Our Independence Brunch!

Wow!  Time flys when you travel like a mad woman!  Many fun adventures occurred since my last post so I have a lot to share.  First and foremost, Happy Independence Day!  For this year's celebration, I am sharing our splendid crepe brunch:

My crepe recipe consists of:

3 Eggs

1 cup Horchata Milk (yes, I am still on that kick)

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Ground Nutmeg

3/4 Flour

Steps:

1.  Beat eggs until frothy

2.  Add remaining ingredients and blend well

3.  Let batter rest for 30 minutes

4.  Heat 10" nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat

5.  Pour 1/4 cup of batter into pan and swirl to coat bottom

6.  Cook until golden around edges. Flip over and cook briefly. Plate

My crepe filling:

2 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup Strawberries, sliced

Steps:

1.  Add  butter to another skillet over medium-high heat.

2.  Add sugar and cook until bubbly (about 1 minute)

3.  Add Strawberries and stir

4.  Cook through for another 2 to 4 minutes

5.  Remove from heat

6.  Add mixture to crepes.  Fold in half

Topping:

1 cup Strawberries, sliced

1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (our favorite is Leonardo e Roberto's Traditional Balsamic Vinegar)

1 tbsp Confectioners' Sugar

Steps:

1.  Toss strawberries and vinegar together

2.  Coat mixture with sugar

3.  Chill for 1 hr in refrigerator.  Toss again

4.  Garnish crepes with mixture and powdered sugar

Along with the crepes, I served an pre-made eggs, potatoes, sausage and cheese skillet along with our favorite yogurt (Le Creme Vanilla Yougurt) coated with the balsamic marinated strawberries.

Indulge and Enjoy everyone!

Cravin' Crepes

Yes! I am back in California for a few days. As usual, I must try to dine on all the wonderful delicacies around the LA area. My first stop since landing last night is Cafe Crepe in Santa Monica.

My sister noticed the restaurant during a recent visit to the 3rd Street Promenade H & M. It looked tempting during her trip, so she recommended it for today's lunch. We restricted ourselves to crepes only as both of us are on a very tight budget. However, since their prices were quite reasonable we had the option of splurging on other items, if we wished. I chose a half Mixed Greens Organic Salad with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, and a crepe with strawberries and sugar.

The salad was extremely fresh and the simple blend on Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar was scrumptious. The mix greens were laid on a bed of fresh tomatoes slices creating a tangy combination.

But the grand finale was (drum roll please)... a delicious crepe stuffed with fresh strawberries and topped with a dash of sugar. I was simply amazed how tasty the crepe was without the strawberries. Normally, crepes are garnished with powdered sugar, whipped cream etc. to accent the crepes flavor. However, my sister and I both agree this crepe was absolutely divine by itself. The strawberries purely accented the crepe's delicious flavor.

My sister and I both agree we will be back!

Crepes by the Beach

My sister knows I love crepes second to hot chocolate! Nonetheless, while visiting the family in California she arranged a visit to two local Manhattan Beach / El Segundo crepe cafes. There was one cafe she just knew I would love. However, I wasn’t impressed with it. Therefore, I will not waste any time talking about it. However, my favorite café out of the two is Melt. Located in a relatively new shopping center called Plaza El Segundo, Melt is nestled towards the back of this vast open air shopping center.

When we arrived at the location early Saturday morning, no one was there. I was thinking….”oh, not good”. Since we were all hungry anyways, we decided to try it out. As usual, I selected the simple Strawberry & Cream Crepe. My sister chose a plain crepe while my mom opted for the Strawberry Royale which had strawberries, bananas, Nutella and cream. The staff was friendly and since we were the only customers at that time, the food arrived quickly.


I was disappointed that the menu did not contain hot chocolate, but my disappointment washed away when I engulfed a piece of my crepe. Yummy! The crepe itself was nice and thin. Every one was extremely pleased with their selection. When a crepe is purchased, Melt offers a discount on a gelato of your choice. Since Dad loves ice cream and gelato, my sister selected a “to go” cup of gelato for him. As mom and sister made a big ordeal as to what flavor to select for him, I decided to tune out of the madness.

On my next visit to California, a Melt visit is required! I hope the foot traffic picks up and it is still there when I return.