While crêpes are viewed as a delectable treat by many, home cooks tend to be intimidated by the idea of making them. That’s because there seems to be a common misconception that crêpes are difficult to make. Lucky for many, Lou Seibert Pappas cookbook Crêpes: Sweet & Savory Recipes for the Home Cook takes the mystery and stress out of the process.

This small yet colorful book was one of the first I turned to when wishing to master the art of the French crêpe. Having always enjoyed the real thing while traveling the Southern regions of France, I wondered if I had the skill to bring this luxurious treat to my own table. Lou Seibert Pappas book made the task at hand an easy one. The first few pages of the book offer two recipes for batter – one for sweet crêpes and another for savory crêpes. These early pages also focus on crêpe making technique and style.

The crêpe recipes are inspiring and presented in an organized manner, separated by application: appetizer, vegetable side-dish, entrée, and dessert. About every third recipe is accompanied by a deliciously enticing color photograph. A personal favorite from the entrée section of the book is the Chicken, Sweet Corn and Red Pepper Crêpes. It offers an incredible full flavor and appeals to children as well as adults.

Chicken, Sweet Corn and Red Pepper Crêpes
(Makes 8 Crêpes, Serves 4)

Note: This recipe calls for fresh ingredients, though it is easy to substitute with canned or frozen vegetables where necessary given availability.

Start with 6-7” savory crepes (batter recipe below)
½ onion
Salt
One – ½ piece fresh ginger
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 ears fresh white or yellow corn
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup diced red bell pepper
1 shallot or green onion chopped
¾ cup ricotta cheese
½ cup shredded Jarlsberg or Monterey Jack cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 TSP minced fresh sage or ½ TSP dry sage
Salt and freshly ground pepper
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare the crêpes: Place ½” water in a large skillet. Add the onion, salt, and ginger, and bring just to a simmer over low heat. Add the chicken and poach until just opaque throughout, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the liquid, let cool, and dice.

Cut the corn kernels from the cobs. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat I TBSP of the oil and sauté the corn, peppers, and shallots or green onion for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and mix in the ricotta, shredded cheese, garlic, sage, salt and pepper to taste, chicken, and vegetables.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon ½ cup of the filling. Arrange the crêpe and fold like an envelope to enclose the filling. Arrange the crêpes in a greased 9×13inch baking dish, brush them with the remaining 1 TBSP oil, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated though. Serve at once.

Savory Crêpes Batter (Makes sixteen to eighteen 6-7” crêpes)
2 Large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour, preferably bleached
¼ TSP salt
2 TBSP butter, melted, plus 2 or TSP butter for coating the pan

In a blender or food processor, blend the eggs, milk, water, flour, salt, and the 2 TBSP melted butter for 5 seconds, or until smooth. Stir down and repeat if necessary. Or, to mix by hand, sift the flour into a medium bowl and add salt. Whisk the eggs until blended, mix in the milk and water, and whisk this mixture into the flour and salt; stir in the 2 TBSP in melted butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (though 2 hours is preferable) or up to 24 hours.

Gently stir the batter if it has separated. Heat a seasoned 6-7 inch nonstick crêpe pan over medium-high heat until hot. Coat the pan lightly with butter, lift the pan from the heat, and pour in 2 or 3 TBSP of batter, tilting and rotating the pan to coat the surface. Cook until almost dry on top and lightly browned on the edges, almost a minute. Loosen the edges with a metal spatula and flip the crêpe over using your fingers or the spatula, then cook the other side for about 15 seconds, or until lightly browned. Turn the crêpe out onto a clean tea towel to cool.

Image credit: Stock image, Chronicle Books courtesy of Biblio.com 

The first half is crammed full of valuable guidelines and incentives for switching diets from unhealthy to healthy in a heartbeat and for trimming off artificial additives from otherwise good plans. They offer up solid information, the result of years of research. Did you know that researchers have determined food dyes and additives contribute to attention and behavior disorders? That hormones given to cows for the purpose of enhancing and increasing milk output also increase production of a growth factor widely regarded as a major cause of cancer? Or, that even half a can of tuna contains more than four and a half times the Environmental Protection Agency’s safe limit for mercury consumption for a 40-pound child?

Without lecturing and in a straight-forward manner, the authors offer critical information and thoughtful suggestions for avoiding the offending factors. The basics, such as nutritional guidelines by age and a breakdown of what makes a healthy meal, are covered, as are historical topics and summaries of what can be done to encourage long-term, healthy programs.

The second half of the book focuses on the delicious recipes for breakfast, snacks and lunch. Each recipe starts with a brief intro paragraph, and is followed by a simple set of instructions and finishes with serving size and nutrition facts.

A favorite recipe is sure to be the Broccoli Pesto. It is easy to make and an incredibly versatile way to feed kids something green. The sauce is very much like a basil pesto, with the exception that it is made with broccoli and flat leaf parsley. It comes together in literally minutes. The longest step is the time it takes to steam the broccoli. My three-year old daughter has enjoyed it as a sauce on her pasta, as a dipping sauce for grilled chicken strips and as a dressing for a wrap sandwich. It is the perfect type of item to make ahead and transform multiple meals with. It is delicious.

With the cool months up ahead, the Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Sage Leaves is also a good option. It can be difficult to find a recipe that balances sweet and spice flavors as well as the Lunch Lessons recipe does. What I especially like is how this particular recipe is vegetable broth based, rather than chicken and it avoids cream altogether.

Lunch Lessons is more than a simple guide to feeding your kids better. It is a valuable tool, equipping parents with the knowledge and knack needed for proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.

Broccoli Pesto

2 cups steamed and chopped broccoli
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the broccoli, parsley, garlic and Parmesan and begin processing
2. While the processor is running, add the olive oil in a thin stream, and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutritional Facts: Serving size: 1 serving ~ servings per recipe: 8 ~ Amount per serving ~ Calories: 182 ~ Calories from fat: 155 (85% of tot cal) ~ % Daily Value* ~ Total fat 17g 27% ~ Saturated fat 4g 21% ~ Cholesterol `0mg 3% ~ Sodium 234mg `0% ~ Total Carbo 2g 1% ~ Dietary fiber 1g 3% ~ Sugars 0g ~ Protein 6g ~ Vitamin A 51% ~ Vitamin C 50% ~ Calcium 20% ~ Iron 5%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending upon your caloric intake.

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