Daisies, Spring and...cookie butter?

Hi all!
Tonight, my baking club is making crêpes with some other resident students. It is going to be a big party and after we make the crêpes, we are going to watch a French-themed movie. I am very excited! For tips on how to throw a crêpe party, check out this link!

I went to Trader Joe's yesterday to get ingredients and found this amazing and mysterious item: cookie butter. It is exactly what it sounds like; it is a spreadable cookie! wait a second....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't opened it yet because I am saving it for tonight, but I can't wait to see how it tastes. I hope it is one of those things that tastes as good as it sounds. The label describes it as "A deliciously unusual spread remniscent of gingerbread and made with crushed [speculoos] biscuits" and promises, "All you have to do is taste it to understand", so I have high hopes.

I also went on a fun walk/improv jam session with a woman from my improv class through the beautiful Mills campus. I had never realized that the trail existed and was full of wonder at the stands of towering eucalyptus and clouds of wildflowers along it. I had forgotten how many native plants I knew since I have been in a city setting for a while. I immediately started sampling native wild mustard seedpods, "sourgrass", honeysuckle and fennel. It was very therapeutic. At one point we sat down and started chaining daisies. I found one special daisy that was more petalled and therefore fluffier than the rest, that I think is so beautiful. The chain became part of my hairstyle for the day!

Tomorrow, my baking club is taking our first fieldtrip to San Francisco, to the bakery Miette, the ferry building and to a tour at TCHO chocolate factory! I'll be posting about it tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Crêpe party!

I am now away at school and having a great time! Before I left, my mom and I put together my going away party and she had the great idea to make a stack of crêpes and a sweet and savory station so that people could construct their lunch and dessert! It was so much fun. I made (I think it was) 8 times this recipe.
My mom made a Greek salad, chicken, sauteed mushrooms, asparagus and a variety of cheeses and sauces for the savory station. Then we set out nutella, melted chocolate, chopped mint, berries, marmalade, jam, mini chocolate chips, freshly whipped cream, powdered sugar, sugar, lemon and butter for the sweet station. It was a great party and so simple to put together, just be ready for a long time at the stove pouring and flipping crêpes! Make these for your sweetheart on Valentine's day or for your next party! <3

The everything crepe: nutella, berries, mini chips, mint and chantilly/whipped cream!

The sweet station

Amani

Avonlea

Jordan (:

Olivia

I try not to post too many repetitive pictures, but this crepe was just so photogenic!

For Molly Katzen's amazing crepe recipe to host your own crepe party check out this post!

Crêpes

I fell in love with Molly Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook. I literally read it cover to cover, it was so inspiring and all of the recipes sound very healthy and most have options for lowering fat content.
Among these wonderful recipes was a very simple recipe for crêpes, which was exciting for me because I have always been a little intimidated by the idea of making crêpes but I've always wanted to make them. I tried a few years ago but found it difficult to keep them from sticking to the pan.
This recipe is literally a whiz as it's made in the blender in about 2 seconds. I tried using my new KitchenAid, but the blades of my food processor got rid of the lumps like magic, transforming it into silky smooth batter instantly.

I made Molly Katzen's recipe for my family for breakfast this week and set up a little station of melted chocolate, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, butter and this great lingonberry sauce that my godmother Suyin and my friend Melody gave me as part of my birthday basket of goodies. The tart berry sauce was divine with the chocolate, even competing with my favorite toppings which are butter, lemon juice and sugar(=the best).

Jordan helping himself at the crêpe station.

Chocolate and lingonberry sauce.

My boyfriend Max gave me this awesome crêpe pan for Christmas and it worked perfectly when I made this recipe!

Moosewood Crêpes (find Katzen's book in my books section.)
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cup milk (use low-fat or rice milk as a healthier alternative)
1/4 tsp salt
Pour into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Heat a nonstick pan on the stove until a drop of water sizzles instantly. Brush very lightly with oil over every surface of the pan. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter and swirl around to coat pan (the amount may vary, I made larger crêpes so I ended up using about 3/8 cup of batter for each). Pour any excess back into the bowl of batter. Let heat about 20 seconds, until cooked and even lightly browned if you like then flip and let the other side cook for a few seconds. Stack on a plate (they won't stick together). Serve with any variety of sweet and savory toppings!
It's so simple isn't it? What a genius recipe, I am officially in love with this book.
Bon appetit!