For Thanksgiving at my parents this year I made a traditional Beef Wellington. You may not realize that in a traditional Beef Wellington the tenderloin is wrapped in crepes before being wrapped in puff pastry. It keeps the puff pastry from absorbing the juices from the meat and mushroom so that it doesn’t become soggy and discolored. I remember when crepes were fashionable. One of the first sit down restaurants that I went to with friends as a young adult was called the Magic Pan and it was a creperie. I fell in love with both their sweet and savory crepes and loved to watch the chef making the crepes with the little wooden stick and spinning flat top cooking surface. I never made them myself until culinary school.Crepes are basically very slim pancakes. The batter is a bit thinner and eggier than pancakes. You will need a ten inch nonstick skillet and a plastic spatula. This is another terrific recipe to try with the kids, and while you’re at it, you can make a big batch. They freeze very well–simply layer with wax or parchment paper, wrap in several layers of plastic wrap, and freeze in a zip top bag. They also thaw very quickly. The recipe couldn’t be easier:

4 ½ oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cup whole milk
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl.  Add eggs and ½ cup of the milk to a well in the center of the flour. Whisk the eggs and milk together slowly pulling in the flour. Gradually whisk in the rest of the milk. The batter can sit for about an hour at this point.

In a 10-inch, nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-low. Swirl to coat the pan and pour the excess in a small bowl. Whisk 2 Tbs. of the melted butter into the batter.  Use the rest to recoat the pan when/if necessary.  Turn the heat up to medium high and add ¼ cup of the batter.  Swirl the pan around so that the batter evenly coats the bottom.  When the crepe is just starting to get golden brown spots on the bottom, flip and cook the other side until it is lightly browned.  It takes about 1 minute per side.  Separate them using wax or parchment paper and cool.  This recipe makes about 14 crepes and it doubles and triples well.

Some interesting variations to the recipe include adding to your taste finely chopped fresh herbs such as chives, rosemary, parsley, savory, basil, cilantro, dill or thyme. You can also add spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or allspice.

Crepes can be used for sweet or savory dishes. Some folks use them in place of lasagna noodles, particularly in white lasagnas. Some great filling combinations include: mushrooms and steak strips, ham and swiss cheese, eggs and crumbled bacon or sausage, ratatouille, goat cheese and pickled artichoke hearts, shredded chicken and cream sauce, duck confit and caramelized onions, mixed berries and whipped cream, nutella and banana slices, preserves and brie, custard and strawberries, the list could be endless because the more you make them the more ideas you come up with. They’re easy to make and sound so impressive on your holiday menu. I like to create a little “make your own crepe” bar for guests. Have the crepes made and at room temperature and surround them with various filling options and let people create their own combinations. It’s great for family gatherings and even kids birthday parties.

For the oldie-but-goodie file, I bring you Eggs En Cocotte… again! Our theme this week is brunch and Laura reminded me of this one from last year. I was surprised to discover that it was almost exactly a year ago that I made these baked eggs. And only mildly discouraged that I’m still struggling with the same issues of how to handle the relentless requests for treats in my home. If you’ve got a tween that does this, do me a favour and don’t tell me, okay? I might just jump out of the window. But I promise if you try eggs this way it will brighten your weekend. Whether you make them for a brunch party or just for your own crew on a lazy Sunday morning, they’re so easy, so versatile and so, so delicious. Come to think of it, you could make these for dinner on a night when you need something on the table really fast. Is there anything eggs can’t do? Well, they can’t make my kids stop hounding me for chocolate. But then, neither can I.

Let us know what your favourite brunch dishes are – we love hearing from you! – C.M.

These are not the Easter Bunny’s eggs, admittedly. In true SPC fashion we’ve decided to zig while everyone else is zagging. That’s right – we’re not showcasing treats this week. I don’t know about you, but I’m weary of the full-court press that sugar puts on from Halloween to Easter. I just don’t know how parents are supposed to walk the healthy food walk during these sugar driven holidays. There’s nothing wrong with treats but I struggle with the balance between limiting them so much they become an obsession and allowing them so much they become the norm. Now, of course I’m not so high minded about it that I’m going to deny my kids the fun of digging chocolate eggs out of the sofa cushions next Sunday morning but I think I might add a few non-candy surprises to the mix. (I’d love to know how you all handle the high sugar days!)

And then I might make these eggs for a change to our usual weekend breakfast of pancakes. I’ve made eggs this way a few times and despite the fancy French name, they’re really easy to make and once you get the basic technique down can be changed up in almost any way. I like them in individual ramekins (which allows you to adjust to everyones’s tastes if you’re so inclined) but I’ve seen it done in a larger casserole and that looks really pretty, too. To celebrate spring’s reluctant arrival – it’s freaking snowing as I type up this post – I made these with leeks and asparagus but you could do a dice of zucchini and tomato, a bit of sliced ham, some thinly sliced mushrooms. Whatever you add to them should be ready to eat, so sautee your veg just a little before assembling your ramekins as they whole thing isn’t in the oven long enough to cook anything except the eggs.

