Pumpkin Crepes with Sweet Italian Sausage Filling

I know it's going to be a relaxing Saturday when I wake up craving crepes. Since it is finally feeling like autumn here in Houston I wanted to try something with a little seasonal flare . . . (drumroll) . . . pumpkin crepes! Don't panic. They sound difficult only because they are french, but they are super easy!

There are about a million things you could fill pumpkin crepes with - and Nutella is a fail-proof option even for these (remember how much you love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies - these are just fancier because they are french). I also considered some kind of a carmel-pecan filling, which would be amazing if my husband liked pecans. But ultimately I decided to go with a savory crepe and do sweet peppers, onions, and italian sausage. Mmm. Mmm. We were not disappointed.

Here's what you'll need:

For the Crepes:

3/4 c. milk

1 egg

1/2 c. flour

1/3 c. pumpkin

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

For the Filling:

1 Tbsp. butter or olive oil

1/2 of a large yellow onion

4-5 small sweet peppers (multi-color) (or you can use bell peppers if you can't find these)

1/2 lb. italian sausage

1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

First, combine the milk, egg, flour, pumpkin, and cinnamon in your mixer, mix until smooth.

Next, pour a little batter onto a hot greased round non-stick frying pan. I use a measuring cup to limit the amount I pour in. You'll have to roll the frying pan around to distribute the batter evenly. Try to use a pan with a flat portion the size of the crepes you want because that will be the only thing keeping them round. I still don't make perfectly round crepes, but your first few will probably be pretty crazy shapes. Who cares!? They still taste amazing. If you are having a fancy dinner party you may have to practice a little. Ultimately it should look something like this and you should cook it over medium/low heat just until it starts to bubble in the middle and get loose around the edges (kind of like pancakes do), probably no more than a minute. I have a long flat spatula that I found at Ikea and I just stand over my crepe and go around the edges with the spatula until it starts to come off the pan. Flip it to the other side and cook 20-30 more seconds. Remove it and start over with the next one. You'll be standing next to the stove through the whole process - don't go far!

While you are standing there cooking your crepes, you can get started on the next step - the filling. Thinly slice half of a yellow onion and 4-5 small sweet peppers or bell peppers (whatever you can find at the store). Place them in a frying pan with 1-2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil and cook over medium/low heat until the onions begin to carmelize.

Once the onions begin to carmerlize and the peppers are softening, add 1/2 lb. italian sausage and cook fully.

Finally, fill the crepes . . .

Fold them and garnish with cilantro. I also sprinkled some carmelized nuts on these to give them an added salty/sweet contrast. Delicious! Happy crepe-making!

-Megan

Oriental Beef and Broccoli

Last month my daughter was asked what her favorite food was.  Her response was "cooked broccoli with Chinese gravy."  When she said that, no one knew what she was talking about. For some reason my entire family (even the pickiest of eaters) can't get enough broccoli when I make this dish.  Long ago I made it all on the stove, but as my life has gotten busier I have become a huge fan of using my slow cooker.  It not only makes the meat tender, but it saves on the amount of dishes that I use and, most important, it rivals one of our favorite Chinese restaurants.

Here is what you need:

1 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. rice wine vinegar (original flavor)

1/4 c. sugar

a few drops of sesame oil

1/4 c. corn starch

2-3 gloves minced garlic

2 t. fresh ginger

2 cans chicken broth

2 lbs beef (any cut)

2 large florets of broccoli

First - In your slow clooker add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and corn starch.  Stir all of the ingredients together, making sure to get all of the corn starch mixed in as it tends to lump at the bottom of the slow cooker.

Next add a few drops of sesame oil (a little goes a long way) and some fresh ginger.

I love adding freshly ground ginger to any Chinese dish.  Ginger is easy to store in the freezer and keeps for a long time.  Simply peel off the brown skin with a knife.  It is easy to grate using a cheese grater.  Use as much or as little as you like.

Add chicken broth and stir one more time.

Now for the beef!

I have tried all types of beef.  This particular cut was a T-bone steak, but I almost prefer flank steak or a roast cut into bite size peices.  In the end it doesn't really matter what kind of beef cut you use.  Simply added 1 TBS of oil to a hot pan and sear the meat until it is golden brown on both sides.  (Remember, you are not cooking the meat all the way through, you are simply locking in the flavor before it is put in the slow cooker).  It should take about 3 minutes on each side.  Take the meat straight from the pan and put it right into the slow cooker.  Put the lid on, turn on the slow cooker, and cook either on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6-8 hours.

It should look like this when you take it off the stove.  Don't cut it into bite size peices yet, let it simmer in your slow cooker for 6 hours until the meat is nice and tender and easier to cut.





To save time I cut my broccoli into little florets (while I am searing my beef) and then put them in my refrigerator (to save for later).  You will add the broccoli 2-3 hours before you serve, as they will turn to mush if you put them in at the beginning with the rest of the ingredients.

After 6 hours of cooking the beef will be moist and tender and easy to cut.  Take the meat out of the slow cooker and cut into desired bite size pieces, cutting away any fat.  Place the meat and broccolli in the slow cooker once more, give it one more stir, and cover for 2-3 more hours until the broccolli is soft and tender.

To make my dish complete I serve it with rice. . .my preference is brown rice because of the added nutrients and fiber, but any rice will do.  Jasmine rice would be delicious too!

Voila, by the end of the day the house is smelling like my favorite Chinese restaurant for a fraction of the cost.  Last night we tried to teach the kids how to use chop sticks but they found jabbing the meat was much more fun.  At least they asked for seconds!!

Paige