Wake up to yum...

Some more recipes, hope you're all in as cooking a mood as I have been (or maybe it's an eating mood?).  My fridge is about to explode, though, so I think we'll need to eat leftovers for a couple of days and recover before trying the next new recipe!  Today's recipes were made for a brunch with my bestest girls.  Seriously girls, we need to get together more often.  (Though next time, I promise I'll put the quiche in the oven earlier, and we'll try not to have any bee stings!) 



Broccoli Quiche, Crepes, and Black Forest Crepes

Broccoli Quiche based on this recipe from Allrecipes.com

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, minced (I used half an onion, I'm not super fond of onion)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter over medium heat in a large pan.  Add onion, garlic, and broccoli, and cook slowly until vegetables are soft.  Press cheese into crust, then spoon vegetables over the cheese.  Combine eggs and milk and add salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese (depending on the size of your pan, you may have extra egg mixture--just make note to adjust amounts if so).  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until center has set (which for me was about 60 minutes, but I was cooking two quiches). 


This was super yummy!  I have had 3 slices today, and I know I'm not the only one who went back for seconds...
 
Crepes
from Allrecipes.com
 
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup flour
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
 
In a blender combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and oil.  Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.  Heat a skillet over medium heat and brush with oil.  Pour 2-4 tbsp of batter into pan, tilting to completely coat the surface of the pan.  Cook 2 to 5 minutes, turning once, until golden.  Repeat with remaining batter. 
 
These take a bit of time.  That little bitty amount of batter took me about a half an hour to cook up, so don't cook them while your family or guests are waiting impatiently to eat (unless you're much faster or more talented than I am, which is entirely possible!).  Much better to cook them ahead, slipping a square of waxed paper or parchment paper in between each crepe, then refrigerate.  You can always warm them up (in the microwave or oven) before serving. 
 
There are lots of ways you can eat crepes.  My family's favorite is to roll strawberries up inside, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and dollop with whipped cream or whipped topping.  They are also yummy spread with Nutella and filled with bananas.  You can go the peanut butter and jelly route.  Or the diabetic special with syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream--Katie's creation.  Or if you're in the mood for a savory crepe you can fill it with ham and cheese, eggs and bacon, or whatever else your heart desires. 
 
Black Forest Crepes
from Hershey's Classic Recipes
 
3 eggs
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp cocoa
2 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter or margarine, melted and cooled
Cherry pie filling
Chocolate sauce (recipe below)
Sweetened whipped cream
 
1.  Combine eggs, water and light cream in blender or food processor; blend 10 seconds.  Add flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and butter; blend until smooth.  Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. 
2. Spray 6-inch crepe pan lightly with cooking spray; heat over medium heat.  For each crepe, pour 2-3 tbsp batter into pan; lift and tilt pan to spread batter.  Return to heat; cook until surface begins to dry. Loosen crepe around edges; turn and lightly cook other side.  Stack crepes, placing wax paper between crepes.  Keep covered. 
3.  Just before serving, place 2 tbsp pie filling onto each crepe; roll up.  Place crepes on dessert plate.  Prepare Chocolate Sauce; spoon over crepes.  Garnish with sweetened whipped cream. 
 
Chocolate Sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/8 tsp salt
 
Stir together sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan; blend in evaporated milk, butter and salt.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat.  Serve warm.  Cover and refrigerate leftover sauce.
 
Yum.  Just yum.  We're not big cherry fans, so we like strawberries (or raspberries!) in these, too.  But even with cherries...mmmm. 
 
Sadly, in the process of writing this post I have gotten up and got another slice of quiche and three more crepes.  I'm going to go roll myself to bed now...