Eggs En Cocotte

2 Tbsp buttter
1 leek
4 asparagus spears
2 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
4 eggs
4 tsp creme fraiche
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut off the scraggly end of the leek and just above where it turns green. Slice it in half lengthwise and rinse really well under running water. Lay the washed leeks down flat on a cutting board and slice them thinly into half moons. Cut off the tough ends of the asparagus and cut the spears into quite small pieces, maybe 1/2 inch each.

Warm up 1 Tbsp of butter in a sautee pan and add the leeks and asparagus. Cook the veggies for a 3 to 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Take off the heat.

Put the kettle on to boil.

Butter the ramekins with the other 1 Tbsp. Put a pinch of Parmesan on the bottom of each ramekin. Then place a quarter of the vegetables in each. Top each one with a an egg and then gently shake the ramekin so the whites of the eggs cover the veggies under neath. Place a spoon of creme fraiche onto each egg and don’t worry that it will slide to the side. Finish with a small grind of salt and pepper.

Place the ramekins in a high sided roasting pan or baking tin. Carefully pour boiling water into the pan so it comes up about half way up the side of the ramekins. Place the whole works in the oven for about 15 minutes depending how runny or firm you like your yolks. At 12 minutes give the eggs a little poke to see how they’re doing. These are sneaky – they’ll look undone when they are. Serve with toast soldiers.

The type of Easter that I cultivate for my daughter is not far from the kind of fan fare I experienced while growing up. There are a few things that have changed. For instance, Scarlett doesn’t have an older brother who tells her he swears he just saw the Easter bunny leaving the yard via his red corvette. (Honestly, that was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the crazy shit he told me.) I love masterminding a massive egg hunt like my mother used to for us. I totally get into hiding eggs all over the main floor of our house and the more the better. However, there is one thing our holiday has been missing–my nana’s grain pie.

A typical Italian Easter dessert, my father’s mom passed this recipe to my mother and she has made it each year for Easter festivities big and small. My whole family enjoys it, but it would be a tough contest between my father and myself for who likes it more. In fact, the only other directions I received when my mom emailed me the grain pie recipe for this very post was “cook for 1 hour, then send all leftovers to Daddy!” I ate it all. Sorry, Daddy.

My grandmother’s original grain pie recipe included candied fruit like the more traditional pies but my mother swapped them out for chocolate chips. I know. How could she?! But, I’ve got to tell you, it’s all about the chocolate. Also, many moons ago when my mother started making this dish, she decided to lose the pie crust. In all her 70′s meat and potatoes cooking glory, she had the foresight to see the need for a healthier version. Instead she’d put the filling in a baking dish and I’ve never once missed the crust. And based on her note, neither has my dad.

Photos by Maya Visnyei

Nana’s Grain Pie

8 eggs
6 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooked Arborio rice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
butter for greasing

Even if you don’t celebrate Easter this is a great dessert for a special occasion or a big Sunday brunch with family.

Scarlett and I loved making this family dessert together. It’s a tradition I hope to continue each Easter. After all, Scarlett will one day grow out of the egg hunt I so excitedly prepare for her each year. (My heart just broke writing that.) But, like myself or my dad before me, she will never grow out of loving this pie. That’s something I know my grandmother would love.

With Easter just around the corner, I think everyone has eggs on the brain. Whether it’s dying them, (which was one of my favourite arts and crafts growing up!) or baking treats in the shells or just enjoying plain old eggs for a special breakfast, I can’t help but prepare some of my favourite egg recipes. Plus, eggs can make a super simple, easy and healthy dinner for those days when you’re just not in the mood for cooking. Which happens weekly for me, no shame – I love my easy egg dinners!

How cute and easy are these Egg Bakes? I bet you have all the ingredients right now!

Who doesn’t love quiche? And these Mini Quiches are just perfect for little fingers.

If you’re looking for something to spice up your breakfasts, I find that Toad in a Hole is a classic breakfast that is perfect every time.

Eggs En Cocotte (or baked eggs) are so much fun because you can throw anything you want in there. This recipe is one of my favourites because it uses Asparagus!

Bacon and Mushrooms are a match made in heaven, throw them with some eggs in this Bacon and Mushroom Frittata and you have the perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner – so versatile.

When cooking with raw eggs, safety must always be front and centre. Here are some Egg Safety tips from Health Canada.

1. Shop Carefully – Be sure your eggs are refrigerated and uncracked. I always check the carton before I buy!

2. Keep Eggs Cold – Eggs should be refrigerated within two hours and kept in the coldest part of the fridge.

3. Keep Clean – Be sure to always wash your hands and anything touched by raw egg with warm water and soap.

4. Cook Throughly – Should be cooked thoroughly to ensure safety, be sure to store leftovers in the fridge.

5. Easter Eggs – Do not eat decorated eggs that have been left on display.

Easter may be all about chocolate for my kids but I’m thinking lemons. I’ve tried to bring up the idea of an Easter lunch or dinner a couple of times but the kids just look at me blankly. “We’re having an Easter egg hunt,” Esme reminds me. “I know we are,” I reply. “But then you know, there will be the rest of the day, and we could have a nice dinner…” But I’ve already lost her interest.

