Weekend Edition: Ham & Swiss Crepes

I have never had savory crepes before in my life. I was a little nervous about the idea. Crepes to me are supposed to be sweet and served at breakfast. After making this recipe by Rachael Ray, however, I was pleasantly surprised that they are just as good for lunch or dinner.

What's Needed:
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
Coarse salt
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 C. fat-free milk
2 T. brandy
2 T. melted unsalted butter
Coarse black pepper
Vegetable oil, for cooking crepes (I used a non-fat cooking spray)
2 C. shredded Swiss cheese (I used Swiss-Guyere shredded mix)
1/2 lb. thinly sliced Black Forest Ham, chopped into ribbons

1. Crepe batter: combine flour and pinch of salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add to the well: the eggs, milk, brandy and whisk to combine. Stir in melted butter. Cover the batter and set aside for 20 minutes.

2. After the twenty minutes has passed, preheat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Cover the bottom of the skillet with just enough batter to coat.

3. Let the crepe brown on one side (about 1 minute). Turn the crepe with a rubber spatula, lifting up the edges. Then use a knife to help flip it over (this is a tough step. No need to worry about your crepes being picture perfect. They're being eaten, after all).

4. Scatter cheese and ham on top. Season with salt and pepper, then fold the crepe over and continue to cook until the cheese starts to melt.

5. Transfer the crepe to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat this until all the batter is gone (about 7 more times). Serves 2 crepes per person (4 servings total).

MY Grade B+ (I still prefer the sweet to the savory crepes)
PointsPlus: 9 points (2 crepes)

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due: 365: No Repeats--A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners by Rachael Ray

French Dip

Crockpot cooking again, since I was doing curriculum work in the district office this week. My crockpot cooks on the hot side, so my beef was a little overdone. If this happens, after shredding it, simply put it back in the crockpot with a little au jus and it will moisten right up again.

What's Needed:
1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast (about 3 lbs.), cut in half
1/2 C. water
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
12 cruisty rolls (5 inches)

1. Place beef in the crockpot.

2. In a small bowl, combine the water and dressing mix; pour over beef. Cover and cook for 8-10 hours on LOW, or until meat is tender.

3. Remove beef and shred using two forks. Serve on beef buns with juice.

Servings: 12

Note: If you like your beef hot, add 1 can (4 oz.) diced jalapeno peppers, drained to step two.

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus: 6 per sandwich (bread included)

Inspired by: Everyday Light Meals

Boeuf a la Bourguignonne

Wow--Julia Childs I am not, but this was perfection. After Julie/Julia came out in the movie theater, I was determined to actually sit down and look at the one Julia Childs cookbook I had. I decided that I was not skilled enough as a cook to master what she had written, so I gave up. Cue my new crockpot recipe. It was easy enough to make me feel like I could accomplish a good dinner without wasting food, and impressive enough to serve to company :) I would definitely change a few things next time (like not forgetting to top the dinner with the bacon I had fried up, and using the mushrooms instead of opting to leave them out), but all and all, this was delicious.

What's Needed:
3 slices turkey bacon, corasely chopped
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 stems fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1/4 bag frozen, cut carrots
2 C. frozen small whole onions (pearl onions)
3 T. quick-cooking tapioca, crushed
1 C. Burgundy wine
1/2 C. beef broth
1/4 C. brandy
1 T. tomato paste
Mashed potatoes

1. In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Reserve drippings in skillet. Cover and chill bacon until serving time.

2. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes. Heat drippings over medium high heat. Cook half of the meat in drippings until browned; remove from skillet. Add remaining meat, chopped onions, and garlic to skillet. Cook until meat is brown and onions are tender. Remove from heat. Combine all meat in skillet.

3. Make a spice bag out of an 8-inch square from 100% cotton cheese cloth. Place parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns in the center of the cloth. Bring up the corners and tied using clean 100% cotton kitchen string. Set aside.

4. In crockpot, combine carrots and whole (pearl) onions. Sprinkle with tapioca. Spoon meat mixture over that in the crockpot. Add spice bag.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together wine, broth, brandy, and tomato paste. Pour over mixture in crockpot.

6. Cover and cook on LOW for 10-12 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours. Remove spice bag and discard. Serve beef over mashed potatoes.

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus: 9 points per serving

Inspired by: Better Homes and Gardens The Ultimate Slow Cooker Book

Coq au Vin

What a beautiful dinner this turned out to be. I highly suggest serving it with egg noodles. I served it with wheat penne. It was still good, but I think egg noodles would be better.

What's Needed:

4 slices turkey bacon
1 1/2 C. frozen pearl onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C. dry red wine
3/4 C. fat-free chicken broth
1/4 C. tomato paste
3 T. flour

1. Cook bacon. Crumble after cooking.

2. Layer ingredients in slower cooker: onions, crumbled bacon, garlic, thyme, pepper, chicken, wine, and broth.

3. Cover. Cook on LOW 5-6 hours.

4. Remove chicken and vegetables. Cover and keep warm.

5. Ladle 1/2 C. liquid into bowl. Turn slow cooker to high. Cover.

6. Mix removed liquid, tomato paste, and flour until smooth.

7. Return mixture to slow cooker. Cover. Cook 15 minutes or until thickened.

Husband's Grade: C (I thought it was about a B)
PointsPlus: 6

Inspired by: Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly

French Country Soup

This was a wonderful dish. Serve with some dinner rolls or a nice baguette from the bakery :)

What's Needed:
2 14 oz. cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 C of frozen carrots
1 large onion, cut into wedges
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 can low-sodium beef broth
2 C. dry white wine
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Combine beans and meat in the crockpot. Add all other ingredients. Cover; cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving. Makes 6 servings

Husband Rating: A+
PointsPlus 5 points per serving

Inspired by:
Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes

Chicken and Sausage Cassoulet

Yummy! I made something similar--cassoulet sandwiches, which I'll be posting about later.

What's Needed:
1 1/2 C. frozen crinkle cut carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1/2 C. dry red wine
1/3 C. water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves
2 15-oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 oz. fully cooked Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1. Combine carrots, onion, tomato paste, wine, 1/3 C. water, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and bay leaves. Add beans. Place chicken on bean mixture. Place sausage on chicken.

2. Cover; cook on LOW for 5-7 or on HIGH for 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours. Before serving, discard bay leaves. Serve with thick bread.

Husband Rating: B
PointsPlus: 14 per serving (without bread)