Chocolate Crepes

We have definitely not met our chocolate quota for the month.  In fact, it’s been about two months since our last chocolate recipe was posted.  Well, I am going to rectify that with this simple but amazingly luscious dessert.  Chocolate crepes filled with even more chocolate and strawberries.  They really are every bit as delicious as they sound. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 egg
• ⅔ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup flour
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Strawberries
• Cocoa almond spread

In a mixing bowl, sift together your flour and cocoa.

It’s really important to always sift your cocoa, or you’ll end up with these lumps in your finished dessert, and that’s not fabulous.  Just push them through the sieve with a spoon or even your fingers.

Add your sugar and salt to the bowl.

Then mix everything together and set it aside.

In another vessel combine your milk, egg, and vanilla.  (Ignore the extra egg in the ingredients picture.  There's only one in this recipe) I like to just measure the milk and add the egg and vanilla to the measuring cup. 

Whisk until it becomes foamy.  I like to use a handheld mixer because I’m lazy, but you could just use a whisk if you prefer. 

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until it is smooth.

I like to pour the whole thing back into my (quickly rinsed) measuring cup.  It makes for easy pouring into your pan. 

Now before you start cooking your crepes, you need to prep the filling ingredients.  Wash, hull, and slice some strawberries.  Figure 2 – 3 berries per crepe. 

For the chocolate filling, I used Trader Joe’s Cocoa Almond Spread.  If you have a Trader Joe’s within a two hour drive, it’s well worth the trip.  If not, have a friend ship you some… or if you really can’t get it, I suppose you could substitute Nutella. 

Now it’s time to make the crepes.  Place your pan over medium heat and put a little butter on a paper towel. 

Spread the butter over the pan leaving just a trace across the whole surface. 

Pour a small amount of batter (maybe ¼ depending on the size of your pan) into the pan and tilt it in slow circles, allowing the batter to run to the edges.  You want it to be a very thin layer.

Seeley has some good pictures of this process in her crepes post.  When it looks just about dry on top, carefully lift one edge with a spatula, then give it a few seconds to cool slightly and just grab it with your fingers and peel it up and flip it over. 

Technically you don’t have to flip it.  It’s really already cooked all the way through, but I like to do it for good measure.  Seeley also showed how to keep the crepes warm in the oven while you cook the rest of them.  I’m going to just right to the filling.  Spread a thin layer of the cocoa almond spread over half of the crepe. 

Lay your strawberry slices over that, leaving a gap in the middle where it’s going to fold. 

Fold the top down.

And fold the whole thing in half. 

Sprinkle with a generous amount of powdered sugar and enjoy.  The delicate chew of the crepe filled with rich luscious chocolate and fresh berries is simply to die for. 

What’s your favorite Trader Joe’s product?

 
*This post was not brought to you by Trader Joe’s, I’m just slightly in love with many of their products. I have to admit, though, I am slightly peeved that I lived in Utah for 30 years, and now that I’ve left, they’re finally opening a store there. 

Un-Stuffed Peppers

So if you’re anything like me, you love the concept of stuffed peppers, but not so much the reality.  By the time the filling is cooked, the peppers are soggy, they’re hard to eat, and somewhat of a pain for a less than satisfying end result.  Un-stuffed peppers can be made in less than 30 minutes, in one pan, and is even more delicious than the stuffed version. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 cups salsa
• 1 cup cooked rice (white or brown are both fine)
• Salt & pepper

Dice the green pepper into large-ish pieces, about ¾ of an inch. 

Do the same with the onion. 

Cook the ground beef over medium heat chopping it into pieces. 

When it’s mostly cooked, go ahead and stir in the peppers and onions.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. 

Pour the salsa over the top and stir until everything is combined. 

Cover and allow it to simmer until the onions are translucent and the green pepper is just beginning to soften.  Mine took about 10 minutes or so. 

Stir in 1 cup of cooked rice.  As you know by now, I like to use the frozen kind from Trader Joes.  It really does make my life easier. 

Now was that easy or what?  It may not be as nice of a presentation as the whole pepper, but take a bite and all that will be forgotten.  Don’t you love it when a weeknight meal can be this good?

What fancy recipe would you like to see simplified?