, or fresh thyme for savory dinner crepes. If you want to be really French about it, use half buckwheat and half all-purpose flour.

In this case, a non-stick pan is essential, unless you have one of those fancy cast-iron crepe griddles that you'll find in creperies (didn't think so). Warm a 10-inch non-stick saute or crepe pan over medium heat. You can add a little butter to the pan, although I usually don't bother. When hot enough (test by sprinkling a few drops of water on the pan surface; if they sizzle and evaporate right away, you're ready) pour a little batter in the pan (we found just slightly under 1/4 cup for our 10-inch pan ideal) and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds or so, until edges of the crepe start to separate from the pan. Turn over gently with a spatula or by flipping the crepe in the pan. Cook the other side for about 10–20 seconds. Makes about a dozen crepes.

Remove each crepe from the pan and stack on a cutting board or large plate. Or you can serve them up hot to your diners who are probably getting pretty hungry by now. Crepes can be rolled or folded over a variety of fillings both sweet and savory. They freeze well, too.

Dinner idea: Ham and cheese crepes

For dinner, classic ham-and-cheese crepes make an easy and elegant meal. Four four people you'll need eight crepes, eight slices of smoked ham and a half-pound of grated cheese (Swiss is traditional, but feel free to use cheddar, brie, smoked gouda or whatever you have on hand). Place a slice of smoked ham and a couple tablespoons of grated cheese on a crepe, then fold in quarters or roll. Place crepes on a baking sheet and put in a 350º oven for 10–15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crepe edges are nicely browned.

We sometimes drizzle the crepes with a velvety sauce dijonnaise (recipe follows). Serve with a green salad or steamed vegetables.

For sauce dijonnaise:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. When melted, whisk in flour to make a roux and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until roux is very lightly browned. Slowly—just a few tablespoons at a time—add the milk to the roux until all is incorporated. Don't add it too fast or it will get lumpy. When all the milk is incorporated and sauce is smooth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk in Dijon mustard and thyme leaves stripped from the sprig. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauce will thicken as it cools, but it it's took thick, add a little more milk.

Dessert crepe ideas

Don't stop with the crepes at dinner. Why not have a crepe night? If you make enough crepes you'll have some left over for dessert. For a sweet treat, try spreading crepes with Nutella, jam, lemon curd, or even peanut butter, then roll and dust with powdered sugar. You can also fill with fresh fruit (we used berries most recently) and whipped cream. Even ice cream is a viable dessert crepe filling. It's all up to your imagination. You could even just serve them in the classic French style—sprinkled with sugar and a little lemon juice.

Now that you have the basic idea down for this Gallic staple, the possibilities are endless. What's your family's favorite way to serve crepes?