Well, if to amuse myself and Ben, I decide to do a special meal for Easter I’ll be looking forward to putting a spring spin on everything. We’re having a start/stop introduction to spring in Toronto but I’m still looking forward cooking and baking with my spring favourites. It’s not like lemons are seasonal since there is no such thing as a local lemon in this part of the world. But for me it’s a spring and summer flavour that I love. It’s so fresh and bright tasting – I love adding lemon to savoury or sweet dishes. I don’t remember how I came across this one. I’ve been making it for a few months now and it’s a big hit. It’s an old fashioned dessert that can be made with chocolate, caramel, berries or citrus. It’s a light batter that, in the oven, puffs up into an airy sponge on top and leaves a creamy pudding sauce on the bottom. Yes, you read that right – it’s a pudding and it’s a cake. It’s also ridiculously easy to make. If you can get a hold of Meyer lemons they’re really worth it. Much less sour than a regular lemon, the only downside is their soft rind makes them a little tougher to zest. But regular lemons will make a great final dessert as well. So creamy delicious. And light enough to finish a decadent meal. If I make one of those…

photos by Maya Vinyei

Lemon Pudding Cake

Makes 1 large (1.5 quart or 1.4 litre) souffle dish or 4 individual ramekins

2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, seperated
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp salt

Method

Preheat the oven 350 degrees.

Lightly butter your ramekin/s.

Remove 2 Tbsp of sugar from the 1 cup. Put this aside for the egg whites. With the rest of that cup of sugar, add the butter to it and beat it with a mixer until it’s light (it will still be grainy).

Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each. Blend in the zest. Mix flour and salt into your batter. Now add your milk and lemon juice and give it all another mix.

In another bowl (be sure it’s super clean, egg whites don’t like grease of any kind) mix your egg whites until they’re frothy soft peaks. Sprinkle the 2 Tbsp of reserved sugar over them and continue to beat the whites until they form stiff peaks.

Gently fold your whites into the batter. Start by pouring the whites on top of the batter. Use a spatula and stir the batter around the bowl, then gently lift up and turn it over the whites. You’re looking to combine the two elements without crushing all those little bubbles you just built into your whites. Eventually it will all be the same colour and texture. Once it is, stop!

Place your ramekin/s into a high-edge roasting pan. Ladle your batter into the ramekin/s. Now carefully pour water into the roasting pan so that it comes up about halfway the ramekins. Pop them in a hot oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Watch it closely at the end – you want it to be golden but not brown. It will be a firm but soft sponge on the top.

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before shaking some confectioner’s sugar through a sieve over the top. Use a large spoon to scoop out a portion, making sure you go right to the bottom for some of the delicious pudding sauce.

Let’s not mess around: for kids, chocolate is the star of Easter. It’s the whole point and no talk of hot cross buns, ham or the religious meaning behind it will convince them otherwise. Which is fine since I’m partial to chocolate eggs myself, even the cheapest, lowest quality, waxy chocolate ones. Somehow chocolate wrapped in pastel foil is the most delicious (even when it’s not). But lest we end up with a Halloween scenario where we’re having to police the chocolate intake of our kids for weeks after the holiday itself, we’ve come up with some Easter goodies that are a little less sugar-bomb-ish.

You’ve got to put those eggs in something and I love that this felt basket is something you’d keep rather than toss. It would make a cute storage basket for hair elastics or Thomas trains (am I the only one who lives in a sea of both these items?). There are also cute bunny or lamb versions of this basket but I love this cheery yellow chick. $9.50 from Indigo.ca

And those eggs are going to need a bed. Love this pink Easter grass for lining your baskets. Plus, I’m thinking of ways to use it in crafts after the fact. Comes in green, purple, blue and pink. $1 a pack from Walmart.

Love these Easter themed cookies (how cute are those carrots?). I’d open this bag up and divide them between my kids’ baskets. Plus, maybe eat a couple myself while I was at it. Setting up an Easter egg hunt is hungry work. $11.50 from Indigo.ca.

All that egg salad coming my way after the holiday is just one more reason for me to love Easter. This schmancy egg decorating kit comes with 6 dyes, markers, stickers, wire dippers, plus a little guide to decorating the most beautiful eggs. $19.95 from Williams-Sonoma.

Having an Easter party? Why not let this fine gentleman answer the door? Made of linen and felt, he’d make a nice wall hanging after his work as door man is done. $37.88 at Pottery Barn Kids.

It’s nice to have some non-edible items to fill up those baskets. This pack of 10 colourful, spring-y pencils is only $1 at Walmart.

It’s just not Easter without this guy. This pint-sized, chocolate brown guy would be a favourite long after the candy’s been consumed. $9.99 at Indigo.ca.