This just happened to be my Birthday weekend. I have never been one to care about the number so I will tell you I was turning 66. Wow, it wasn't that long ago when I thought that was "OLD".
My favorite thing to do on my birthday is to be with my kids and grandkids. And, of course, anytime I can get to an ocean is a added bonus. So my husband and I headed to San Clemente, CA to visit my daughter's family, including my 2 grandkids (Eloise, age 10 ; Miles, age 7) to have a weekend just playing.
The first morning, of course, the kids "pop up like toast" and start planning the day. They still have not grasped the fact that Lala is not a morning person and really doesn't function well until that 1st cup of coffee has been consumed. So, with cup in hand I sat on the couch while they explained what we were going to make for breakfast. I watched and listened as they prepared for me to join them in the kitchen. Miles is 7 and goes straight for the eggs. In fact, he eats so many eggs it prompted my daughter to invest in chickens. But that is another story! Eloise is 10 and proceeds to tell me we are making crepes and begins listing all the ingredients and utensils necessary to move forward. Many thoughts are running through my mind. I had probably only made crepes twice in my long life of 66 years and it most definitely would require a second cup of coffee. I was impressed that Eloise had jumped into this new cooking adventure with such high expectations and confidence. It reminded me of her mother. "Go Big or go Home!" As they were bustling about the kitchen, I realized how they were growing up before my eyes. I could sense a spark of excitement to explore even more advanced cooking adventures in the future, beyond that of just cookie dough: We could bake all kinds of things. We could open a Bakery. We could write cookbooks and become famous. Oh wait, I'm 66. Never mind. So, we made a huge mess and had so much fun. We ended up with a beautiful and very tasty Strawberry and Banana Crepe with chocolate or caramel topping and a dusting of powdered sugar. We enjoyed our masterpiece on Great-grandma Flo's china, as my daughter shook her head, noting the volume of sugar we were consuming so early in the day. Oh the impunity of being an out-of-town grandparent ;)
Fortunately, we began burning off the sugar almost immediately, as we sprang into the weekend. We had a pool day, watched my grandson jump over ramps (which I thought were WAY too high), played a few new games, did some "NOT back to school" shopping, and a day at the beach. One of the few times they hear the word "NO" from Lala is when they are begging me to get in the ocean with them. I love the sand, the crashing waves and the sun on my face, but not the ice old water. We finished my Birthday weekend with a lovely dinner in Laguna at a place called The Ranch. Fun outside patio with safe distancing and delicious food. The only thing missing were my 2 sons and 1 fiancé. Next time!!
All in all, it was a weekend of continuous fun and frolic. A cleansing that leaves me revived and excited to plan our next play date. So good for the body, soul, and especially, the heart.
Crepe Recipe
2 eggs 3/4 C milk
1/2 c water 1 C flour
3 T melted butter - cooled Butter for coating the pan
2 T granulated sugar 1 t vanilla
In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. If you don't have a blender you can use a whisk but need to blend in the flour without overbeating. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours. If you prefer to make a Savory crepe dish, leave out the sugar and vanilla.
Butter a small non stick skillet between each crepe. Use about 3 T of batter and pour into center of skillet twirling to the outside edges to cover. Flip when edges start to pull away from sides and cook other side.
Fill with your favorite fruit and garnish with chocolate syrup. Top off with powdered sugar.
It would be fun to make a Crepe Bar with different fillings and toppings for your grandkids or your next family gathering.
Enjoy and let us know if there is something special that you have made with your grandkids that others might enjoy trying.
Stay safe.
Love Lala
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