Crepes for breakfast

There are so many reasons to prefer crepes for breakfast over regular American pancakes. Just so you know, crepes are pancakes - just very thin flexible ones. They are easy to make, taste great and go with a huge assortment of condiments and toppings. They taste great rolled up and dipped in maple syrup, but they also can be spread with jam or Nutella, or sprinkled with sugar. You can even roll up a slice of turkey or ham inside a crepe for a savory take on a breakfast wrap. Once you've made the batter, it will keep for days in your fridge, so that if you are in the mood for a dessert crepe after dinner you can whip one up with almost no effort.

The best part, for me is that I can throw crepe batter together in the blender and not have to get out (and get dirty) several mixing bowls and assorted other items. You can buy yourself a crepe pan - the authentic blue steel one I have was only about $15 and is wonderful to work with - but you certainly don't need to. Any small frying pan can be used. If you are going to go with the melted butter rather than the heart healthy canola oil, just melt the butter in the pan you plan to cook the crepes in- since you'll be putting a little butter in there anyway to keep the crepes from sticking - it will save you one less item to clean.

2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons canola oil (or melted butter)
1 cup flour

If using melted butter, put 2 Tablespoons butter into the pan you will be using to make your crepes and melt on low heat. When melted, take off heat and let cool.

Pour 1 1/4 cups milk into the blender (don't bother dirtying a liquid measuring cup - just use the measurements on the side of the blender container). Crack the two eggs into the blender. Add salt. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until a uniform color.

Add one cup flour to blender and blend until smooth. You may need to stop the blender and scrape down the sides if any flour got stuck to the sides. With blender running on low speed slowly pour in the oil or butter. Blend on high for 30 seconds more.

When you are ready to cook, heat up the pan you will be using on med heat. Once it is warm spread a thin layer of butter in the pan. When the butter has finished foaming you are ready to cook. Depending on the pan you are using you may only need to add this butter for the first crepe or you may need to add it between each crepe - it will vary based on the cooking surface.

You don't want to pour the batter into the center of the pan - even though it might sound like a good place to start. Instead, holding the pan in one hand, pour a slow steady stream of batter off to one side of the pan and then tilt the pan with your wrist to twirl the batter across the entire surface of the pan. This part is a little tricky, and it might take some practice crepes before you feel confident, but don't psych yourself out - it isn't hard and you'll get the hang of it after a few tries. I've found that it is easier to get the entire surface of the pan covered if I add more batter. Don't fret about having too much batter in the pan, if you end up with too much - no worries. Just pour the extra back into the blender.

The crepe will start to pull away from sides when it is ready to turn. We flip ours and then count to 5 (one Mississippi, two Mississippi, etc.) And that's it they are done. If you don't feel like being a short order cook at breakfast then just make them all ahead of time and stack them on a plate in a warm oven.